Ferrari have stunned pre-event favourites Toyota to take the opening pole position of the 2023 World Endurance Championship at Sebring.
Toyota have been the pace setters throughout the Prologue and practice sessions, and comfortably so. It would have taken a wonder lap to knock them off their perch, and that’s exactly what Antonio Fuoco did for Ferrari.
A 1:45.067 was enough for the Italian to take top spot by .0214 seconds over the first of the Toyota Gazoo Racing entrants being the #7 of Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa.
It was Hartley who had led proceedings early for his outfit, only to be topped by Fuoco’s lap in the Ferrari 499P by almost three tenths of a second.
Hartley responded to better his own time but it wasn’t enough to stop the Italian from taking top spot.
The #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing entry also lapped quickly off the back of a crash in third practice which brought out a red flag. They returned to form and will start third, just ahead of Ferrari’s second entry.
New Zealander Earl Bamber’s Cadillac Racing entry will start fifth after teammate Alex Lynn topped both Porsche entries who start sixth and seventh.
Peugeot look to be slightly off the pace this year with both their cars only managing eighth and ninth fastest respectively.
Glickenhaus were the fastest of the private entries, rounding out the top 10 and leaving Vanwall at the back of the 11-strong Hypercar field.
The 1000 Miles of Sebring begins at 5am Saturday and will be shown live on Sky Sport 5 (055).
Header Image: Ferrari Races
