World Endurance Championship - Imola preview
- therookiereporters
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
After the cancellation of the WEC round in Qatar, Imola marks the start of the 2026 season. Here is everything you need to know.
The new opening round of the season will take place from the 17th to the 19th April, with the main attraction being the 6 hour race on the Sunday. Focusing on the circuit itself, it was previously a Formula One circuit making it an FIA grade One. It is 4.909km long and consists of 19 turns, bringing multiple chances for overtaking, creating it into an exciting race for spectators.
Here is the schedule for the weekend
April 17th
10:15 - Free Practice 1
15:15 - Free Practice 2
April 18th
10:30 - Free Practice 3
14:30 - LMGT3 Qualifying
15:10 - Hypercar Qualifying
April 19th
13:00 - Race start
(all times in BST)
With it originally planned to be the second round of the season, but becoming the first teams will be arriving with less data than originally planned, however simulators are now very advanced meaning teams will have been able to test multiple setups before hitting the circuit giving them an idea of what to expect.
This round marks the home race of Ferrari, bringing added pressure to the team to perform. They are also the reigning champions from 2025 meaning more fans will be keeping their eyes on Ferrari to see if they are living up to the standards they set. Previously Ferrari have been strong at Imola, however sometimes strategy comes forward to fail them. Will this happen again this year?
Keep a close eye on the weather across the weekend, Imola has the potential to bring rain, which in racing can mean chaos. Rain will increase the chance of yellow flags, safety cars and full course yellows. This in turn then affects the strategy and the running of the teams. How teams react can decide the course of their race.
Article written by Imogen Moggridge © Imogen Moggridge 2026
