The stage is set for a thrilling start to the World Endurance Championship season at Imola, and it's Ferrari that has landed the first major blow. In a dramatic, last-gasp effort, Antonio Giovinazzi in the #51 Ferrari 499P snatched pole position from Toyota's grasp just as the chequered flag fell in the Hyperpole session.

Giovinazzi, reprising his pole-winning form from last year, delivered a blistering 1m30.127s lap. This was enough to vault from third to the top of the timesheets, edging out the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID of Ryo Hirakawa by a mere one-hundredth of a second. It was a statement of intent from the Italian marque on home soil.

The second factory Ferrari, the #50 car driven by Antonio Fuoco, will start third, making it a strong front-row lockout for the Prancing Horse. The session showcased incredible depth at the front of the Hypercar field, with the top four cars—Ferrari, Toyota, Ferrari, and Peugeot—all finishing within a razor-thin four-hundredths of a second.

Further down the grid, Cadillac, Alpine, and BMW secured solid starting positions, setting the scene for a fiercely competitive six-hour race where strategy and endurance will be just as critical as raw pace.

In the LMGT3 class, the spotlight shone on debutant Thomas Fleming. The 23-year-old Briton secured a sensational pole position for the Garage 59 McLaren team, showcasing impressive speed in the #10 McLaren 720S Evo and proving that new talent is ready to make an immediate impact in the WEC.