Ferrari LMH 499P Hybrid Hypercar 2023

Ferrari LMH 499P won Le Mans 24 Hours 2023 after 50 Years

Last Update June 11 2023- Ferrari won the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the 499P driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, who shared the number 51 car with James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, covering 342 laps of the French track. The Maranello manufacturer claimed an historic result on its return to the top class after half a century, with the Ferrari – AF Corse team triumphing in the world’s most famous endurance race.

At the chequered flag Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen finished fifth in the 499P number 50, delayed during the night by repairs that knocked the crew out of contention for the podium, despite an excellent performance that saw them climb several places back up the standings.

The Ferrari 499Ps started from the top two positions on the grid with Hypercar numbers 50 and 51, respectively, thanks to the times posted during the Hyperpole when Fuoco took pole.

This was the Prancing Horse’s tenth overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to go with those collected in 1949, 1954, 1958, and 1960-1965. Ferrari’s history at Le Mans now comprises 39 victories, including 29 class wins.

With this result in round four of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship, Ferrari remains second in the Manufacturers’ standings, narrowing the gap to Toyota to 19 points.

Ferrari made a triumphant return to the top class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with victory for the 499P number 51. The Prancing Horse claimed its tenth overall victory and the thirty-ninth, including its history of class wins at the La Sarthe circuit. Here are the comments at the end of round four of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship.

Amato Ferrari, fondatore AF Corse: “We are living a special moment, just as we imagined would be possible. Wonderful work has been done over the last eleven months. Ferrari believed in this project and helped us a lot and they put together a working group that integrated with our people. And this is the result. The drivers were a definite choice, as we had worked with all of them, and they were intentionally confirmed because we know their qualities. With this result, we improved on the opening race at Sebring, which started with a pole position and got better until we had a car that was more and more reliable and competitive.”

Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “It takes time to grasp what we did. Probably now, we are part of the history of Ferrari, the biggest brand in the world. As an Italian, I have dreamed of driving for this brand since childhood. Now it’s real. We won Le Mans with a red car. It isn’t easy to describe what you feel. It’s a mix of emotions. If you think about how much work there is behind this victory. We worked 24/7. We tried to give our best, but everyone worked non-stop, the engineers and the mechanics, for one year, and the work finally paid off. We knew from the start that reliability would be a key factor. The car was new and the race crazy: the weather was mad, with many slow zones and safety cars. But in the end, Le Mans is always like this. You have to try to stay out of trouble or at least to minimise the mistakes. I think we did quite well.”.

James Calado, 499P #51: “It’s an amazing feeling to win this race. The team did an amazing job. The track was amazing, honestly. It feels so special to drive: the balance, the performance, the engine, the way it works were superb. It’s a big thanks to everyone involved in this project to make this happen. I think it shows what Ferrari is made of. Obviously, I’ve won here in GT twice, but this is a bit different. Definitely a different feeling: the attention involved, the Ferrari fans, you can see all the red in every corner. So, a big thanks to all the supporters. I’m very happy.”.

Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: “For me and Alessandro it’s an even more special feeling. We first drove this car last July, so to have achieved this result, pole and victory, after just under a year, is undoubtedly fantastic. It was by no means a given that we’d make it, but the entire team and my teammates did a great job, and here we are today. Thanks to Ferrari, who made all this happen. We are back to winning ways after 50 years, and we should be very proud.”

Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “The victory in the Hypercar class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a historic moment for the entire team on its return after 50 years. It could have been an even greater joy, but sadly we were unlucky because of a problem we had in the night. We are enjoying this moment for the team and looking ahead to the next one.”

Miguel Molina, 499P #50: “It was a difficult race for me because overnight, I suffered damage to the radiator, and we had to change it, which compromised the race. We recovered well and pushed at an excellent pace, but obviously, by that point, victory was impossible. I think Ferrari has done an extraordinary job, coming here after 50 years and being competitive enough to win. I want to congratulate Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and all the team members for the fantastic result. We missed a chance to fight for victory, but I’m sure we can do it next time”.

Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “The victory in the Hypercar class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a historic moment for the entire team on its return after 50 years. It could have been an even greater joy, but sadly we were unlucky because of a problem we had in the night. We are enjoying this moment for the team and looking ahead to the next one.”

