24h Le Mans
After a first testing session in January, the Ferrari 499P has already taken part in two track days at the Sebring circuit in Florida this month. The countdown to the kickoff of the 2023 FIA WEC season has begun!
Ferrari is ramping up preparations for the Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship. The Italian team has completed two days of testing sessions at Sebring where the 2023 FIA WEC season will get underway with the 1000 Miles on Friday 17 March. Drivers Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi and James Calado took turns at the wheel of the 499P Hypercar, but Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen were unable to attend due to the Asian Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Dubai this part weekend.
The 499P alternated between laps on the track and pit stops during which technicians conducted routine checks. This shakedown allowed the team to continue fine-tuning the Hypercar's reliability, a crucial factor at Sebring. The circuit (6.01 km) is a former military airport used by the U.S. Army Air Force until the end of World War II and still uses the landing strips made of concrete slabs.
James Calado: "We made some progress compared to the previous test a couple of weeks ago, and we received further confirmation of the quality of the project. There is not much time until the debut, and there are still aspects to improve and others to continue working on, but we have taken the right path, and the outlook remains positive. These tests are important for starting from a good foundation when the 1000 Miles Sebring weekend begins."
The Ferrari 499P will continue its development programme in Europe before returning to the circuit in Florida for the FIA WEC Prologue on 11-12 March.
