Ferrari 499P – Italians back in the top class at Le Mans after 50 years

Ferrari wants and needs to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 499P is the hypercar that can do it. A four-wheel drive hybrid with the V6 from the 296 GTB.

Ferrari pulled the curtain on its Le Mans hypercar during the Finali Mondiali event at the Imola circuit this weekend. Ferrari will start next year in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with the so-called 499P. That starts in March at the Sebring 1000, but the most important race is the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Then Ferrari will finally be fighting for the prestigious final victory at the French racing classic again. 50 years after the Italians last tried that with the 312 P. In order to win, he has to deal with Toyota, Peugeot and Porsche, among others.

Ferrari 499P at Le Mans in 2023

In 2023, the premier class of the WEC will consist of two types of prototypes. That’s either a car under the cheaper LMDH rules based on a common LMP2 chassis with a universal hybrid unit. Like Porsche and BMW. Or according to the LMH specifications, where the manufacturer has more freedom to develop the racer at his own discretion.

The reason Ferrari chose LMH for the 499P. Just like Toyota and Peugeot. The look of the 499P is conceptually more reminiscent of the Toyota GR010 and completely different from Peugeot’s wingless 9X8.

Formula 1 technology and V6 from the 296 GTB

The 499P is an all-wheel-drive hybrid with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 derived from the 296 GTB block. It is mated to a seven-speed sequential racing gearbox. As the regulations stipulate, the V6 produces a maximum of 680 hp and drives the rear axle. The front axle has an electric motor that produces 272 hp, but the combined power must never exceed 680 hp.

The electric motor is powered by a 900 volt battery. It was developed specifically for this project but uses technologies that Ferrari uses in F1. The minimum weight of the 499P is 1030 kg.

Toyota more experience in the hypercar class

The 499P name traditionally refers to the custom 499cc displacement in Ferrari prototypes, and the P is – you guessed it – a prototype. Ferrari has now completed 12,000 kilometers of testing and is scheduled to debut the 499P at Sebring in March 2023. It is a multi-year plan and for Ferrari all that counts is overall victory. Both at Le Mans and in the WEC.

She, too, is committed to her stand, but is staying modest for the time being and rightly believes that there are competitors – that is, Toyota – who currently have more experience with the new hypercar formula.

At the start with two cars numbered 50 and 51

Ferrari therefore regards the first year as a learning year, in which you start with two 499Ps. They drive with the numbers 50 and 51, but there is a possibility that the number of cars will be expanded in the future. Participation in the American IMSA championship is not excluded either.

It is not yet known which drivers will drive the 499P next year. Test work is currently being carried out by drivers who have no experience with LMP1 cars. Those were the predecessors of these new hypercars.