Ferrary 499P

Ferrari have a rich and romantic love affair with sports car racing and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Nine victories had been celebrated at the fabled Maranello factory before their eagerly anticipated return in 2023 – with the most recent overall victory by the Italian firm being way back in 1965. 2023 signified 50 years since the last factory effort in the top-flight category – and what a stir the Italian team caused. The eagerly anticipated debut of the Ferrari 499P would come in Sebring, Florida USA, with the prancing horse making an impact from the get go by grabbing pole for the #50 car. A dream start! The dream turned into a fairytale at the 24 hours of Le Mans as the #51 car, despite coming into trouble during the night, managed to fight back and take the fight to the Toyota establishment. After 24 hours, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi and Alessandro Pier Guidi brought the race-weary 499P to the chequered flag. A successful debut season in 2023 saw a further five podiums for the #50 and #51 machines, with both teams still in mathematical contention for the championship title at the finale in Bahrain. 2024 saw another titanic battle for victory at Le Mans, this time after 311 laps the #50 car achieved glory in an incident packed race!