The famous marque’s return to the top of the podium at Centenary 24 Hours of La Mans race confounds expectations.
Ferrari driver Jeff Segal checks in after a wet and wild first qualifying session.
This year marked the 100th anniversary of the first Le Mans 24 Hour race. Now the showcase event of the Word Endurance Championship, the event also marked the return of Ferrari to the Le Mans premier class, the Hypercar class, for 50 years.
The Hypercar class was an intriguing mix of established marques; alongside the recently dominant team of Toyota were Ferrari, Porsche, Peugeot, Cadillac, Vanwall and Glickenhaus.
The Ferrari 499P AF Corse of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen sits in its team garage during previews to the 100th Anniversary Le Mans 24 Hours race at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 06, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Ker Robertson / Getty Images.
Lilou Wadoux of France and AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE attends the drivers’ autograph session during previews to the 100th Anniversary Le Mans 24 Hours race at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 06, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Ker Robertson / Getty Images.
The Ferrari 499P AF Corse of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen drives during practice for the 100th anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans race at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 07, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Clive Rose / Getty Images.
The Ferrari 499P AF Corse of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen drives during the hyperpole shoot out ahead of the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 08, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Clive Rose / Getty Images.
The #50 Ferrari 499P set the stage by taking a stunning pole position in the hands of Antonio Fuoco. This was clearly no fluke as Ferrari achieved a front row lock out with Ferrari #51 driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, lining up in P2. It had been 50 years since Jackie Ickx and Brian Redman achieved an all Ferrari front row.
The Ferrari 499P of Nicklas Nielsen (front right) and the Ferrari 499P of James Calado (front left) lead the field at the start of the 100th anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans race at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 10, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Ker Robertson / Getty Images.
The n. 50 and the n. 51 Ferrari AF Corse during 100th running 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 10, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Alessio Morgese / Nur Photo via Getty Images.
With the Porsche and Toyota firmly in their mirrors, this was a dream start for the Ferrari AF Corse team.
As the Le Mans 24 Hours went green, what followed was a race for the ages.
The #8 Toyota of Sebastian Buemi set off in determined pursuit of the Ferraris. Whilst he managed to take the lead on the first lap, the race was neutralised by a safety car almost immediately. Light rain earlier in the day had left the Mulsanne Straight slippery and the first lap saw Jack Aitken crash into the barrier in his Cadillac V-Series, resulting in severe damage to the front left wheel and his car’s bodywork in tatters. Whilst he limped back go the pits, the #32 Oreca Gibson of Mark Kvamme got beached on the same chicane.
The n. 51 Ferrari 499P, Alessandro Pier Guidi (ITA), James Calado (GBR), Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) during 100th running 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France. Photo by Alessio Morgese / Nur Photo via Getty Images.
Once racing resumed the #8 Toyota of Mike Conway joined Buemi at the front of the field. If the spectators thought that normal service had been resumed and that the all-conquering Toyotas would be in control of the race to the finish, they were in for a shock. What came next was a 24 hour thriller.
Ferrari, Toyota, Peugeot, Porsche and Cadillac all managed to take the lead at some point during the first couple of hours, as the result not only of different pit stop strategies but also by some superb driving by the premier class drivers, with some stunning overtakes.
The Ferrari 499P AF Corse of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen drives during the 100th anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans race at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 10, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Ker Robertson / Getty Images.
As the race began to unfold, the light rain from earlier in the day returned with a vengeance. Just before the third hour commenced, there was a sudden torrential downpour, causing chaos for the teams as the cars tried to get back to the pits to swap out their slick tyres for the wet weather sets. With so many cars aquaplaning, it was inevitable that the safety car returned for an extensive session. The #94 Peugeot took the lead as the #93 Peugeot, driven by Jean-Eric Vergne slid into the gravel trap.
The n. 50 Ferrari 499P of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen in action during the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 10, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by James Moy Photography / Getty Images.
As the rain cleared and the darkness fell, the lead continued to change throughout the evening, with 5 different cars leading at some point. The #51 Ferrari was the first to 100 laps. Another downpour and another extensive safety car period shook the race up again. As the clock ticked towards midnight, the #94 Peugeot had regained the lead, with the #50 Ferrari in second place.
