Page 1 of 1 For the first time in 50 years, Ferrari returned to top level sports car racing with a works team in the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). The ultimate objective was to score the first outright victory at Le Mans in 57 years. To this end, the Italian manufacturer developed the 499P from scratch.
Designed to meet the Le Mans Hypercar regulations, the 499P was built around a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis with double wishbones on all four corners. With outright performance capped by a Balance of Performance (BOP) system, the design brief was to build a car that could operate in a broad aerodynamic window and was above all very reliable.
Powering the 499P was a twin-turbo V6 engine based on the unit from the road-going 296 GTB. The 499 name is a reference to the three litre engine's unitary displacement. The V6 featured turbos mounted inside the V. In addition to the internal combustion engine, the 499P is also equipped with a hybrid electric motor on the front axle.
Ferrari's return was marked with a red and yellow livery as used by the 312 PB back in 1973. The numbers 50 and 51 were also a nod to the time that had passed since Ferrari's departure from the sport. The two car effort featured a combination of existing Ferrari GT drivers and also former Formula 1 racer Antonio Giovanazzi.
The 499P debuted at the Sebring 1000 Miles race and faced strong opposition from Toyota, Porsche and Cadillac. During the opening races of the 2023 FIA WEC some bugs had to be ironed. Also helped by a last-minute BOP change, the Ferrari 499P came into its own at Le Mans.
After a race-long battle with one of the Toyotas, the #51 Ferrari scored a popular win in what was the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Page 1 of 1
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For the first time in 50 years, Ferrari returned to top level sports car racing with a works team in the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). The ultimate objective was to score the first outright victory at Le Mans in 57 years. To this end, the Italian manufacturer developed the 499P from scratch.