The 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Ferrari Tops has moved into its third round at one of the most iconic racing venues in the world — the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. With sunny skies over the 7-kilometer track, teams rolled out for Free Practice 1 (FP1) ahead of Saturday’s main event: the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
Leading the charge once again was Ferrari AF Corse, a team already on a high after winning both the opening race in Qatar and the follow-up in Imola. The #50 Ferrari 499P continued that momentum by topping the time sheets in FP1.
Ferrari Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
Italian driver Antonio Fuoco was behind the wheel of the #50 car during its fastest lap — a swift 2:02.835 that placed the red machine at the top of the Hypercar class. Fuoco, alongside teammates Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, has been part of Ferrari’s stellar run this season, and their pace in Spa proves they’re serious about claiming a third win in a row.
Right behind them was the #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by Robert Kubica, who is racing at home in Belgium. His lap time was only 0.222 seconds slower, helping secure a one-two result for Ferrari in the session. Kubica shares the car with Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye.
Strong Runs from Alpine and Peugeot
It wasn’t just Ferrari in the spotlight. The #36 Alpine A424 Hypercar driven by former Formula 1 driver Mick Schumacher showed great pace as well. Schumacher, the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, clocked in a time of 2:03.094, placing third overall in FP1.
Peugeot also made a strong showing, with their reworked 9X8 Hypercars finishing fourth and fifth. Paul di Resta in the #93 car and Malthe Jakobsen in the #94 were both competitive, showing the French team might be turning a corner in performance. Peugeot has been working hard to improve their car’s reliability and consistency, and this early performance at Spa is encouraging.
BMW also placed in the top six with the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 from BMW M Team WRT. The car was shared by Raffaele Marciello and Kevin Estre, as their usual teammate Dries Vanthoor is busy racing in the United States this weekend.
LMGT3 Class: Lexus Leads the Pack
In the LMGT3 category — the class for production-based sports cars — the battle was extremely tight. The top four cars were separated by just half a second, making for a thrilling session.
Topping the LMGT3 class was the #78 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F GT3, driven by young German racer Finn Gehrsitz. His best lap of 2:18.432 was enough to beat the competition, giving Lexus a strong start to the weekend. This race marks a fresh lineup for the team, with Yuichi Nakayama joining Gehrsitz and Frenchman Arnold Robin for this round.
Right behind them was the #21 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3, which has consistently been among the frontrunners in the class. Drivers François Heriau, Alessio Rovera, and Simon Mann have shown solid teamwork all season.
Another Lexus, the #87 car driven by Clemens Schmid, José María López, and Petru Umbrarescu, rounded out the top three in the class. Ford also made their presence known with the Proton Competition #88 Mustang GT3 finishing fourth.
Racing Spirit of Léman put their Aston Martin Vantage AMR into the top five with drivers Eduardo Barrichello — the son of former F1 star Rubens Barrichello — Derek DeBoer, and Valentin Hasse-Clot. The second Proton Mustang finished sixth in class.
Drama on Track: Two Full Course Yellows
The first free practice session wasn’t without incident. Two Full Course Yellow (FCY) periods were triggered due to on-track issues.
Paul-Loup Chatin spun the #35 Alpine Hypercar at Les Combes, which forced a brief pause as marshals helped recover the car. Later, Sébastien Bourdais lost control of the #38 Cadillac Hypercar at the Campus Chicane, causing the second FCY. Both drivers escaped unscathed, and no major damage was reported.
Despite the interruptions, most teams completed their planned runs and gathered valuable data for the rest of the weekend.
What’s Next at Spa?
The second free practice session will take place later today, allowing teams to fine-tune their setups and test different tire strategies. Qualifying is set for Friday, where pole positions for all classes will be determined. The highlight of the weekend — the 6-hour race itself — will be held on Saturday, May 10.
Spa is known for unpredictable weather, dramatic elevation changes, and legendary corners like Eau Rouge and Blanchimont. The circuit is both a fan and driver favorite, and it often serves as a key performance indicator for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which follows in June.
Ferrari will now aim to keep their momentum going as they chase a rare three-race win streak. But with competitors like Alpine, Peugeot, and BMW closing the gap, the race is far from predictable.
Final Thoughts
Ferrari’s continued dominance in the FIA WEC Hypercar class is a story worth watching this season. Their speed at Spa proves they are serious contenders for the championship title. But with teams like Alpine and Peugeot showing signs of progress, and newcomers like BMW finding their footing, the fight at the front is heating up.
In LMGT3, the new category is delivering on its promise of tight competition and variety. With brands like Lexus, Ferrari, Ford, and Aston Martin battling wheel-to-wheel, the category is quickly becoming a fan favorite.
With the main event just around the corner, all eyes are now on Spa as the 2025 WEC season continues to deliver thrilling action, fast cars, and plenty of drama.
Saudi Arabia’s $13M Investment Boosts Women’s Golf with PIF Global Series
