As we hit the midpoint of the inaugural race of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship, the 1812km Qatar, it’s Phil Hanson commanding the lead in the #83 AF Corse Ferrari. This ‘customer’ car is demonstrating exceptional performance, despite the race being temporarily held under the safety car due to debris on the track.
The debris in question is the fallout from Nico Varrone’s unfortunate encounter with a kerb in his #99 Proton Porsche 963. The incident caused significant bodywork damage, leaving a trail of wreckage in its wake. Before the introduction of the safety car, Hanson managed to build a significant 13-second lead over factory Ferrari driver Miguel Molina, who is piloting the #50 Ferrari 499P.
Sitting comfortably in third is the #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid, expertly driven by Nyck de Vries. Antonio Giovinazzi, Molina’s teammate in the #51 Ferrari, was initially leading the race. However, two drive-through penalties saw his lead evaporate. One penalty was enforced for an infringement during a virtual safety car phase, and the other for exceeding speed limits in the pitlane – both offenses occurring under Giovinazzi’s watch.
The introduction of the safety car followed the virtual safety car phase, as per WEC protocol, allowing for the cars to pit and regroup. This has resulted in Ryo Hirakawa, in the #8 Toyota, finding himself in fourth place, closely followed by Rene Rast in the #20 BMW M Team WRT. Norman Nato, driving the #12 Cadillac V-Series.R, sits in sixth place after a delay caused by an earlier Cadillac mishap.
In the LMGT3 category, Marino Sato leads the pack in the #95 United Autosports McLaren 7290S GT3 Evo. The two United Autosports McLarens have been consistently strong contenders, starting 1-2 on the grid. They’re facing tough competition, notably from the #78 ASP Lexus RC F GT3.
Though Ben Barnicoat, piloting the #78 Lexus, is currently seventh in class, his vehicle dominated significant portions of the race. Behind the safety car, the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3, driven by Mattia Drudi, sits in second place. The #33 TF Sport Corvette Z06 GT3.R, with Daniel Juncadella at the helm, is in third, followed by the sister #59 United Autosports McLaren steered by Sebastien Baud. Rounding out the top five is Kelvin van der Linde in the #46 WRT BMW M4 GT3 Evo.
As the race continues to unfold, Hanson’s lead at the halfway mark sets an exciting precedent for what’s to come. Stay tuned for more updates from this thrilling FIA World Endurance Championship event.
