Why Imola might convey “extra chaos” to the WEC

Following a season-opening race in Qatar that ran with out interruption from security vehicles, there’s widespread expectation that Imola’s tight and undulating nature might conspire to provide incidents that the open, flowing nature of the Losail Worldwide Circuit helped negate.

Imola, which has changed Monza because the host of Italy’s WEC spherical for 2024 on what is anticipated to be a one-off foundation throughout renovation works on the residence of the Italian Grand Prix, options tall kerbs that GT3 vehicles can assault aggressively, whereas the Hypercars are suggested to make use of extra warning.

This issue, and the significance afforded to mechanical grip slightly than aerodynamics because of Imola’s larger proportion of sluggish corners than in Qatar, means cornering speeds are extra evenly matched between the 2 lessons than normal. Overtaking will probably be tough, and the comparatively slender observe and grass/gravel beds lining its perimeter will punish any passing makes an attempt not executed accurately.

WRT BMW driver Rene Rast informed Autosport: “Qatar is lots wider, there’s extra run-off. If one thing goes flawed, we have now run-off, right here you solely have gravel.

“Everyone must be conscious, the GT but additionally the Hypercars, we have now to respect one another. For positive it’s going to be tight and we are going to see in all probability a bit extra contact than in Qatar.”

Toyota driver Nyck de Vries defined that he was “fairly amazed at how aggressive the racing was” in Qatar and instructed that threat administration will probably be essential on Imola’s tight confines, not least as a result of there’s a excessive likelihood of rain for the race.

“That is nearly the alternative of what you could have versus Qatar – that was very high-speed, very flat, lengthy observe, numerous house,” the Dutchman informed Autosport.

“Though the character of that format didn’t make overtaking essentially straightforward, right here there is no such thing as a house and there’s a lot of kerb utilization which is completely different than Qatar.

“It’s necessary to be affected person and to complete, as a result of I do count on that we are going to have fairly an eventful race. Probably the climate is enjoying into that as properly.”

Problem in passing

Projections that overtaking vehicles of comparable efficiency will probably be powerful at Imola may very well be present in all corners of the paddock on Friday. Giuliano Salvi, Ferrari race and check group supervisor, supplied up an astute comparability when describing the challenges of multi-class racing on the Emilia Romagna observe, which most lately hosted multi-class sportscar racing sanctioned by the Vehicle Membership de l’Ouest as a part of the European Le Mans Collection in 2022.

“I heard somebody calling it the Monaco of endurance, and I feel that may be a very exact definition,” he mentioned.

“It won’t be the observe with probably the most overtakes within the calendar just because it’s fairly slender,” agreed Laurens Vanthoor, a part of Porsche’s Qatar-winning line-up. “Then once more, there’s not so many high-speed corners so that you don’t lose a lot aero.”

Gas consumption and tyre technique are key tenets of endurance racing that often mitigate the importance of qualifying, because the minimal six-hour length of WEC racing sometimes permits groups that may eke the most effective efficiency out of their tyres over a double stint to make up for beginning out of place. However Salvi believes the battle to get into Saturday night’s Hyperpole session will tackle a particular significance in Imola, as these beginning close to the entrance will possible be gentler on their tools.

“Will probably be a really tense race, however not solely the race but additionally qualifying,” he added. “Qualifying will probably be crucial, to start out on the entrance will probably be actually essential.”

#46 Crew WRT BMW M4 LMGT3: Ahmad Al Harthy, Valentino Rossi, Maxime Martin

Photograph by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photograph

This is applicable not solely to tyres, but additionally brakes.

“It’s one of many hardest tracks usually on brakes,” famous Lamborghini’s Mirko Bortolotti. “In case you can have a extra environment friendly brake section, preserving your brakes alive for a very long time, possibly that will also be one thing that may [help] via the race run.”

The T-word

The place tyres have been a key buzzword in Qatar, visitors has taken up that mantle in Imola. Most anticipate that for the Hypercar race, the GT vehicles could have a key position to play in creating alternatives.

