Latest news with #499P
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Spa 6 Hours: AF Corse Ferrari triumphs again after flag-to-flag battle
Ferrari made it three out of three in this season's World Endurance Championship with victory for James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi and Alessandro Pier Guidi at the Spa 6 Hours. The trio took the win on Saturday by 4s from the sister 499P Le Mans Hypercar shared by Nicklas Nielsen, Miguel Molina and Antonio Fuoco, with the third-placed Alpine A424 LMDh driven by Frederic Makowiecki, Jules Gounon and Mick Schumacher a further second in arrears. Advertisement Ferrari might have dominated qualifying, the three 499P blocking out the top positions in Hyperpole, but the race in Belgium was a close-run affair in which it faced a stiff challenge from Alpine, BMW and Peugeot. The second-placed Ferrari appeared to be in the ascendency after the second of two safety cars that ended with an hour and a 51 minutes remaining. Race winner GT3LM, #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3: Francois Heriau, Simon Mann, Alessio Rovera, Race winner #51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi Race winner GT3LM, #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3: Francois Heriau, Simon Mann, Alessio Rovera, Race winner #51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi FIAWEC - DPPI FIAWEC - DPPI But when the two factory AF Corse Ferraris pitted a lap apart with just over an hour to go Pier Guidi in #51 was able to overturn a 6s deficit to the #50 which Nielsen took over from Fuoco. Advertisement Both Ferraris fell behind the two WRT BMW M Hybrid LMDhs, but Pier Guidi was able to quickly clear them, while Nielsen lost time, also falling behind the pair of Jota Cadillac V-Series.R LMDhs. The strategies of the two Ferraris diverged over the final hour, Pier Guidi pushed in the knowledge that he would have to make a late splash, while Nielsen went into fuel save mode. Pier Guidi stopped with 12 minutes to go, emerging with an 11s advantage over his team-mate. #35 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424: Paul-Loup Chatin, Ferdinand Habsburg, Charles Milesi #35 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424: Paul-Loup Chatin, Ferdinand Habsburg, Charles Milesi FIAWEC - DPPI FIAWEC - DPPI Nielsen just had the measure of Schumacher in the closing stages as he eked out his energy allocation to the end. It was a case of what might have been for the #36 Alpine. Advertisement A slow puncture in the penultimate hour blunted the French manufacturer's challenge, though it effectively allowed Schumacher to bring forward his splash for fuel. BMW led the race with the #20 entry shared by René Rast and Robin Frijns, losing a clear shot at the podium with a brake problem that precipitated its retirement in the final hour. The Peugeot 9X8 2024 LMH that was best placed to gain a another podium for the marque also retired, after Malthe Jakobsen in the #94 shared with Loic Duval and Stoffel Vandoorne clashed with Frijns at Les Combes. Peugeot had split its fuel strategies earlier in the race, which gave Jean-Eric Vergne, driver of the #93 car the lead, but when the safety car came out shortly after he stopped the tactical gamble was undone. #38 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Earl Bamber, Sebastien Bourdais, Jenson Button #38 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Cadillac V-Series.R: Earl Bamber, Sebastien Bourdais, Jenson Button Eric Le Galliot Eric Le Galliot Advertisement Toyota took fourth with the GR010 HYBRID LMH shared by Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa and Sébastien Buemi, despite its two cars qualifying ahead of only the Aston Martin Valkyries LMHs. The Jota Cadillacs ended up fifth and sixth, the #12 car shared by Alex Lynn, Norman Nato finishing nine seconds up on #38 driven by Jenson Button, Earl Bamber and Sebastien Bourdais. The second Toyota driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries claimed seventh ahead of the second Alpine shared by Ferdinand Habsburg, Charles Milesi and Paul-Loup Chatin. Porsche salvaged a best result of ninth with the #6 factory Penske 963 LMDh shared by Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre and Pascal Wehrlein. Advertisement BMW rounded out the top 10 with the #15 M Hybrid driven by Kevin Magnussen and Raffaele Marciello. #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3: Francois Heriau, Simon Mann, Alessio Rovera #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3: Francois Heriau, Simon Mann, Alessio Rovera Andreas Beil Andreas Beil LMGT3 honours went to the AF Corse-run Ferrari 296 GT3 shared by Francois Heriau, Simon Mann and Alessio Rovera, despite an early race penalty. Rovera finished 40s up on the Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3 of Dennis Olsen, Giammarco Levorato and Stefano Gattuso. To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ferrari Sweeps Podium in Historic Qatar FIA WEC Season Opener
Read the full story on Backfire News Ferrari opened the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship in dominant fashion, securing a historic one-two-three finish at the 1812 KM of Qatar, the first round of the season. The victory marked a milestone moment for the Prancing Horse, as the team delivered a flawless performance under the floodlights of Lusail International Circuit. The No. 50 Ferrari 499P, driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen, led the charge to victory, finishing ahead of the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari piloted by Yifei Ye, Robert Kubica, and Phil Hanson. Rounding out the podium was the No. 51 Ferrari, featuring Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi. Ferrari's weekend dominance was evident from the start, with Giovinazzi securing pole position and Pier Guidi setting the fastest lap of the race. Throughout the grueling 10-hour contest, Ferrari maintained control at the front, showcasing the 499P's speed, tire management, and strategic execution. Despite two mid-race drive-through penalties, the No. 51 crew executed a remarkable recovery, securing third place and contributing to Ferrari's first endurance racing podium sweep in 53 years. The last time Ferrari locked out the top three in a premier endurance event was in 1972 at the 1000 KM of Österreichring. With the victory, Ferrari now holds 66 points in the manufacturers' standings, benefiting from revised FIA WEC regulations that allow both official entries to score points. The independent AF Corse team also celebrated success, topping the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams. As the season progresses, Ferrari's commanding performance in Qatar sets the tone for what could be another championship-defining year in endurance racing.