Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Nyck de Vries of Toyota Gazoo Racing emerged victorious in the 6 Hours of Imola, the second round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. The race was a fierce battle between Toyota, Ferrari, and Porsche. Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, and Andre Lotterer of Porsche finished second, while Matt Campbell, Fred Makowiecki, and Michael Christensen of Porsche took third place. Ferrari led the race initially but faced setbacks due to a multi-car accident. Despite challenges, Toyota secured the win after a strategic pitstop and a strong performance by Kobayashi. Porsche and Ferrari completed the podium.
The race started with Nicklas Nielsen in the pole-sitting Ferrari leading the pack, followed by Antonio Giovinazzi in another Ferrari. However, an early safety car was deployed to clear a collision involving several cars. The incident affected the performance of the Alpine and BMW cars, while Ferrari took the opportunity to build a lead. As the race progressed, Miguel Molina of Ferrari climbed his way back to second place, challenging his teammate James Calado. The battle continued through several full course yellows, with the inexperienced drivers of Isotta Fraschini struggling at the Imola circuit.
A rain shower added to the excitement of the race. Kobayashi, Estre, and Hartley of Toyota and Porsche made a pitstop, while Ferrari decided to stay out. However, the wet track favored the cars on wet tires, and Kobayashi quickly caught up to the Ferraris. Ferrari eventually had to pit, losing valuable time to Kobayashi. Sheldon van der Linde of BMW also put pressure on the Toyotas, while Campbell of Porsche closed in on the BMW. Ferrari found themselves trailing behind as Kobayashi extended his lead.
As the track dried up, the teams switched to slick tires. Hartley of Toyota faced difficulties during the transition and made a few mistakes. Campbell took advantage and overtook the Toyota. Ferrari made a gamble by keeping one car on worn wet tires, but eventually pitted for slicks. Kobayashi had to manage his pace and fuel consumption in the final stint to secure the win. Estre of Porsche had a chance to challenge for victory but received a time penalty for overtaking during a Safety Car period.
In the end, Toyota emerged as the winner in Ferrari’s home territory. Porsche finished in second place, followed by Ferrari in third. Fuoco of Ferrari finished fourth after capitalizing on a mistake from Hartley on the final lap. Hartley completed the top-five, while van der Linde of BMW slipped to sixth after a drive-through penalty. The race saw impressive performances from all teams, with Ferrari, Porsche, and Toyota showcasing their skills on the challenging Imola circuit. Peugeot and Cadillac completed the top-ten positions.