The 2 producers that can line up behind the Ferrari top-three block-out on the grid imagine the Italian marque will preserve its qualifying benefit within the six-hour race.
“We try to be optimistic however, on pure tempo, we aren’t there with Ferrari,” stated Porsche driver Kevin Estre, who took fourth place aboard the #6 963 LMDh in Saturday’s Hyperpole qualifying session.
“In fact, it’s a protracted race and there’s technique to come back into play and the prospect of contact, however to race with them might be troublesome and passing them might be very troublesome.”
Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe technical director David Floury was much more despondent about his crew’s possibilities within the Imola 6 Hours.
“I don’t see how we could be longing for the race,” stated Floury. “Ferrari is robust on lengthy runs, just a little bit lower than we’ve got seen in quali when it comes to the hole however nonetheless out of attain.
“I feel they are going to go 1-2-3 in entrance, after which in all probability the Porsche and ourselves, Porsche just a little bit higher than us.”
Kamui Kobayashi was the best-placed Toyota driver in sixth place with a time aboard the #7 GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar that left him 9 tenths off Antonio Fuoco’s pole-winning Ferrari 499P LMH.
#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries
Picture by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Floury urged that the second Toyota would have been “in the identical ballpark” however for Brendon Hartley’s spin, which resulted within the New Zealander finishing just one push lap on the best way to eighth place in Hyperpole.
“That was kind of the place we might be,” stated Floury. “We are going to do the very best we are able to within the race and attempt to get two vehicles within the factors.”
Estre, who ended up six tenths off the tempo and one other couple of tenths up on team-mate Matt Campbell, expressed satisfaction with the efficiency of the manufacturing unit Porsche Penske Motorsport crew up to now at a circuit on which it was anticipating to battle.
“If you happen to have a look at the calendar, this observe seemed essentially the most scary for us,” he defined. “This observe is so totally different to anyplace else we race; it’s undoubtedly not suiting our automotive greatest.
“Once we got here testing right here a month in the past the automotive wasn’t good, however the crew has performed a very good job in placing the automotive in a greater place.”
The Imola 6 Hours, spherical two of the 2024 WEC, begins at 13:00 native time.