Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo makes its debut in the FIA WEC at Imola

Imola, 16 April 2026 - The Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo makes its competitive debut at the 6 Hours of Imola, with the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari hosting the opening round of the FIA WEC season after the postponement of the Qatar round, originally scheduled for March.

The Vista AF Corse team fields two Prancing Horse cars as they look to go one better than 2025, when they finished second and seventh in both the overall Drivers’ and FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams standings.

Team. The crews remain unchanged across the full championship season, with car numbers carried over from 2025. Ferrari official driver Alessio Rovera returns in the number 21 car alongside François Heriau and Simon Mann. The trio ended the 2025 FIA WEC season just 14 points off the pace in second place, thanks in part to victory at Spa and runner-up finishes at Fuji and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The sister Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo, number 54, is shared by Prancing Horse official driver Davide Rigon alongside Thomas Flohr and Francesco Castellacci, whose best results – a second place at Spa and a third at Austin in the Lone Star Le Mans – contributed to their seventh-place finish in the final standings.

The circuit. The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola opened in 1953 and made its FIA WEC debut in 2024, hosting a six-hour race. The circuit is known for its highly technical layout and frequent elevation changes, and is considered among the most demanding tracks on the world championship calendar. 

In the 2025 season, the number 21 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 qualified fourth but retired early, while the number 54 came home fifth.

Prologue. As customary, the collective tests known as the Prologue were held ahead of the opening round of the season, with the eighteen cars in the class taking part in two sessions at Imola on Tuesday 14 April. In the morning session, the fastest Maranello car was the number 21 set the best time with a lap of 1’42”875, while in the afternoon session he posted the second-fastest time with a lap of 1’42”749.

Programme. Attention now turns to the free practice sessions, scheduled for Friday 17 April at 10.15 a.m. and 3.15 p.m., and Saturday 18 April at 10.30 a.m. LMGT3 class qualifying follows on Saturday at 2.30 p.m., with Hyperpole at 2.50 p.m. On Sunday 19 April, the first race of the season gets underway at 1 p.m. and runs for six hours. All times are local.

16 aprile 2026