Bortolotti noticed: “You will get caught in a flawed spot or possibly take a flawed choice on passing a GT automobile, you find yourself on the flawed line and that may open up alternatives for overtakes.”

“Essentially the most overtakes will probably be carried out after visitors or in visitors,” mentioned Vanthoor. “GT visitors administration will play a really massive position, additionally staying out of bother in these circumstances.”

BMW driver Sheldon van der Linde anticipates that the congestion “goes to be very tough to navigate via”.

“In case you can keep out of bother, keep out of the gravel, ultimately that’s the goal right here,” he informed Autosport.

#88 Proton Competitors Ford Mustang LMGT3: Giorgio Roda, Mikkel Pedersen, Dennis Olsen

Photograph by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photograph

“If you can also make it to the final two hours with none injury in your automobile, you deserve a trophy for that alone!”

“Generally you need to take dangers,” mentioned Rast, “which typically is an excessive amount of and also you contact a GT automobile after which it spins off the observe or sticks within the gravel and there’s a full-course yellow. I count on extra digital security vehicles, we count on a bit extra chaos. It’s going to be difficult.”

Two-way avenue

This verdict is shared by GT3 drivers. TF Sport Corvette’s second apply pacesetter Charlie Eastwood identified that the stop-start nature of the circuit means dropping a place right into a nook and being held up by a Hypercar that’s unable to sort out the kerbs with the identical vigour will probably be significantly expensive. As such, compliance from the GT3 drivers can’t be assumed into the braking zones.

“In case you get on high of [traffic management] it’s value a lot extra lap time,” he informed Autosport. “It was as difficult as I anticipated [in practice]. A few occasions into the Flip 14-15 tight chicane [Variante Alta], I’d go to defend and so they’re attempting to ship it across the exterior on the brakes.

“The writing is on the wall that it’s going to be a super-tough race. And never just for the GTs, it’s in all probability even more durable and extra time-consuming for the Hypercar, nevertheless it makes it truly very attention-grabbing.”

“The braking factors for the GT3s and the Hypercars are pretty comparable,” mirrored Eastwood’s BMW rival Augusto Farfus.

“In fact, the strategy pace is way larger and it may be very tough for them. They are going to use us as a chance to achieve locations probably on their competitors and we are able to use them as properly to achieve locations on our competitors.

#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi

Photograph by: Paul Foster

“Particularly in these phases the place there will probably be a practice of Hypercars coming by, that’s the time the place they may wish to be opportunistic towards their very own competitors, this can be a time after we may be additionally opportunistic. Subsequently, the possibility for contact, the possibility for incidents will get larger.

“It’s not going to be a straightforward race right here, particularly for the observe format.”

Appropriate for WEC?

Opinions on the observe’s suitability for the WEC are blended. Talking previous to apply on Thursday, Peugeot driver Paul di Resta informed Autosport: “I don’t assume it fits the present vehicles, the steadiness of delta between the 2 completely different lessons just isn’t that massive. I feel it’s too small.

“We must be on larger tracks like Spa, like Le Mans, like Qatar was. There’s in all probability different tracks on the market that might have been higher.

“Perhaps it’s going to show me flawed on Sunday. However I simply assume it’s unnecessarily tight for such a giant grid.”

However there’s loads of optimism too. Eastwood welcomed the brand new kerbs that he says “add much more character” to the observe, whereas Imola race debutant Alex Lynn was effusive in his reward too.

The Cadillac driver mentioned: “It is mint, I prefer it. It is good to be at a observe the place you may really feel the presence of the followers, the tifosi. It is an important, old-school circuit. Will probably be powerful in visitors, however that simply provides a little bit of spice.”

#2 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Collection.R: Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn

Photograph by: Paul Foster

“It’s good to have a little bit of a mixture, I feel we can’t go to the brand new period of parking tons each weekend both,” reasoned Vanthoor. “That is one thing fully completely different and really old-school, a special strategy.

“Ultimately it’s the identical situation for all of us. The one who will get out of that state of affairs finest could have the benefit.”