The historic American circuit of Sebring will start a new edition of the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). A championship and a premiere, which will have Spanish representation with Catalan pilots Miguel Molina (Ferrari) and Albert Costa (Inter Europol)who after participating in the tests last weekend will be on the starting grid this Friday from 4:30 pm (CET / Eurosport 1 / FIA WEC TV).
Miguel Molina will drive car number 50, a Ferrari 499P, in the Hypercar class. These cars were introduced in 2021 to replace LMP1 and currently dominate the top category of the FIA World Endurance Championship. They combine a gasoline and hybrid engine and a minimum weight of 1030kg.
It will not be an easy debut for the driver from Girona, especially considering that it will be Premiere of the Italian team in the top category of the FIA WEC.
In the second free practice session, Molina was two tenths ahead of his teammate Antonio Giovinazzi. While in fourth, his teammate Nicklas Nilsen managed the fourth fastest lap time of 1m49.300s.
On the other hand, Albert Costa made the jump to LMP2 at the hands of Polish team Inter Europol. The Barcelona rider also had the opportunity to debut in free practice at the weekend. It is worth highlighting the second session of the first day, where the Catalan and the Polish team, also led by Jakub Smiechowski and Fabio Scherer, achieved ninth place in the second category of LMP2 and twentieth overall, with a time of 1m52.456s.
In the early hours of Friday to Saturday, Molina and Costa will try to follow in the footsteps and emulate Fernando Alonso, who achieved victory at the controls of his Toyota, in 2019, at this same circuit.
More manufacturers
The arrival of the Hypercar class in 2021 has led the FIA World Endurance Championship to a golden age, thanks to the support of prestigious manufacturers such as Cadillac, Ferrari, Glickenhaus, Peugeot, Porsche, Toyota and Vanwall. In just one year, the number of entries in the WEC’s premier class has doubled, reaching a total of 13 in 2023 (six in 2022).
A record grid with known drivers
In imitation associated with the promise of well-known brands, a whole series of prestigious pilots decided to join the ranks of FIA WEC 2023. Among them are former Formula 1 drivers such as Jacques Villeneuve (World Champion and winner of the Indianapolis 500) and Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo 2019 – 2021).
Last weekend, the riders wanted it Villeneuve, Giovinazzi or Robert Kubica, participated in the prologue sessions, held at Sebring. In the first session, the Pole marked his return with the second fastest time. On the second day, Giovinazzi he scored the fifth time on the ‘prancing horse’. It should be noted, the debut of the former F1 driver, Daniel Kvyatwith the United Autosports Oreca-Gibson team, scoring a superb second half.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
