Nicklas Nielsen hopes Ferrari can take revenge on Toyota at this weekend’s World Endurance Championship race at Imola, however conceded it will not be a straightforward process.
Ultimately month’s season opener at Imola, Ferrari began from pole place and held a 1-2 within the early phases. However Toyota managed to outgun Ferrari on the Italian marque’s house soil, with Sebastien Buemi, Ryo Hirakawa and Brendon Hartley taking the highest spot within the closely revised TR010 Hybrid.
Ferrari Hypercar driver Nielsen hopes his workforce can degree the rating with Toyota in what is taken into account one thing of a ‘second house race’ for the Japanese producer, given the proximity to Cologne, the place the workforce’s manufacturing facility relies.
“I hope so,” Nielsen instructed Motorsport when requested if this felt like an opportunity for revenge. “Clearly, we’d have favored it to complete a bit totally different in Imola, however we noticed how vital the observe place was there, and doubtless we underestimated {that a} bit.
“Additionally, being on the very starting of the pitlane, clearly it was a bit simple for them additionally to see once we arrived and so they may unplug a bit earlier. So yeah, I imply, it was a little bit of a mixture there, however hopefully we are going to get revenge right here.”
#50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Nicklas Nielsen
Photograph by: Ferrari
Alessandro Pier Guidi, who drives the #51 Ferrari 499P, didn’t essentially need to converse of revenge in opposition to Toyota.
“I wouldn’t say revenge, it’s only a race,” he mentioned. “They gained in Imola, they did an excellent job and had a really fast automotive. On the finish, the championship remains to be lengthy.”
“We attempt to do as greatest as we are able to with what now we have and rating as many factors as we are able to. It’s simply the second race of the season, so it’s nonetheless a protracted journey.”
Ferrari gained the Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours final 12 months, however it expects extra competitors than simply Toyota this 12 months.
“We noticed BMW and Alpine being very sturdy right here final 12 months, and nothing has actually modified from Imola. On paper, they need to be fairly sturdy once more,” Nielsen predicted.
“We noticed Alpine was most likely our greatest competitor right here final 12 months… you by no means actually know, however after all we’re right here to win.
“For positive, it’s not going to be simple, and we’re by no means underestimating the efficiency of the others, as a result of we’ve seen that it’s getting nearer and nearer mainly each race, so I believe it’s going to be fairly attention-grabbing right here.”
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Requested by Motorsport whether or not he anticipated Spa’s traits to go well with the 499P higher than Imola, Nielsen replied: “The primary time we got here to Imola, we didn’t actually count on our automotive to be as sturdy because it was there, as a result of that is extra like a observe for our automotive, right here in Spa.
“Nevertheless it actually relies upon additionally on the grip degree of the circuit. Imola is a observe with various grip in comparison with most others. And now we have an excellent, flowing automotive – it’s good to drive and there’s an excellent movement once we drive it – in order that’s why we noticed ourselves being very sturdy in Imola as nicely.
“Right here we’ve already seen from the primary 12 months that the automotive was very sturdy, in 2024 and in addition final 12 months, ending first and second. So, we’re optimistic, however we nonetheless have to attend and see.”
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