John Elkann, Chairman Ferrari: “This has been an unforgettable day that I’d like to dedicate to everyone at Ferrari. After 50 years we have returned to compete in the highest category of endurance racing that has a place at the very heart of our story and that of all motorsport. We’re proud indeed to have taken Italy once again to the top step of the podium at Le Mans, celebrating in the best possible style the centenary of the most important race of its kind in the world.This victory that Antonello Coletta, Amato Ferrari and the entire team, from our mechanics to our drivers, have achieved today in such challenging conditions – because of the 24 hour duration, the unpredictable weather and the impressive strength of our competitors – serves as an example for us all. The emotions they have given to our tifosi on a great day that brings together past, present and future, is also a reminder of the importance of finding the courage and the humility to always improve. Full of enthusiasm and joy, I’d like to thank all our colleagues who have given us this extraordinary victory: a success that we celebrate with all of our tifosi and with our country”.

Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti: “It is a fantastic day today at Le Mans, a historic and epic day in which Ferrari has returned to winning the overall classification of the 24 Hours after 58 years. We are really proud because it is 50 years since our last participation and we have come back into the most important class, the Hypercar, in the centenary year of the race: a series of numbers that make us relive the history of this truly legendary race. More than 350,000 people were here to see the 61 cars, with the most important marques in the world and that is also why we are very proud to have won the top class. Among other things, with Italian drivers, who allowed us to take pole and the win today with two out of three of the crew from our own country. So, Ferrari has proudly put us back on the top step of the podium”.

Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars: “It is thrilling; it is a feeling that is hard to describe. I’m not just referring to today’s result, but I’m talking about the work done over these last two intense years. We have grown as a team and learnt to trust each other. We started from scratch and we have come this far. We should be proud of what we have done. In the run-up to the competition, I would not have expected a victory, even though we worked with incredible concentration and determination. It has been a hard slog for everyone, dedicating so much time to the project and we really have to thank our families for that. We were well aware that it was the first time and that it would not be easy to get to the finish line with two cars. However, hour by hour, our confidence grew and what we had thought, studied and planned came true. Congratulations to the whole team. There were two tough moments in this 24 Hours: the first was when car number 50 dropped out of the battle for the podium because of a stone that punctured the radiator. But even though it caused us to drop several positions, we didn’t give up and managed to recover during the night. The other moment was the final pit stop for the number 51: these were incredibly tense moments because the car wouldn’t start, but we were ready because we had prepared the back-up procedure and everything went well”.

Source -Ferrari Media Archives

Wallpaper Ferrari 499P wins Le Mans 24 Hours 2023 (click on image to enlarge)

 

Update June 04 2023- Three podium for Ferrari in the three first WEC endurance races, at Sebring, Portimao and Spa Francorchamp.

Maranello, 4 June 2023 - The 11th season of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the first to feature the Ferrari 499P in the Hypercar top class, includes seven rounds. From the Hypercar category to the hybrid car known as the Le Mans Hypercar, taking in the powertrain and four-wheel drive, here are some topics to learn about to experience the spectacle of the World Endurance Championship to the full.

Class: Hypercar
Prototypes and production-derived cars both compete in the World Endurance Championship. Overall, three classes take to the track: The Hypercar is the main one; the others are LMP2 and LMGTE Am. The cars in the first class are easily recognisable by the words “Hypercar” (red on a white background) and the initials “HY” (white on a red background), which stand out in the front and on the side panels.

Hypercar: two options
The Hypercar class, introduced from the 2021 season, allows two types of cars: LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) and LMDh (Le Mans Daytona Hybrid). The former can have four-wheel drive if a hybrid powertrain is used, the result of combining a combustion engine transmitting motion to the rear axle and an electric unit on the front axle. The second type, meanwhile, deploys rear-wheel drive only.

Ferrari’s choice: LMH
Ferrari decided to field an LMH, a platform that allows the car to be designed, developed and manufactured in-house. In this way, the manufacturer is solely responsible for creating the chassis, the hybrid powertrain (electric motor, battery), and the aerodynamics. In contrast, the LmdH class requires the team entering the championship to buy the car chassis from one of the four FIA WEC-approved suppliers.

