The Ferrari 296 LMGT3 from Vista AF clinched its first pole position in the FIA WEC at the 6 Hours of Fuji, thanks to François Heriau, while Thomas Flohr secured ninth on the grid. Here are their comments following the Hyperpole, ahead of the race which will start on Sunday, 15 September at 11 a.m. (local time).
François Heriau, 296 LMGT3 number 55: “From the start of the weekend, the car performed really well, and I felt comfortable. We were competitive right from the free practice sessions, and in qualifying, I aimed to bring home the result, securing the first pole for the 296 LMGT3 in the FIA WEC. I want to thank the entire team for this. I’m also very happy on a personal level as I’m a rookie with this car this year, and race after race, my performance and confidence with the 296 LMGT3 are improving. Tomorrow’s 6 Hours will be challenging, but we are confident because we’ve shown we can be competitive, and both Simon and Alessio (Mann and Rovera, Ed.) are very fast. Our main goal is to have an error-free race, as we are still chasing our first podium.”
Thomas Flohr, 296 LMGT3 number 54: “This weekend, the car is truly exceptional and very well balanced. My best lap could have been enough for second or third position, but I had a slight loss of grip in the final corner. However, I’m happy to have made it into the Hyperpole, and tomorrow, I’m expecting an interesting race where we can perform very well.”