Racing towards the dawn, the lead continued to change hands. No team was able to dominate. Toyota suffered a major blow when their #7 car was hit from behind and forced into retirement. The #50 Ferrari lost 28 minutes in the pit to fix various mechanical problems. The #94 Peugeot of Gustavo Menezes, lost a similar amount of time, repairing damage from hitting the tyre wall at the Daytona Chicane. There were also long pit stops for the #5 Porsche and #3 Cadillac.
The n. 50 Ferrari 499P of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen makes a pitstop during the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 11, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Clive Rose / Getty Images.
As the race approached the halfway point, #51 Ferrari was out in front, with 14 of the 63 starters having retired.
The cat and mouse chase between Ferrari and Toyota continued throughout the night, with the Cadillac keeping the leaders in sight. In the early morning light, #8 Toyota had established a lead, passing 200 laps in the 15th hour of the race. The #51 Ferrari was not far behind, however and when both cars pitted on lap 207, James Calado took the lead.
As the Sunday sunshine emerged from the grey cloud cover that had greeted the teams in the early dawn, the #51 Ferrari established and maintained its lead over the #8 Toyota with the Cadillacs in third and fourth. All seemed to be going Ferrari’s way, but this is Le Mans and this is 24 hour racing. As the #51 tried to leave the pits on lap 255, nothing happened. The car failed to move and by the time the team had restarted the engine, the #8 Toyota was sweeping past the pit exit ahead. Pier Guidi had to put it all on the line to catch up with the Toyota, which was being driven with renewed purpose by Sebastien Buemi. It was a thrilling spectacle to see Pier Guidi hunting down the Toyota lap by lap. He finally re-took the lead but could not shake off the determined Swiss driver. As the race entered its final chapter, the pressure was on.
The #51 Ferrari continued in the lead, with everything depending on the reliability of this new Hypercar. Every pit stop was a heart stopping event, waiting to see if the previous gremlin would strike again, but the gremlins had gone home and the Ferrari managed to keep itself in front to the end, taking the chequered flag to rapturous applause.
The race winning Ferrari 499P of Alessandro Pier Guidi (driving), James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi takes the checkered flag at the finish of the 100th anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans race at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 11, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Ker Robertson / Getty Images.
The race winning Ferrari 499P of Alessandro Pier Guidi (driving), James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi passes celebrating team on the pit wall at the finish of the 100th anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans race at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 11, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by Ker Robertson / Getty Images.
The podium (left to right): Kamui Kobayashi of Japan and Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Principal; Ryo Hirakawa of Japan, Brendon Hartley of New Zealand, Sebastien Buemi of Switzerland n. 08 Toyota Gazoo Racing, second; Antonello Coletta of Italy and Head of Ferrari Attivita’ Sportive GT; Antonio Giovinazzi of Italy, Alessandro Pier Guidi of Italy, James Calado of Great Britain n. 51 AF Corse Ferrari, race winners; Earl Bamber of New Zealand, Alex Lynn of Great Britain, Richard Westbrook of Great Britain n. 02 Cadillac Racing, third, at the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 11, 2023 in Le Mans, France. Photo by James Moy Photography / Getty Images.
This race was a triumphant return to Le Mans for Ferrari. Furthermore, the race with the Hypercar class full of new teams was a magnificent validation of the new WEC regulations. It was a truly enthralling race with the outcome unsure until the Ferrari took the chequered flag.
Both Ferrari cars did a magnificent job, with only small mechanical issues for the #50 keeping it down the field. The #51 drivers of James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi and former F1 driver, Antonio Giovanazzi kept their collective nerve and brought the car home in superb style.
Ferrari Chairman, John Elkann, was seen in the pits, enjoying the victory with his team. He will have some serious trophies to add to the Ferrari collection. Despite all the unsolicited advice from media pundits about who he needs to hire and/or replace at the F1 team, Mr Elkann can see for himself that success for Ferrari is possible, without resorting to hiring “star names”. Ferrari have the quality within to succeed.
The bells rang out in Maranello for the triumphant endurance team once more, as the Ferrari endurance racing legend continues. The next race is, fittingly, the 6 Hours of Monza on 7th July. The reception for the Ferraris should be rapturous. Ferrari AF Corse enter the race second place in the WEC standings, less than 20 points behind the Toyotas. Can the red cars take the WEC Championship? The race is on!
By Clare Topic
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