FERRARI 499P, THE HYPERCAR TO RETURN TO WEC TOP CLASS

50 years on: return to the elite class of the 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 colour 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.