The final round of the FIA World Endurance Championship took place at the Bahrain circuit. Ferrari’s 296 LMGT3 secured a second consecutive victory, courtesy of Vista AF Corse’s number 55, driven by François Heriau, Simon Mann, and Alessio Rovera. The number 54 car, piloted by Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci, and Davide Rigon, finished in seventh place. The race ran on a dry track, with temperatures ranging from moderate to high.
François Heriau, Vista AF Corse #55: “In the first part of the race, the aim was simply to stay in contention and conserve as many sets of tyres as possible. I started with the qualifying tyres and completed a double stint. With this strategy, more tyres were available for the final stint, which proved decisive after the Safety Car. We’re delighted with this result, which rewards the entire team for all the hard work put in.”
Simon Mann, Vista AF Corse #55: “We had to endure a bit initially by double-stinting the tyres, but we could take advantage of the fresh tyres at the end. We achieved many excellent results this season, and this victory is truly the best way to close the season."
Alessio Rovera, Vista AF Corse #55: “I’m thrilled to have claimed my first win with the 296 LMGT3 in the World Championship; it’s a special joy. We’ve been close to the podium all year. The team worked incredibly well here in Bahrain, especially during the pit stops, with the last stop being five seconds faster than the others. Congratulations, above all, to François (Heriau, ed.) and Simon (Mann, ed.) for managing the tyres in the opening part of the race, as the key really lay in those last three to four hours.”
Davide Rigon, Vista AF Corse #54: “It was an interesting race. I had a lot of fun at the restart after the Safety Car when Alessio Rovera and I overtook everyone—I moved from ninth to second. Unfortunately, we received a drive-through penalty for a restart after the Full Course Yellow. I wouldn’t have had the pace to win, but I’m delighted for our teammates’ success. It’s been a positive year for us, particularly for Thomas (Flohr, ed.) and Francesco (Castellacci, ed.), who both did an excellent job.”