Ferrari 499P: technical data
The Prancing Horse’s LMH is a hypercar that, as required by the technical regulations, has a maximum combined power to the wheels of around 700 horsepower (515 kW), within the regulatory limits, the total of both the thermal unit (the engine is a twin-turbo V6) and the electric unit, respectively known as the Internal Combustion Engine – ICE, and Energy Recovery System – ERS. The Prancing Horse four-wheel-drive LMH uses carbon fibre for the chassis and bodywork. The car comes with a battery pack rated at 800V and a seven-speed sequential gearbox. The total weight cannot be lower than 1,030 kilograms.

Tyres
Michelin is the sole supplier for the Hypercar class. It provides identical sets of dry and wet tyres for the individual manufacturers competing in the Hypercar class. It supplies two types of tyres for each championship round (three for the 24 Hours of Le Mans). As of the 2023 season, heating blankets are no longer used to keep the tyres warm. Exclusively for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, however, the possibility of heating tyres has been restored.

Balance of Performance
BoP is a technical rule which allows cars of different architectures to race together on equal terms by balancing out their potential performance levels through adjustments of power, weight and aerodynamic performance. The process is entirely data driven, relying on simulations and car data.

Virtual Energy Tank
Virtual Energy Tank, during the live broadcast of the races, shows the live status of combined energy from both the combustion engine and the hybrid system, which is allocated per stint as part of the BoP process.
Since the introduction of the Hypercar class to the FIA WEC in 2021, torque sensors were made mandatory, allowing for precise live monitoring of powertrain parameters. The data from these sensors is transmitted via telemetry to FIA WEC’s TV production where it is integrated into the TV graphics, allowing spectators to have an insight into the live energy usage status of each of the Hypercars and thus have an understanding of how far into a stint each of the cars is and anticipate their next pit stop for refueling.

Wallpaper of Ferrari 499P Hybrid Hypercar 2023 (click on image to enlarge)

 

50 years on: return to the elite class of the World Endurance Championship

Imola, 29th October 2022 – 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 evoking 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 revived version of the renowned 312 P colour scheme from the 1970s, which also visually underscores the historical connections interrupted 50 years ago, but that have remained ever present in the brand’s essence. For this reason, one of the Maranello-entered endurance cars will be adorned with the number 50, while the other will bear the number 51, one of the most successful ever. The official line-up of who will race the 499P will be the subject of future communications.

Ferrari LMH 499P Hybrid Hypercar 2023

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.

New hybrid power

The 499P’s hybrid powertrain combines a mid-rear power unit with an electric motor powering the front axle. The internal combustion engine (ICE) has a maximum regulation-limited output to the wheels of 500 kW (680 cv) and is derived from the road-going twin-turbo V6 family. The ICE, which shares the architecture of the engine fitted to the 296 GT3, has undergone a thorough overhaul by Ferrari’s engineers, aimed both at developing ad hoc solutions for the prototype and lightening the overall weight. Among the specific characteristics of the 499P’s V6 is the fact that the engine is load-bearing and therefore performs a valuable structural function, compared to the versions fitted to competition GT cars, where the engine is mounted onto the car’s rear sub-chassis. The second ‘soul’ of the hybrid powertrain is the ERS – Energy Recovery System – with a maximum power output of 200 kW (272 cv). The electric motor is equipped with a differential and is driven by a battery that is recharged during deceleration and braking, requiring no external power source. The battery pack, with a nominal voltage of 900v, benefits from experience honed in Formula 1, although it was purpose-built for the project. The 499P’s overall maximum power output is 500 kW (680 cv) and the powertrain is coupled to a seven-speed sequential gearbox.

