Antonio Fuoco, representing Ferrari AF Corse, spoke to the media during the post-qualifying press conference regarding the slower laptimes in qualifying for the 2024 TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. According to Fuoco, the track conditions and weather have played a significant role in the decrease in laptimes compared to the previous year’s race.
Fuoco highlighted the difference in conditions between this year and last, stating that the weather was much cooler in the previous edition. Despite this, the #50 Ferrari 499P driver managed to secure pole position with a time of 2:02.600, placing him over half a second ahead of Matt Campbell from Porsche.
The Italian racer also observed that even the GT cars were slower this year, which he attributed to the track conditions and potentially the weather. Fuoco speculated that the track might not be in optimal condition, affecting the overall performance.
Comparing his lap time to the previous year’s pole lap set by Kamui Kobayashi from Toyota, Fuoco’s time was 1.8 seconds slower, indicating a significant gap in performance.
Fuoco explained that the cooler weather allows the cars to push harder as it reduces the risk of engine and tire overheating. This enables the tires to stay within the optimal temperature range for a longer period of time.
Despite the slower laptimes, Fuoco expressed satisfaction with his performance, considering it to be a good lap. He believed that his starting position would be advantageous for the race, although he acknowledged the challenging nature of the event and the importance of tire management.
The high-energy nature of the Spa circuit puts significant stress on the tires, making tire management and degradation a crucial topic of discussion. Fuoco emphasized the difficulty of keeping the tires in good condition throughout the race and acknowledged the need for effective management.
In conclusion, Fuoco expressed confidence in the team’s efforts to improve the car’s performance during the session and looked forward to seeing how they would fare against their competitors in the race.