Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen secured an unexpected Lone Star Le Mans victory for Ferrari following late heartbreak for Toyota in Austin.
The #50 crew executed a disciplined drive through treacherous early damp conditions. The result maintains the Italian marque’s historic record of claiming a major class win in all 14 WEC seasons.
Extreme ambient heat in Texas demanded immense precision. Fuoco delivered a pivotal middle stint to manage wear on the medium Michelin tyres, keeping the Hypercar in contention while their garage rivals faltered.
Pitstop Power Failure Plagues Sister Car
The pole-sitting #51 Ferrari initially controlled the opening two hours. James Calado confirmed the car shut down during a driver change, requiring a manual power recycle that cost the crew 40 seconds.
That early handicap left the #50 entry perfectly positioned when the leading #7 Toyota suffered a sudden hydraulic failure with just 11 minutes remaining. Nyck de Vries lost power steering and limped back to the garage to retire.
While Fred Vasseur navigates a fierce Formula 1 driver hierarchy dispute, the endurance division continues to deliver under immense pressure. This crucial Texas endurance race victory brings Ferrari firmly back into the Hypercar championship fight.
The World Endurance Championship grid heads to Fuji next month for the penultimate round of the season.
