The #50 Ferrari 499P claimed 6 Hours of Spa WEC pole in the hands of Antonio Fuoco as the Scuderia maintained their crushing dominance in qualifying.
The qualifying session held at the iconic 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps was a showcase of Ferrari’s dominance with the Italian marque securing the top three positions on the grid and continuing its unbroken streak of pole positions in 2025 FIA WEC.
The qualifying event unfolded under clear skies with ambient temperatures hovering around 16°C and the track reaching 38°C, providing optimal conditions for the teams to push their machinery to the limit.
The qualifying format comprised an initial fifteen-minute session to determine the fastest ten cars, followed by a high-stakes twelve-minute Spa WEC pole shootout(Hyperpole) to set the grid’s front rows.
From the outset, Ferrari’s intent was clear. In the opening timed session Antonio Fuoco in the #50 Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar set the benchmark, clocking a lap of 2:00.108.
Fuoco’s teammate Antonio Giovinazzi piloting the #51 factory Ferrari was just 0.468 seconds adrift while Robert Kubica in the #83 AF Corse customer Ferrari posted a strong 2:00.539, ensuring all three Ferraris advanced to Hyperpole.
The Hyperpole session was a dramatic affair with each of the top ten drivers vying for a coveted spot at the front of the grid. Fuoco sharing the #50 car with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen delivered a flawless lap, stopping the clocks at 1:59.617.
This effort was enough to secure pole by a margin of 0.347 seconds over Kubica whose 1:59.964 in the #83 AF Corse Ferrari was the only other sub-two-minute lap of the session.
Giovinazzi despite a challenging build-up that included a crash in Thursday’s free practice recovered to post a 2:00.201 in the #51 Ferrari, completing a Ferrari 1-2-3 lockout at the front of the grid.
This result marked Ferrari’s third consecutive pole position in the 2025 FIA WEC season following previous successes at Lusail and Imola both achieved by Giovinazzi in the #51 car.
For Antonio Fuoco it was his first pole of the year, adding to his tally of Hyperpole successes at Sebring and Le Mans in 2023 as well as Imola in 2024.
The significance of this achievement was not lost on the paddock as it represented Ferrari’s first 6 Hours of Spa WEC pole in the top class in 52 years, harking back to the 1973 World Sportscar Championship season.
Behind the dominant Ferraris the battle for best of the rest was fiercely contested. Stoffel Vandoorne, driving the #94 Peugeot 9X8 delivered the French manufacturer’s most competitive qualifying performance in recent times, securing fourth with a 2:00.218-just over six tenths off Fuoco’s pole time.
Alex Lynn at the wheel of the Jota-run Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh was close behind with a 2:00.246, underlining the competitiveness of the Hypercar field. Mick Schumacher in the #36 Alpine A424 claimed sixth position with a 2:00.368 narrowly edging out Jean-Eric Vergne in the second Peugeot.
The top ten was rounded out by Robin Frijns in the BMW M Hybrid V8, Charles Milesi in the sister Alpine A424 and Earl Bamber in the second Cadillac, all of whom demonstrated the depth of talent and technological prowess present in the WEC’s premier category.
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Elsewhere, the Hyperpole session proved challenging for some of the championship’s other heavyweights. Porsche Penske Motorsport and Toyota Gazoo Racing failed to advance any of their cars into the top ten shootout, highlighting the increasingly competitive nature of the Hypercar field.
Akkodis ASP take Spa LMGT3 pole
The LMGT3 category also provided its share of excitement as Akkodis ASP Team rookie Finn Gehrsitz made history for Lexus by securing 6 Hours of Spa WEC pole after setting a 2:17.732 lap that edged out Eduardo Barrichello in the Spirit of Leman Aston Martin.
Ford’s Proton Competition Mustang GT3s were close behind with Ben Tuck and Giammarco Levorato taking third and fourth respectively.
Simon Mann in the fastest AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 lost a time that would have secured third due to a track limits violation, underscoring the unforgiving nature of Spa’s layout and the strict enforcement of regulations.
