Comments ahead of FIA WEC 6 Hours of Spa

The Spa-Francorchamps track hosts round three of the FIA World Endurance Championship, with two Ferrari 499Ps featuring in the Hypercar class. Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen will crew the number 50 car, while Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi will share the cockpit of the number 51. After the Sebring and Portimão rounds, the Prancing Horse lies second in the Constructors’ standings, 22 points behind Toyota. Fuoco-Molina-Nielsen are also second in the Drivers’ standings with 42 points, with Pier Guidi-Calado-Giovinazzi sixth on 17.

The track programme will start on Thursday, 27 April, with the first two free practice sessions at 11.30 a.m. and 4.20 p.m. On Friday 28th, after Free Practice 3, the Hypercar qualifying at 11 a.m. and 5.50 p.m. will decide the starting grid for the 6 Hours of Spa. The race kicks off on Saturday 29th, at 12.45 p.m. (all times are local). You can follow the Portuguese endurance event live from the drivers' perspective on the "Ferrari" YouTube channel, with onboard cameras available for both Hypercars.

Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “We need to keep working on ourselves, trying to improve race after race to achieve the best possible result. Personally, I like the track at Spa a lot. It’s a special track with many ups and downs that I think is one of the world’s most enjoyable and, at the same time, most complicated tracks. On a technical level, it doesn’t allow for too many mistakes. It will be crucial to stay focused throughout the race.”

Miguel Molina, 499P #50: “At Spa we’ll need to continue with the pace we showed at Sebring and Portimão, where we achieved positive results. However, we know that the Belgian race won’t be easy, so it’s essential to make the most of our capabilities at all times. Given that the weather is often changeable, an endurance race at Spa can hold many unknowns. The track? It’s quick and, in some places, really demanding for the car’s set-up, which makes it challenging for drivers and teams.”

Nicklas Nielsen, 499P #50: “The team’s first goal will be for the car to be as reliable as in the first two rounds. Preparing for the Spa race is always a complex process in which several variables need consideration, starting with the weather. We’ll do our best to secure another podium finish, which I believe is within our grasp. I’m Danish, and I think there will be a lot of racing fans from my country on the grandstands in Belgium. It will be lovely to race in front of them, and I can’t wait to climb into the cockpit of our 499P.”

Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “We are back in action just two weeks after the Portuguese round at Spa-Francorchamps on a track where I have gained several results and victories in my career. I have plenty of wonderful memories, starting with the 24 Hours we won in 2021 with the Ferrari 488 GT3 in a race only decided in the last few minutes. Regarding the third round of the FIA WEC, I think we can fight for a third place in Belgium, as Toyota currently seems to be the favourite for the top two positions. However, at Spa, there are many variables, including the weather, which can reshuffle the pack: if it rains, the playing field could change. The hope is to run a trouble-free race and reach the final stages with a chance of fighting for a top position.”

James Calado, 499P #51: “Spa is one of my favourite tracks where in the past I have had great success including the win last year. It’s a track that tends to bring mixed weather, which can ultimately spice up the racing. Coming here with Le Mans Hypercar is very exciting, and after the bad luck over the last two races it would be nice to get a good result. The goals are of course to win but being on the podium would also be a great achievement.”

Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: “I am happy to race at Spa on a track that is unquestionably one of my favourites. In Belgium, we have had two days of testing with our 499P, even in unfavourable weather, collecting data that could be very useful during the weekend on a track where, traditionally, the weather can affect the results. I think the technical characteristics of the second sector at Spa make it the most complex to drive and, therefore, the one where you can make a difference both positively and negatively. The 6 Hours will require the utmost concentration and a little more luck than the first two rounds.”

Antonello Coletta, Head of Attività Sportive GT: “Considering our third place in America and second in Portugal, we are pleased with our start to the season. However, we know we are at the start of a difficult journey and must continue to work hard to close the gap with our chief rivals. We come to Spa to continue to grow and improve along the path to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will be the most critical race in the championship, an event where we hope to turn up with an even deeper knowledge of the car on the part of our team and drivers.”

Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars: “Our goal at Spa will be to consolidate the results achieved so far and get two cars to the finish line, hopefully with no accidents or reliability problems. However, it will be far from easy. The Belgian circuit is decidedly technical and tricky. Its medium-high efficiency characteristics will require tuning a setup optimised specifically for this race. This is even more so considering that the weather forecast is for a cold and rainy race weekend, so we will need to test the car’s performance in the wet and the tyre warm-up in cold temperatures. As is often the case at Spa, it’s unlikely to be a boring weekend.”