Ferrari scores first top-class sportscar pole in 50 years at Sebring

Ferrari will start 499P's maiden race debut from the front row

The last time Ferrari was competing in top-class sportscar racing, it was dueling against the likes of Ford with the legendary GT40. But now that the Prancing Horse has returned, it looks like they never forgot how to make a fast endurance machine.

The #50 AF Corse Ferrari 499P will start its maiden race debut from the front row, as Antonio Fuoco scored the team's first pole position in 50 years at the FIA World Endurance Championship's season-opener in Sebring.

Fuoco's best time of 1:45.067 is 0.214 seconds faster than the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 Hybrid Hypercar driven by ex-F1 driver Brendon Hartley. Meanwhile, the #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 Hybrid Hypercar will line up 3rd with the sister #51 AF Corse Ferrari 499P just behind in 4th.

Both Ferrari and Toyota are competing in the LMH class, showing quite a significant pace advantage over the LMDh-class cars like the Cadillac and Porsche who also classify in the Hypercar category. But even more so, Peugeot's wingless 9X8 LMH hypercar is proving to be at a disadvantage in Sebring's twisty track nature, as they are 2.3 seconds off the pace in qualifying.

Rounding off the hypercar class are the non-hybrid Glickenhaus and Vanwall LMH cars, which are four seconds off the pole time set by Fuoco.

Ferrari has proven the 499P has a one-lap pace. But as we all know, the job's not done. The 1000 Miles of Sebring is technically an 8-hour race, which will put the 499P's reliability to the test.

The 1000 Miles of Sebring will start on March 18, 12:00 AM Manila time.