Celebrated for its 'old-school' nature, the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari's association with endurance racing stretches back more than six decades, welcoming FIA WEC for the first time two years ago.

Its bumpy surface and combination of straights and slow corners places the emphasis on high downforce, good traction, strong chassis compliance and a car capable of efficiently riding the kerbs, while its narrow design makes traffic management a challenge and its minimal asphalt run-off punishes every error.

The 99 drivers on the grid across the Hypercar and LMGT3 categories this weekend include 11 previous winners at Imola, 15 series rookies – amongst them ex-Formula 1 ace, Logan Sargeant at Proton Competition and former FIA Formula 3 Champion, Victor Martins with Alpine Endurance Team – and seven homegrown heroes.

And to the great delight of the passionate Italian fans – the ever-loyal and enthusiastic tifosi – there are more Ferraris in the 35-strong field than any other marque, raising hopes of another home turf triumph in the brand's backyard...

Key Info

The on-track sessions will begin with the traditional pre-season Prologue group test – offering up to eight hours of running – tomorrow (Tuesday, 14 April), followed by free practice on Friday, 17 April. Qualifying – and the all-important Hyperpole top ten shootout – starts at 14:30 CEST on Saturday, 18 April, with the six-hour race getting underway at 13:00 CEST on Sunday, 19 April.