Ferrari chose its season-concluding Finale Mondiale event at Imola to unveiled its long-awaited Hypercar challenger. The 499P, which will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship from 2023, is an homage to the manufacturer’s Le Mans history.
50 years on from its last appearance on the global prototype stage, Ferrari is returning to the top class of endurance racing. The Maranello-based marque last competed at Le Mans in 1972 as a works outfit, with the 312P.
The new 499P bears the traditional Ferrari red livery with plenty of references to the manufacturer’s endurance pedigree. One of the two cars set to compete in 2023 will race as the #50, in honour of the 50th anniversary.
Away from the historical connotations, the new Ferrari is packed full of the latest sportscar technology, including:
- Four-wheel drive
- V6 twin-turbo engine (based on the engine in the new Ferrari 296 GT3)
- Hybrid drive with seperate electric power unit delivering 500 kW
- Energy recovery system (ERS) with a total capacity of 200 kW
- A 900V battery based on the technology used in Formula 1
- Total weight of 1030kg
The new Ferrari has been constructed on the basis of the LMH ruleset (like Toyota, Peugeot), with every component designed and built by or in partnership with Ferrari.
“The 499 P sees us return to compete for outright victory in the WEC series,” said Ferrari Executive Chairman John Elkann. “When we decided to commit to this project, we embarked on a path of innovation and development, faithful to our tradition that sees the track as the ideal terrain to push the boundaries of cutting-edge technological solutions, solutions that in time will be transferred to our road cars.”
Visually, the 499P is a further evolution of the aerodynamic concept introduced with the Ferrari Daytona SP3. The double rear wing is a particular highlight: the upper section is freely configurable depending on the race set-up, while the lower part houses the light bar for the rear lighting.
Long-time Ferrari partners AF Corse will be responsible for running the 499P as a fully works effort. The final driver line-ups have yet to be announced. The car is scheduled to make its competitive debut at the 1000 Miles of Sebring in March 2023.
Images (c) Ferrari Media Centre