Qualifying for the 6 Hours of Fuji saw two 488 GTEs finish in second place in the LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am classes, the number 51 AF Corse and the number 85 Iron Dames, respectively. This was a favourable result for James Calado as he and Alessandro Pier Guidi seek to maintain their championship lead. The session also confirmed the competitiveness of Sarah Bovy and the female crew in the fuchsia liveried Ferrari, who finished second in the previous World Championship race at Monza. We heard from the competitors at the end of qualifying.
James Calado: “It wasn’t easy to handle the traffic, given the large number of cars on the track. Considering the temperatures, which meant that the tyres could only be used optimally for one fast lap, we concentrated on this strategy. Although we didn’t exploit our car to its full potential, we secured an excellent second place and are confident about tomorrow. According to the weather forecast, the race should be staged in dry track conditions with temperatures around 30° C, but we know that the weather can change quickly at Fuji. In the conditions expected, the tyres, especially the rear ones, would be severely tested. I expect a challenging race. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that both cars can deliver an excellent result”.
Miguel Molina: “We found ourselves in traffic during lap one, and as we know, the chance to set the best time in qualifying is limited to one attempt here. In any case, the race is what counts most, and during the third free practice session this morning, we saw how fast our car is in long stints, which is definitely a good thing”.
Sarah Bovy: “The team provided me with a high-speed and efficient car, a tremendous job for which I thank the entire team, including my teammates who contributed to an excellent set-up. I am happy with our performance. I am just discovering this track where I will be racing for the first time. Of course, I am sorry we didn’t take pole position, but we will do our best in the race, as we have an excellent package. I have my fingers crossed that we can keep out of trouble during the race: I know how fast my teammates are, and I will try not to be outshone”.