An outstanding performance by François Heriau earned the number 55 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3 pole position for the Fuji 6 Hours, the seventh round of the FIA World Endurance Championship season. This marks the first pole in the FIA WEC for the Prancing Horse car, entered in the LMGT3 class reserved for series-derived cars, during its debut year in the championship. The sister car, number 54, driven by Thomas Flohr, will start from ninth place in the race scheduled for Sunday, 15 September, at 11 a.m. (local time).
As per regulations, the two Bronze-licensed drivers took to the track during the qualifying session, contested on the afternoon of Saturday, 14 September, under dry and hot conditions, with air temperatures at 29°C and the track at 43°C. François Heriau placed the number 55 296 LMGT3, shared with official Ferrari driver Alessio Rovera and Simon Mann, in first position, while Thomas Flohr set the eighth fastest time in the number 54 car, alongside crew-mates official driver Davide Rigon and Francesco Castellacci. Both cars thus secured a place in the Hyperpole, reserved for the ten fastest cars.
In the decisive session, Heriau once again showed himself at ease on the Japanese track, improving his previous lap time and securing pole position with a time of 1'40"893, just 82 milliseconds ahead of second place. Flohr, meanwhile, recorded a time of 1'41"608, 715 milliseconds behind his teammate, placing ninth in a session with very close gaps, with all cars separated by just over eight tenths.
The Fuji 6 Hours, a mainstay on the WEC calendar now in its eleventh edition, will kick off at 11 a.m. (local time) on Sunday, 15 September.