FERRARI AT THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS. Absent since 1973, Ferrari is back at the biggest endurance race in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, on June 10 and 11. Rather efficient during the first races of the season, excellent in qualifying to the point of monopolizing the first row of the starting grid, the 499P can nourish ambitions.
With the return of Ferrari, the most prestigious car manufacturer in the world, the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans could not have asked for more! The official Italian brand had not set its wheels on the 24 Hours circuit since… 1973 (a private team had participated in the premier category in the 1995, 1997 and 1998 editions, editor’s note). Fifty years later, the Maranello firm has rekindled the thread of its history with Le Mans, and it is perhaps no coincidence that this great return comes for the 100th anniversary of the first edition, disputed in 1923.
In addition to the naturally generated buzz, Ferrari quickly added speed and pure performance on the track. While it will be necessary to wait to gauge the reliability essential to shine at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Ferrari 499P prototypes, competing in the premier category of Hypercars, shone at the start of the season and then during the tests at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To the point of affording the prestigious pole position of this centenary edition of Le Mans. The two Ferraris entered even monopolized the front row on the starting grid ahead of the big favorite Toyota and the outsider Porsches. What dreams of picking up the thread of its glorious history at Le Mans and breaking Toyota’s series by putting new pressure on the Japanese giant, perhaps less serene than expected before the start of these 24 Hours of Le Mans…
Winner of the race nine times, between 1949 and 1965, Ferrari slipped away for many years, leaving the Porsches – the record holder for success at Le Mans (19) -, Audis and other Toyotas to shine on the Sarthe circuit. In an attempt to get back to the top, the Scuderia engineers developed the 499P, a prototype with a hybrid engine, flocked with the numbers 50 – to recall the 50-year absence – and 51. Under the bonnet of the racing car, it’s a biturbo V6 engine, inspired by that of the 296 GT3 racing car, which powers the Ferrari, which is all-wheel drive.
Its power caps out at 680bhp, as stipulated by FIA regulations for competing in the premier class of the 24 Hours. The front axle is driven by a 272 hp electric motor, powered by a 900 V battery. In terms of design, the 499P is a clever mix of flat and rounded lines, at the level of the wheels and from the roof, giving it an elegant yet aggressive look. At the rear, its prominent spoiler reinforces its aerodynamics. The set, delivered of course in red, with a few yellow stripes on the hood, the roof, the wings and the spoiler, reflects the Ferrari identity well.
And what does it look like on the track? After the first three rounds of the World Endurance Championship, the results are quite convincing and put a smile on the faces of the Maranello engineers. From the first race, in mid-March at Sebring (United States), the Scuderia placed one of its cars on the podium. In Florida, in the 1000 mile format, the No. 50 tracked the Toyota Gazoos, five-time Le Mans title holders. A month later, during the 6 Hours of Portimão, the Ferraris confirmed their good debut, the n°50, again, clinching second place, while the n°51 was classified sixth. Finally, during the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps at the end of April, the 499P was once again on the podium, on the third step, but this time it was the n°51 which knew the honors when the n°50, although in the nails after four hours of racing, ended up in the wall following a pilot error by the Italian Antonio Fuoco, just after leaving the pits to change tires.
After three rounds in 2023, all won by Toyota, who will still be the overwhelming favorite in La Sarthe, Ferrari have established themselves as the No. 1 underdog for victory at Le Mans. ”We know that Toyota will be the favourite, but we will do our best and play all our cards, Alessandro Pier Guidi recently declared on the official website of the Italian firm. It’s a long race, and many factors, starting with reliability, can be crucial. We hope to achieve an excellent result.”
The experienced Italian driver (39), who has specialized in endurance racing since 2017, will be driving the No. 51 Ferrari with his compatriot Antonio Giovinazzi, seen in Formula 1 for two seasons between 2019 and 2021, and by Briton James Calado. Prototype No. 50 will pass through the hands of Italian Antonio Fuoco, Spaniard Miguel Molina and Dane Nicklas Nielsen.
Engaged with the AF Corse team, managed by the former driver Amato…Ferrari (no relation to Enzo Ferrari), the 499P will inevitably be one of the attractions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in the same way as the Peugeot 9X8, during the second weekend of June. And the prestigious Italian brand, not always to its advantage lately in Formula 1, intends very quickly to reconnect with its glorious past. As of this year?