Ferrari LMH 499P Hybrid Hypercar 2023

Wind designed

The design of the new Ferrari 499P was refined with the support of the Ferrari Styling Centre under the direction of Flavio Manzoni. The car’s technical and aerodynamic  features have been enhanced by means of simple, sinuous shapes: – an explicit expression of Ferrari’s DNA. The balance between tense lines and flowing surfaces, expressed in a futuristic, pure and iconic language, defines a clear yet essential architecture. The bodywork of the prototype is sculpted from a flat surface, from which the side pods and wheelarches develop harmoniously. Aerodynamic flows pass through the side pods over the recesses between the main ridges surrounding the cockpit, cooling the radiators concealed beneath the bodywork. On the Ferrari 499P, the surface area of the wheel arches, a Ferrari hallmark, are characterised by large louvres, aimed at reducing the pressure inside the wheel housings. Together with the headlight clusters, they imbue the nose with a sense of character and expressiveness, with subtle references to the styling traits first introduced on the Ferrari Daytona SP3.

The rear is the ultimate expression of how to blend technology, aerodynamics and design. A subtle carbon-fibre skin covers the various functions, leaving the wheels and suspension completely visible. The tail is characterised by a double horizontal wing; the main wing and upper flaps have been meticulously designed to guarantee the necessary downforce and achieve maximum performance.

The lower wing also features a ‘light bar’ that enriches the rear design with a decisive yet minimalist touch. Finally, in a dominant position above the car is a multiple air intake that feeds the V6 engine intake and supplies cooling air to the battery and gearbox.

Innovative technologies

Built on an all-new  carbon-fibre monocoque chassis, the Ferrari 499P features solutions that represent the cutting edge of motor sport technology. The geometry of the double wishbone, push-rod-type suspension results in outstanding qualities of damping stiffness, the benefits of which are evident at both maximum velocity as well as in cornering. The electronics systems are developed from and further innovate upon the experience honed in the world of GT racing.

No less sophisticated is the braking system, which integrates a brake-by-wire system necessary to allow the recovery of kinetic energy by the front electric axle under braking. The system has been developed to combine precision and speed of response with reliability and durability, complementary aspects that are one of the keys to success in endurance racing. The electric front axle uses energy recovered while braking, storing it in the high-voltage battery before transmitting torque to the front wheels when a certain speed is attained, thus helping boost the performance on the tracks scheduled to host the 2023 calendar.

Partnership with AF Corse

The Ferrari 499P will be managed on track by Maranello technicians and engineers with the collaboration of AF Corse. The partnership continues the winning streak which began in the 2006 FIA GT with the F430 GT2 that secured Team, Driver and Constructor titles in its debut season. The vast majority of GT successes in recent years have been the result of the partnership between Ferrari and AF Corse, including all those achieved in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) since its inception in 2012.

Quotes

John Elkann, Ferrari Executive Chairman: “The 499 P sees us return to compete for outright victory in the WEC series. When we decided to commit to this project, 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, solutions that in time will be transferred to our road cars. We enter this challenge with humility, but conscious of a history that has taken us to over 20 world endurance titles and 9 overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”.

Antonello Coletta, Head of Ferrari Attività Sportive GT: “The 499P is a dream come true. Today is an important moment for all the people who have worked so hard on this project over the past two years. We wanted to pay homage to our history, with many references, both large and small, to a past made up of successes and titles. We do so however, looking ahead, creating a manifesto of our commitment to the world endurance championship. The 499P is a prototype that is decidedly Ferrari, in the fullest sense of the term, and it gives us an enormous thrill to finally show it to our clients and to the many enthusiasts of the marque”.

Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Ferrari GT Track Car Development: “For the whole team and myself, this is a really thrilling moment. We know that we have a huge responsibility. We have designed and engineered a car that is brand new and particularly complex in every aspect. This unprecedented challenge motivated everyone into all-encompassing, all-sharing collaboration involving every department of our company and our technical partners. Starting from a blank sheet of paper was a source of unique and continuous motivation in order to find effective solutions to guarantee the 499P’s performance and reliability. From the very first shakedown to the first race, we have planned a very intense development programme, both on the test bench and on the track, which has given us some interesting feedback. The work of synthesis that awaits us over the coming weeks, and which will see us involved in further track testing, is the most important for fine-tuning and the final integration of all the systems. We still have a lot of kilometres to go, but the team is aware of the importance of the project and will continue to show commitment, passion, maturity and great professionalism.”

wallpaper of the Ferrari LMH 499P Hypercar 2023 (click on image to enlarge)