WEC: Ferrari Reveals 499P for Prototype Racing Return (Update)

Ferrari have run their new 499P Hypercar at the 2022 Finali Mondiali event at Imola.

Ferrari has presented its new hybrid-powered LMH car, the 499P, ahead of its return to the top level of sports car racing in next year’s FIA World Endurance Championship.

The Italian manufacturer revealed the prototype at its Finali Mondiali event at Imola on Saturday evening, with the car rolling along a catwalk in between guests and being slowly rotated on a stage.

The Ferrari 499P, which has been developed in-house at Maranello, will represent the company’s first factory bid for overall honors at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in half a century.

It will be powered by a mid-rear positioned 3-liter turbocharged V6 engine and a 200 kW front-axle energy recovery system enabling four-wheel-drive capability at a speed defined by the WEC’s Balance of Performance.

The powertrain also includes a 900-volt battery and a seven-speed Xtrac transmission.

Press Release

• The New Ferrari 499P re-establishes the historical connection 50 years after the 312 P made its last appearance in world endurance racing’s premier class

• A moniker and livery that pay homage to the Ferrari endurance tradition

• Four-wheel drive, twin-turbocharged V6 engine and an electric power unit delivering 500kW of power to the wheels

• Elkann: “With the 499P 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.”

• Set to debut at the 1000 Miles of Sebring, the opening race of the 2023 FIA WEC World Endurance Championship

499P is the name of the new Le Mans Hypercar with which Ferrari will tackle the FIA WEC World Endurance Championship in the elite class from 2023; a name that evokes the history of the Prancing Horse manufacturer. In the past, prototypes were identified by the letter ‘P’, frequently preceded by the number of the engine’s unitary displacement. The 499P is no exception. The car is an outcome of a vision proudly rooted in the past that gave rise to the legend of today, enabling the company to achieve 22 world titles and 9 overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Nevertheless, it has its sights set firmly on the future, both in terms of the technical and design content that the prototype features.

The livery with which the 499P will debut at the forthcoming 1000 Miles of Sebring includes a version of the renowned 312 P color scheme from the 1970s to visually underscore the historical connection with Ferrari’s last works entry 50 years ago. For this reason, one of the Maranello-entered endurance cars will be adorned with the number 50, while the other will bear 51, one of the most successful racing numbers in our history. The official line-up of who will race the 499P will be the subject of future communications.

Le Mans Hypercar: winning DNA

The new FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) and ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest) technical regulations outlined for the Hypercar class have led Ferrari to embark on an innovation and development path to produce a Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) faithful to tradition, that sees the track as the ideal terrain for developing cutting-edge technological solutions to be integrated onto its road cars. The 499P is a manifesto to Ferrari’s commitment to endurance racing.

The four-wheel drive prototype complies with the technical regulations and requirements of the hybrid-engined Le Mans Hypercar class, delivering a maximum power of 500 kW to the wheels and with a minimum weight of no less than 1,030 kilos. In defining the 499P, the company has drawn on the vast resources of technical, professional and human excellence that epitomize the Maranello marque, entrusting the management to Attività Sportive GT, under the direction of Antonello Coletta and the technical supervision of Ferdinando Cannizzo, head of the department in charge of engineering and development of Sports and GT racing cars.