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ferrari Flashes A New Look For 499P Hypercars
Read the full story on Backfire News Ferrari is looking to get its fanbase fired up by revealing the 2025 livery for its 499P Hypercar entries. To be applied to the number 50 and 51 Le Mans Hypercars, this is the appearance which will represent the proud Italian team in the FIA World Endurance Championship's top note the new livery looks at once different and yet the same, which apparently is what Ferrari was going for, so mission accomplished. Naturally, the cars are predominantly red, with some Giallo Modena accents along the bodylines, a pairing Ferrari has been using in all its motorsports endeavors lately. Of course, the 499Ps have a bright glossy finish, even though the red is a darker hue than before, helping with visibility during nighttime driving. The matte accents are apparently purposely in line with Scuderia Ferrari HP's 2025 Formula One car design. But one element has been retained from the previous 499P cars: a diagonal yellow stripe on the cockpit. However, the 2025 car has the stripe continue on the side pods instead of the lower second of the side, further distinguishing this from last year's livery. The Ferrari 499P makes use of a hybrid powertrain configuration with a mid-ship twin-turbo V6 working in concert with an electric motor and Energy Recover System on the front axle. The same internal combustion engine is used on the Ferrari F80, along with several other parts developed for the 499P, showing a direct connection between Maranello's motorsports endeavors and its road-going products. This season is a big one for Ferrari. Not only will it be defending its top perch at Le Mans, the team has its eyes set on the Manufacturers' and Drivers' World Championship titles. With the same crews for both cars, Maranello must feel confident in its well-oiled machine. Images via Ferrari
Web Release
15-02-2025
- Automotive
- Web Release
FERRARI UNVEILS 2025 LIVERY OF 499P NUMBERS 50 AND 51
Ferrari officially marked the start of its third season in the FIA World Endurance Championship's top class by unveiling the 2025 livery of the 499Ps which will compete under the official Ferrari – AF Corse team banner. The number 50 and 51 Le Mans Hypercars continue to uphold the legacy, prestige, and triumphs of the Maranello brand while reinterpreting the stylistic elements the 499P has inherited from the iconic 312 PB. The crews remain unchanged in 2025, a season in which Ferrari aims to contest the Manufacturers' and Drivers' World Championship titles while defending its Le Mans crown. Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen will share the number 50 car, while Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi will take the wheel of the number 51. The 499P, entrusted to the six drivers, will maintain the same technical configuration as the car that competed in the latter half of last season. The championship kicks off on Friday, 28 February, in Qatar. The livery. While preserving continuity, the 2025 edition of the 499P unveils striking design elements that make it instantly recognisable. The defining theme remains the Maranello manufacturer's signature red, which dominates the bodywork, complemented by Giallo Modena in a colour scheme already ingrained in the collective memory after the team's back-to-back victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Set to make its race debut in Qatar on 28 February, the 499P thus pays homage to Ferrari's recent history while still celebrating its predecessor, the 312 PB. This was Maranello's last Sport Prototype, which competed until 1973 before a 50-year hiatus that ended in 2023 with Ferrari's return to the top class of endurance racing. True to the philosophy of the Prancing Horse, the 2025 499P looks ahead, supported by the creativity of Ferrari's designers. The livery has been modernised with a new composition, blending red – a darker shade that reinterprets the colours seen on Ferrari race cars from past decades – with Giallo Modena, accentuating the car's body lines. The 499P's livery features a dominant glossy red finish, optimised for high car visibility, particularly in nighttime racing. This is complemented by matte accents that align with Scuderia Ferrari HP's Formula 1 single-seater design. The cockpit retains the signature yellow diagonal stripe – a hallmark of the 499P since 2023 – but unlike last season, this graphic now extends across the side pods instead of the lower section of the side. This design choice accentuates the side pods longitudinally, further enhancing the car's dynamic presence. The effect is particularly striking when viewing the 499P from above – such as from the grandstands – offering fans an original and innovative visual experience. The car. At the opening round of the World Championship in Qatar, Ferrari will take to the track with the 499P in the technical configuration introduced in the fifth round of the 2024 season contested in São Paulo, Brazil. This marked the debut of the first technical