Doha, Qatar – The WRT team with the BMW Hypercar drove the best time this afternoon. Porsche Penske confirmed the pace for this week at the Circuit International Lusail in Qatar in the morning session. The 1,812 km from Qatar begin with the first free training on Wednesday.

Kévin Estre is on the slopes with the Porsche 963 #6 as a world champion and has completed its best round at 1: 40,428 minutes without improving the reference of the first stint. The Frenchman with Laurens Vanthoor and Matt Campbell confirmed the strong performance after yesterday’s engine change. Before the Ferrari 499p #51 – Ferrari Af Corse by Antonio Giovinazzi, who took second position in the last five minutes of the session with 0.273 seconds behind. The Ferrari #83 AF Corse by Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson completed the ranking list 0.349 seconds before the second official 499p, #50 and the Jota Hertz Premiere V-Series.R, the #38 Cadillac team of Bourdais, Bamber And button.

Six places and nine places for the best M Hybrid V8 BMW M Team WRT and A424 – Alpine Endurance Team, each awarded 15th place by Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello and Dries Vanthoor and 36th place by Frédéric Makowiecki, Jules Gounon and Mick Schumacher. The premiere of Peugeot 9×8, the #93 by Paul di Resta, Jean-Eric Vergne and Mikkel Jensen took 11th place when the two Toyota Gr010 landed in places 13 and 14. Aston Martin Valkyrie Thor added the placements of the hypercar category.

BMW M-Team Best time session 4

Robin Frijns and the BMW M Team WRT ended the WEC prologue with the fastest time on the Losail route in Qatar. In the last session of the WEC 2025 prologue this Saturday, the pace was increased: Robin Frijns and the BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 BMW M Team WRT were finally in the lead with the best total time of 1: 38.971. Several cars drove faster than the pole position from 2024. First it was Alex Lynn who brought the Cadillac V-Series.R #12-Cadillac Team Jota to the top in the first half hour by using the pole position in 1:39 “296 beat.

Robert Kubica then drove the Ferrari 499p #83 AF Corse in 1: 39.141 minutes before Sébastien Bourdais, whose Cadillac #38 Cadillac Team Jota had caused a full course in the last sector, accelerated again in 1: 39.116 minutes. Robin Frijns (BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 BMW M Team RLL) was the first to undercut the time per round below 1:39 with 1: 38.971 minutes, a record that should no longer be improved until the target flag. The Dutch was 0.145 ahead of Bourdais and 0.170 ahead of Kubica.

The second BMW #15 and the second Cadillac #12 completed the top 5 of the session. The top 9 are grouped in the same second. Aston Martin (13th and 14th), Peugeot (11th and 15th) and Porsche (16th, 17th for the official 963 and 18th for the Proton car) are the brands that are not a car in this session had the same second. Ferrari and Vista Af Corse attached great importance to setting the reference time in the LMGT3 with Simon Mann (Ferrari 296 LMGT3 # 21), the best time was 1: 54.790 minutes, although Simon Mann had to stop at the track at the end of the session.

There was even a double victory for Ferrari, since the #54 of Castellacci/Flohr/Rigon failed by 20 thousandths. The Heart of Racing with the Aston Martin Vantage Lmgt3 #27 by Ian James/Zach Robichon/Mattia Drudi, TF Sport with the Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R #33 by Dani Juncadella/Ben Keating/Jonny Edgar) and Akkodis-Asp with the Lexus Rc f lmgt3 #78 by Finn Gehr seat – Ben Barnicoat/Arnold Robin reached the top 5. The McLaren 720S LMGT3 EVO #59 – United carports was the most hardworking with 106. The Lexus #87 Akkodis-Asp, the Ford Mustang LMGT3 #77 Proton Competition and the Aston Martin #10 Racing Spirit of Le Mans, which had an accident this morning, did not go on the track.

A red flag neutralized the session after the Aston Martin Valkyrie 007 skidded and were on the track. The stop of Sébastien Bourdais (Cadillac #38) on the route caused one of the Full Course Yellow used in the session. The 1,812 km from Qatar begin with the first free training on Wednesday. The Lusail International Circuit opened in 2004 serves for the second time after 2024 as the setting for the FIA ​​WEC’s FIA. The race over a maximum of ten hours takes place under the title “Qatar 1812 km”. The number goes back to the Catar National Day on December 18.

The 5.419 kilometer route comprises 16 curves and is located in the north of the capital Doha. Formula 1 and the MotoGP motorcycle world championship also use the course. The over a kilometer start-finish straight requires low air resistance to reach maximum top speed. In the curvy second sector it depends on downforce and good traction. The focus is on the optimal use of the racing tires. At the start of the first season run of the FIA ​​WEC on February 28th at 2:00 p.m. local time (12:00 p.m. CET), the teams expect high air and asphalt temperatures. These values ​​decrease significantly in the dark in the second half of the race. The target flag falls at 00:00 (10:00 p.m. CET).

This year’s WEC prologue in Qatar has set the stage for an exciting season ahead. The performance of the BMW M Team WRT and the intense competition among top-tier teams like Porsche Penske and Ferrari Af Corse highlight the high stakes and technical prowess required in modern endurance racing. The Lusail International Circuit, with its unique challenges and high-speed straights, will test the limits of both drivers and their machines.

The race in Qatar also serves as a reminder of the global nature of motorsports. The event’s proximity to the Qatar National Day adds a cultural layer, making it a significant event for both racing enthusiasts and the local community. As the FIA WEC continues to evolve, the competition in Qatar will be a key indicator of the season’s potential, setting the tone for future races and technological advancements in the sport.

The 2024-2025 season of the FIA WEC promises to be one of the most competitive yet, with teams pushing the boundaries of what is possible in endurance racing. The performance of the BMW M Team WRT and the intense competition among top-tier teams like Porsche Penske and Ferrari Af Corse highlight the high stakes and technical prowess required in modern endurance racing. The Lusail International Circuit, with its unique challenges and high-speed straights, will test the limits of both drivers and their machines.