24h Le Mans
Since its highly anticipated debut in the Hypercar class in 2023, Ferrari has only risen in the ranks of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). On the heels of a first season highlight winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, followed by a solid 2024 showing, the Italian carmaker is taking on this year with even more vigor and resolve. Here is a look at the development of the Ferrari 499P and the fine-tuning undertaken to place it squarely as a contender for the world title in the upcoming season.
Ferrari's Hypercar programme was launched without pulling any punches. 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."
Thanks to intensive development, Ferrari quickly demonstrated its potential by securing a historic victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary in 2023. But, it hasn't all benn smooth sailing against top notch competition. Coletta: "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."
To close the gap with its rivals and gain consistency, Ferrari has focused on improving the reliability and performance of the 499P. 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."
But, it doesn't stop there. Throughout the winter break, the Italian manufactuer dedicated itself to a multi-pronged approach. Cannizzo: "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."
With these adjustments, Ferrari hopes to reach a decisive milestone in 2025. Coletta: "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."
As we gear up for yet another fierce Hypercar season, Ferrari plans to bring a more finessed car and better-prepared team. While arguable that the 499P still has room for improvement, the Hypercar's expedited development does indeed make it a serious contender for the world title and a third consecutive win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. All eyes on the 499P at the first round of the 2025 FIA WEC season at the Qatar 1812 km on 28 February.
