The final WEC Spa 6 Hours practice saw Ferrari AF Corse reaffirm its formidable pace with Antonio Fuoco setting the benchmark ahead of Earl Bamber in the Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA.
The session at the third round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship provided a crucial window for teams to assess tire performance, fuel loads and car balance ahead of qualifying and the main race with every manufacturer pushing the limits in pursuit of an edge at one of the world’s most demanding tracks.
Ferrari emerged as the benchmark in the Hypercar category with Antonio Fuoco piloting the No 50 AF Corse Ferrari 499P to the fastest lap of the session, clocking a remarkable 2:00.596.
Fuoco’s performance during the final WEC Spa 6 Hours practice was not only a significant improvement over Thursday’s best but also stood nearly two-tenths clear of the closest challenger, underlining Ferrari’s intent to control the narrative at Spa.
The competition, however, was relentless as Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA demonstrated their growing strength in the Hypercar field with Earl Bamber in the No. 38 Cadillac V-Series.R securing second place on the timesheets with a 2:00.793, just 0.197 seconds adrift of Fuoco’s benchmark.
The sister No 12 Cadillac driven by Alex Lynn was a mere three hundredths further back underscoring the close intra-team battle and Cadillac’s consistency at the sharp end of the field.
Further down the order the No 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P resplendent in its yellow livery reminiscent of the Ecurie Belgium squad from the 1960s continued its strong form with Robert Kubica posting a best time of 2:01.205 to secure fourth.
Toyota Gazoo Racing placed their No 8 GR010 Hybrid in fifth with Brendon Hartley delivering a solid performance alongside teammates Ryo Hirakawa and Sebastien Buemi.
Hartley’s best lap was competitive but the session was not without drama for Toyota as Hirakawa experienced a spin approximately 20 minutes in. Despite the setback, the Japanese driver was able to continue without significant impact on the car or session.
The No 7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid driven by Kamui Kobayashi, also featured in the top ten, finishing seventh and ensuring both cars remained in contention heading into qualifying.
Jean-Eric Vergne placed the No 93 Peugeot 9X8 in sixth showing flashes of speed that hinted at the French manufacturer’s potential to disrupt the established order.
Stoffel Vandoorne in the No 94 Peugeot was not far behind adding to the optimism within the Peugeot camp as they continue to refine their package for both single-lap pace and long-run consistency.
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Porsche’s challenge was spearheaded by Nico Varrone in the No 99 Proton Porsche 963 who secured eighth position. Varrone’s effort in FP3 was particularly noteworthy given the competitive depth of the Hypercar field and it set a positive tone for the team as they prepared for the critical qualifying session.
Antonio Giovinazzi in the No 51 Ferrari 499P finished ninth despite a challenging Thursday session that saw the car involved in a crash during FP2.
The team’s ability to repair and optimize the car overnight was evident as Giovinazzi delivered a composed performance ensuring all three Ferrari Hypercars were represented in the upper echelons of the timesheets.
Charles Milesi driving the No 36 Alpine A424 completed the top ten, showcasing Alpine’s steady progress as they continue to develop their Hypercar program.
Ferrari’s dominance extends to LMGT3
Simon Mann driving the No 21 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 set the fastest lap in the LMGT3 category with a 2:17.831.
Mann’s time was 0.350 seconds quicker than Gianmarco Levorato in the No 88 Proton Ford Mustang GT3 with Clemens Schmid in the No 87 ASP Lexus RC F GT3 a further tenth and a half back.
Eduardo Barrichello in the No 10 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 secured fourth in LMGT3 while Arnold Robin rounded out the top five in the No 78 ASP Lexus.
The final WEC Spa 6 Hours practice was characterized by its clean running, a welcome contrast to the previous day’s practice which was marred by multiple red flags.
The importance of maximizing every lap at Spa cannot be overstated given the circuit’s unique blend of high-speed corners, elevation changes and unpredictable weather patterns.
