Following last year’s announcement that Ferrari would be returning to the elite class in endurance racing after a 50-year hiatus, we now finally get to see the Italian marque’s new Le Mans Hypercar. The newly unveiled Ferrari 499P is all set to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2023.
The new race car follows in the footsteps of the historic Prancing Horse works team, starting with its name. Ferrari prototypes were traditionally identified by the letter ‘P’ and named after the engine’s unitary displacement, and the 499P follows suit.
The Le Mans Hypercar is powered by a hybrid powertrain as complied with FIA regulations. The internal combustion engine is based on the twin-turbo V6 from the road-going 296 GT3, while the electric motor serves as the Energy Recovery System and has a maximum power output of 200 kW to the front axle. The four-wheel drive powertrain has an overall maximum power output of 670 hp and is paired with a seven-speed sequential gearbox.
Built on an all-new carbon-fibre monocoque chassis, the 499P weighs no less than 1,030 kg. The bodywork is an explicit expression of Ferrari’s DNA with its simple yet sinuous shapes, blending technology, aerodynamics, and design. The rear is especially eye-catching, designed in a way that the wheels and suspension are completely visible. The aggressive double horizontal wing features a main wing, upper flaps, and a lower wing for achieving maximum performance.
Ferrari will continue its partnership with AF Corse as it enters into the World Endurance Championship. The first race is set to be the 1000 Miles of Sebring, with the 499P being dressed in the livery seen here, paying tribute to the renowned 312 P colour scheme from the 1970s.
One of the two cars competing will bear the number 50 as a homage to this grand return, while the other entry will wear the number 51, a number often chosen by AF Corse.
