"We chose this moment because after many years, the rules have changed," declared Antonello Colletta, head of Ferrari Attività Sportive GT. "We sat at the table from the first day of the new discussions with the FIA, ACO and IMSA. And we realized that Ferrari had the chance to create 100 percent of the car with less budget than the past.

"We chose LMH because for Ferrari it’s important to make all the car and parts. Ferrari is a constructor, a manufacturer. And our philosophy is to create the cars. This is a manifesto of the technologies of Ferrari, so we need to create 100 percent of the cars."

The 499P takes its name straight from Ferrari history, 499 being the displacement of a single cylinder of the 2.9-liter, twin-turbo V6 developed with common architecture from the engine in the 296 GTB/GTS road cars, the latest offering from Ferrari that also includes a hybrid-electric drivetrain. The P, of course, stands for prototype, having adorned successful Ferrari racecars from the 330 P3/4 to the last car raced by the marque, the 312 P.

The 120-degree V6 engine – chosen after also evaluating the V12s and turbo V8s in Ferrari’s road car lineup, according to Ferrari’s head of track car development Ferdinando Cannizzo – while based on the 296 road car powerplant, undergoes several changes to make it suitable for endurance racing and also to be a stressed member in the carbonfiber monocoque chassis. The hot-V six cylinder offers many packaging benefits as well as being light. As with most of the other Hypercars, the ICE is paired with a 200kW (270hp) electric motor driving the front wheels, although total combined output is limited by the rules to 500kW (670hp), a number easily achieved by the engine alone.
Ferrari is bullish about its return to prototype sports car racing’s top tier. "The 499P sees us return to compete for outright victory in the WEC," says executive chairman John Elkann. Photo: Philip Prupprecht/Ferrari



FERRARI 499P
Technical specifications
Category Le Mans Hybrid (LMH)
Chassis carbon-fiber monocoque
Engine twin-turbo, 2,992cc, 120-degree V6 (common architecture with 296 GT3 road car engine); longitudinally mounted
Maximum engine power 670hp
Energy recovery system front-axle mounted, brake-by-wire system w/ 900-volt storage battery
Maximum ERS power 200kW/268hp
Maximum combined ICE/ERS power 500kW/670hp
Transmission Xtrac 7-speed sequential
Configuration all-wheel drive (ICE to rear axle; ERS to front axle)
Suspension double wishbone w/ pushrods
Minimum weight 1,030kg/2,270lbs
NINE WINS AND COUNTING…Ferrari 312 Ps started 1-2 at the ’73 24 Hours of Le Mans (ABOVE), but lost out on a 10th overall win to Matra. Factory prototypes return in ’23. Motorsport Images Archive

With the rules limiting Hypercars to a single adjustable aerodynamic device, Ferrari chose a rear wing. Two actually, with an adjustable airfoil at top and a second fixed wing below, all connected with strikingly large endplates and the now near-ubiquitous shark fin.

While Ferrari hasn’t named drivers for the 499P yet, it’s indicated they will come from the existing roster of factory drivers. Multitime FIA GT Pro champ and two-time Le Mans class winner Alessandro Pier Guidi has logged many of the testing miles so far and is expected to be on the squad. Pier Guidi happily expresses his enthusiasm for working on the project, but is under no illusion that winning is likely to happen straightaway.

"The pressure is high," he states. "The expectation is also very high when Ferrari is involved – one expects it to be at the top level. And we also expect to be at the top level. But we know that will be very difficult. There are brands like Toyota that are involved since 10 years in this kind of prototype. So we’re not stupid, we know that everyone is doing an amazing job, and it’s difficult to compete against them. That’s why we need to push even harder than what we are doing and try to not leave anything behind."