evolution package (joker), which featured updates such as a redesigned brake cooling duct system and, aerodynamically, the addition of flicks beneath the front headlights. Building on this configuration, the team worked throughout the winter to optimise the overall technical package, both in the permitted test sessions on the track and in the simulator. The winter development programme extended beyond the car itself – where meticulous refinements within regulatory limits enhanced reliability, incorporated regulatory updates, and fine-tuned every area where performance trailed the competition – but also focused on improving all race-related team operations. The powertrain. The 499P has a hybrid powertrain that combines an internal combustion engine – a mid-rear-mounted twin-turbo V6 – with an electric unit, the ERS (Energy Recovery System), on the front axle. While possessing bespoke characteristics, the internal combustion engine is derived from Ferrari's family of twin-turbo V6 engines, also found in road-going models – a testament to the technological transfer between racing and production cars. Current FIA WEC and Formula 1 regulations envisage the use of turbocharged V6 engines paired with an 800V hybrid system. This philosophy is exemplified by the Ferrari F80, the Maranello-based brand's latest supercar, which shares the same six-cylinder engine architecture and several components derived from the 499P. The team. As previously announced, the Ferrari – AF Corse team retains the same driver line-up that has competed in the Hypercar class since the 2023 season. In the 499P number 50, Fuoco-Molina-Nielsen – winners of the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans – will look to build on their endurance racing list of triumphs in the top class, which already includes six podiums and three Hyperpoles across the past two seasons, in addition to their Le Mans victory. Meanwhile, the sister car, the number 51, will again be crewed by Pier Guidi-Calado-Giovinazzi. They secured one victory – at the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023 – three podium finishes, and one Hyperpole. The goals. After finishing third in the Manufacturers' World Championship standings in 2024 and second in 2023, Ferrari's goal for 2025 is to score valuable points at every round of the championship to mount a challenge for both the Manufacturers' and Drivers' World Championship titles. A title win would see the Prancing Horse claim its first endurance racing world championship trophy since 1972, when it last triumphed in the World Championship for Makes. The calendar. The Lusail International Circuit will host the Prologue (21–22 February) and the Qatar 1812 km (28 February). The world championship will then stop at Imola, Italy (20 April), Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (10 May), Le Mans, France (14–15 June), São Paulo, Brazil (13 July), COTA, USA (7 September), Fuji, Japan (28 September), and Sakhir, Bahrain (8 November). Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: 'The team will have even more experience this year than last season. I believe that, in particular, we have enhanced our control and management of the car, fine-tuned the set-up of the 499P, and made progress in overall performance. My wish is to contend for the Manufacturers' and Drivers' world titles and try to repeat our victory at Le Mans.' Miguel Molina, 499P #50: 'Our aim for 2025 is to continue building on our work over the past two seasons. Competing for a third consecutive year alongside Antonio and Nicklas will be a great help, but we know the level of competition is constantly increasing. We will need to be highly consistent in every race to win as many points as possible, hoping to finish on the top step of the podium in every race.' Nicklas Nielsen, 499P #50: 'Winning at Le Mans in 2024 motivates us to compete for victory in this year's 24 Hours as well, but I think our goal now is also to win the world championship. The race I am most looking forward to – aside from Le Mans, of course – is our 'home' event at Imola. Racing in Italy with the Prancing Horse is always special. When you wear these colours, you feel part of the Ferrari family, and the warmth and support of our fans is fantastic.' Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: 'Over the winter, we conducted a few track tests and carried out extensive simulator work, doing everything possible to optimise every aspect of the 499P. The 2025 calendar is identical to 2024, which allows us to optimise a lot of things at circuits where we have already proven our speed, and to improve on tracks where we have encountered some issues. This season, I expect an even more competitive championship. To achieve our goal of winning the world titles, we must further improve our performance and score points in every race.' James Calado, 499P #51: 'Last year, we often found ourselves leading races, showing as a team that we know how to perform at a really high level. However, there is still room for improvement. We approach the 2025 season with optimism, fully aware of the 499P's high-level characteristics and our team's strength – factors that put us in a good position in the fight for the world title.' Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: 'Last season, we delivered strong performances, and the entire team made significant progress. Our shared goal for 2025 is to continue on this path, knowing that we are a great team – albeit still relatively new to the top endurance class. The 499P has already proven to be a fast and reliable car: by learning from past mistakes, we will aim to win again at Le Mans and compete with top-level rivals for the world championship title.' Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Ferrari Endurance and Corse Clienti: '2025 will see us in our third consecutive year in the top class of the FIA WEC, aiming to build on all the strong results we have achieved so far and, above all, become even more consistent. In previous seasons, we experienced highs and lows – mainly because 2023 was our debut year, and in 2024, the team had to continue progressing within a category that was still new to us. This learning phase has continued, and in the 2025 season, I hope we can be front-runners in the fight for the world championship title. We have to be humble, as we are competing against many manufacturers in this championship, some of whom are more experienced than us, having been involved in this category for much longer. We have made several organisational changes and continue to do so. I believe we have taken a crucial step forward, particularly in our technical knowledge of the car. Let's remember that the technical development of the 499P took place in an exceptionally fast-paced and intense timeframe ahead of its race debut in 2023. If we had more time to begin with, we could have accelerated this learning phase, which instead, we continued during the races of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. We have therefore improved both our knowledge of the car and all operations, both on track and at Maranello, showing growth on all fronts.' Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars : 'Over the winter, we worked on the car and all our operational tools, seeking to optimise them in every area while improving our racing team. From the second half of the 2024 season onwards, we introduced many modifications to the car, all compliant with the regulations. Half of these focused on improving reliability, around a quarter on regulatory updates, while for the rest, we sought to optimise all areas where we found performance gaps with our competitors. In 2025, while there are no 'joker' updates, there are many areas for improvement. Over the winter break, we worked hard to expand the set-up window, evaluating new philosophies aimed at better exploitation of the aerodynamics on the one hand and of tyre performance in all conditions on the other. To complement all this, we are committed to the continuous development of control systems. This aspect continues to improve across all areas to enhance precision and provide ever-faster responses to driver inputs.'
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Is Entering LMDh in 2027. The Goal? Absolute Victory at Le Mans
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." More than 60 years ago, Ford set out with the ambitious goal of becoming the first American manufacturer to ever win the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall. The resulting quest may just be the greatest story in racing history, culminating in four straight wins from 1966 to 1967 as part of an iconic rivalry against Scuderia Ferrari at the height of the brand's sports car racing powers. (You may have heard of our own A.J. Baime's book about it.) Despite powering two more race winners in 1975 and 1980, Ford has not actually tried to win the race as a manufacturer since. That changes as of 2027. In the year that will mark six decades since Dan Gurney and AJ Foyt won the race in a GT40 Mk. IV, Ford is headed back to the world's greatest sports car race. Not just with a GT car, but with an LMDh-spec prototype, competing in the top class for the overall win. It is a monumental move, one made all the more monumental by Ferrari's 2021 choice to return to the top class at Le Mans after a break of more than 50 years. Unless Ferrari sunsets its 499 P program early and does not build a successor, the classic rivals will meet again in what figures to be at least a 10-manufacturer top class. 2027 should also mark the first-ever race where all of Ford, Ferrari, and all-time Le Mans win record holder Porsche all compete against one another with full factory teams. If no manufacturers drop their Le Mans Hypercar programs before 2027, that legendary trio will compete against top-class prototypes from Toyota, Peugeot, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Lamborghini, Genesis, and Alpine. Acura additionally races an LMDh-spec car in IMSA's GTP class, but that car has not yet raced at Le Mans, and Honda has not announced any plans to do so in the future. Ford has not yet announced details about the program itself, only that the brand plans to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 hour classic with an LMDh-spec race car in 2027. Because Ford has chosen the LMDh rule set, the car will be built around one of four common chassis options from either Multimatic, Ligier, Dallara, or Oreca. It will be a hybrid built around some common parts — but Ford will have a significant degree of freedom in designing around those parts. Since the LMDh rule set has relatively open engine regulations based on power output regulated by a torque sensor, rather than configuration, Ford has some room for creativity in what they put in their prototype. BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Genesis have all opted for turbocharged V-8s, while Acura and Alpine have chosen to use turbocharged V-6 engines. Cadillac, and only Cadillac, built its prototype around a naturally-aspirated V-8. Notably, Ford currently uses a naturally-aspirated 5.4-liter V-8 based on the 5.0 Coyote engine in its Mustang GT3 racers. Ford says that the program will be run by a full factory team, a departure from its strategy for both of its last two factory-backed GT programs. Those teams were run alongside team partners Multimatic and, in the case of the previous Ford GT, Chip Ganassi Racing. Ford will join only Toyota, Peugeot, and Genesis in opting for a full factory effort rather than a partnership with an existing team. Further details, including a chassis partner, engine plans, and whether or not the car is also destined to race domestically in IMSA's GTP class, should be revealed over the next two years. It's safe to say we can't wait to learn more. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
