Round seven of the FIA World Endurance Championship presented Miguel Molina and teammates Antonio Fuoco and Nicklas Nielsen with a tough challenge at Fuji. In a hectic race marked by several neutralisations, the trio in the #50 Ferrari 499P demonstrated their fighting spirit although a strategic gamble late in the race did not pay off. Nevertheless, the crew added a valuable point to the Prancing Horse’s tally in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Second in the resumption of the season in Austin, Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen, and Antonio Fuoco headed to Fuji Speedway, determined to take Ferrari closer to the world title.
From the first practice session, the trio in the #50 Ferrari 499P displayed solid pace while refining their setup over the sessions ahead of Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session. Hindered by traffic in his final attempts, Antonio Fuoco had to settle for 15th place, less than six-tenths of a second off the fastest time at the end of an intensely competitive session.
On Sunday, Nicklas Nielsen made a cautious start under threatening skies before taking advantage of early incidents to move up the order and settle into the top ten. After some thrilling battles with Porsche, BMW, Aston Martin and Alpine, he stayed in contact with the leaders before handing over to Antonio Fuoco.
The Italian kept the crew moving forward, but multiple neutralisations constantly reshuffled the hierarchy in a particularly tight and animated field. After several well-executed restarts, the crew moved up to fourth place, but a strategic gamble would seal their fate for the rest of the race.
To avoid a late-race splash-and-dash, the team opted to extend the final stint. This option forced Miguel Molina, who got into the car with just over an hour to go, to preserve his car’s energy. Despite his constant effort, a few seconds lost during a pit stop disrupted by a competitor in the pitlane and a penalty for a safety car procedure infringement, the #50 Ferrari 499P ultimately finished in 12th place.
« It was a challenging race from start to finish, but we knew it would be in Fuji. We managed to stay in contention for a long time and tried to maximise opportunities that came our way, but in the end, our overall pace wasn’t quite where we wanted it to be. We fought hard, we executed our plan as best as we could, and for a while, it looked like a top result was possible. Still, sometimes in endurance racing, the smallest margins can make all the difference. »
« We stretched our stints to avoid a late splash-and-dash and get a great result if conditions had fallen into place. Unfortunately, the sequence of neutralisations didn’t work in our favour, and I had to save a lot of energy in the final hour. That compromised our ability to defend our position, but it was a calculated risk that sometimes has to be taken. We also lost a few extra seconds as we had to push the car back during our final pit stop. It is a shame, as every second counts, given how competitive the field has become. However, let’s focus on the positives: the teamwork was excellent, the car ran reliably, and we can take some valuable lessons learned to Bahrain. The fight is still open, and we are determined to get the job done for the Manufacturers title. »
Nevertheless, the efforts of the ROGO Motorsport Agency co-founder enabled Ferrari to score another point in the Manufacturers’ Championship, where the Prancing Horse now has a 39-point lead with only 66 points available at the 8 Hours of Bahrain (6-8 November). Meanwhile, Miguel Molina will conclude his European Le Mans Series campaign with Kessel Racing at the 4 Hours of Portimão (October 16–18).
6 Hours of Fuji : 1. Alpine Endurance Team #35… 12. Ferrari – AF Corse #50
FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Championship : 1. Calado / Giovinazzi / Pier Guidi 115 points… 5. Fuoco / Molina / Nielsen 75 points
FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship : 1. Ferrari 204 points ; 2. Porsche 165 points ; 3. Cadillac 143 points…
Blanca de Foronda,