The final free practice session ahead of Qualifying for the 2026 WEC 6 Hours of Imola unfolded under clear skies at Imola. As expected, teams wasted no time in extracting maximum performance, and lap times dropped immediately.
Crucially, Ferrari delivered a statement performance at just the right moment. Meanwhile, LMGT3 continued to produce a tightly contested battle, with multiple manufacturers still in contention for pole.
2026 FIA WEC: 6 Hours of Imola: Free Practice 3: Hypercar
Ferrari hits peak form
Ferrari surged to the top in FP3, locking out the front row with authority. Antonio Fuoco set the fastest lap of the week so far, a blistering 1:30.370 in the #50 Ferrari. As a result, the Italian outfit underlined both its speed and consistency on home soil.
Shortly afterwards, Antonio Giovinazzi secured second in the #51 entry, finishing 0.323 seconds behind. Together, the two factory cars confirmed Ferrari’s strong position heading into Qualifying.
Alpine continues to challenge
Despite Ferrari’s dominance, Alpine remained firmly in the fight. Charles Milesi once again led the #35 entry, placing third and just 0.342 seconds off the benchmark.
This performance followed Alpine’s strong showing in FP2 and reinforced its credentials as a genuine contender for pole position.
AF Corse adds depth amid investigation
Ferrari’s strength extended beyond its factory cars. Robert Kubica placed the #83 AF Corse entry fourth, ensuring all three Ferraris finished inside the top four.
However, Kubica’s session included a moment of scrutiny, as officials investigated him for allegedly slowing unnecessarily at Rivazza while preparing for a flying lap.
Tight field behind the leaders
Behind the leading quartet, competition remained intense. Nyck de Vries guided the #7 Toyota to fifth, maintaining the team’s steady progress throughout the weekend.
Cadillac also showed improved pace, with the #12 entry securing sixth. Meanwhile, the #8 Toyota recovered from a late puncture to finish seventh, demonstrating resilience ahead of the race.
BMW and Peugeot completed the top ten, while the rest of the field continued to evaluate long-run pace and Michelin’s latest tyre developments.
Classification
- Ferrari #50 – Ferrari AF Corse – 1:30.370 (37 laps)
- Ferrari #51 – Ferrari AF Corse – +0.323 (29 laps)
- Alpine #35 – Alpine Endurance Team – +0.342 (31 laps)
- Ferrari #83 – AF Corse – +0.524 (32 laps)
- Toyota #7 – Toyota Racing – +0.576 (33 laps)
- Cadillac #12 – Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA – +0.751 (35 laps)
- Toyota #8 – Toyota Racing – +0.884 (30 laps)
- Cadillac #38 – Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA – +0.925 (30 laps)
- BMW #15 – BMW M Team WRT – +0.973 (15 laps)
- Peugeot #94 – Peugeot TotalEnergies – +1.045 (29 laps)
- Aston Martin #007 – Aston Martin THOR Team – +1.094 (34 laps)
- Genesis #19 – Genesis Magma Racing – +1.231 (31 laps)
- Peugeot #93 – Peugeot TotalEnergies – +1.273 (28 laps)
- Alpine #36 – Alpine Endurance Team – +1.364 (33 laps)
- BMW #20 – BMW M Team WRT – +1.403 (17 laps)
- Aston Martin #009 – Aston Martin THOR Team – +1.410 (33 laps)
- Genesis #17 – Genesis Magma Racing – +1.992 (33 laps)
2026 FIA WEC: 6 Hours of Imola: Free Practice 3: LMGT3
Aston Martin leads a thrilling session as Corvette pushes to the limit
LMGT3 once again delivered close competition, with Mattia Drudi putting the #27 Aston Martin on top. His 1:41.973 lap narrowly secured first place in a constantly shifting session. Importantly, this result confirmed Heart of Racing Team’s strong form across all practice sessions.
Meanwhile, TF Sport mounted a late challenge, as Jonny Edgar set a 1:41.998 to claim second in the #33 Corvette. The gap to the leader stood at just 0.025 seconds, highlighting the razor-thin margins at the front. Meanwhile, the #34 Corvette also impressed, with Charlie Eastwood climbing to sixth after a late improvement.
Mercedes and BMW stay in contention
Iron Lynx continued its strong weekend, placing third with the #61 Mercedes-AMG. At the same time, Team WRT’s #69 BMW secured fourth, positioning itself as a serious contender for Qualifying.
Additionally, Akkodis ASP Team maintained consistency, placing both Lexus entries inside the top seven.
Classification
- Aston Martin #27 – Heart of Racing Team – 1:41.973 (31 laps)
- Corvette #33 – TF Sport – +0.025 (32 laps)
- Mercedes #61 – Iron Lynx – +0.137 (29 laps)
- BMW #69 – Team WRT – +0.230 (31 laps)
- Lexus #87 – Akkodis ASP Team – +0.370 (28 laps)
- Corvette #34 – Racing Team Turkey by TF – +0.390 (31 laps)
- Lexus #78 – Akkodis ASP Team – +0.444 (31 laps)
- Aston Martin #23 – Heart of Racing Team – +0.476 (31 laps)
- McLaren #58 – Garage 59 – +0.508 (31 laps)
- Porsche #92 – The Bend Manthey – +0.522 (33 laps)
- Porsche #91 – Manthey DK Engineering – +0.556 (31 laps)
- McLaren #10 – Garage 59 – +0.667 (32 laps)
- Ferrari #21 – VISTA AF Corse – +0.805 (26 laps)
- BMW #32 – Team WRT – +0.810 (29 laps)
- Ferrari #54 – VISTA AF Corse – +0.811 (32 laps)
- Ford #88 – Proton Competition – +0.904 (31 laps)
- Ford #77 – Proton Competition – +1.078 (32 laps)
- Mercedes #79 – Iron Lynx – +1.086 (30 laps)
All eyes on Qualifying
As FP3 concluded, Ferrari clearly held the advantage in Hypercar, delivering the fastest lap of the weekend at a crucial moment. However, Alpine and Toyota remained within striking distance, ensuring the fight for pole would remain wide open.
Simultaneously, LMGT3 continued to showcase exceptional competitiveness, with minimal gaps separating the leading contenders. Therefore, with Qualifying scheduled for 14:30 local time, anticipation continues to build for a thrilling battle for grid positions at Imola.
