Ferrari slim chances for a WEC title

WECHyperCar

Oct 27

Written By Car Racing Reporter

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Austin, Imola and Qatar. Both Ferrari 499P drivers change during pit stop.

The final round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship at Bahrain will be the last chance for Ferrari to clinch both titles at play. As far as the Bahrain round is a 8 hours race, the points are allocated as follow: 1st: 38 points, 2nd: 27 points, 3rd: 23 points, 4th: 18 points, 5th, 15 points, 6th: 12 points, 7th: 9 points, 8th: 6 points, 9th: 3 points, 10th: 2 points.

Best case scenario for the World Manufacturer Championship

Only the best placed car per manufacturer (from the two works only) can earn points in the World Manufacturer Championship. Porsche 963, Toyota GR010 Hybrid, Ferrari 499P, Cadillac V-Series.R, Alpine A424, BMW Hybrid V8 and Peugeot 9X8 have all demonstrated abilities to score points in the top 10 which might increase the gap between the three contenders: Porsche, Toyota and Ferrari.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Lone Star Le Mans. Both Ferrari 499P at Lone Star Le Mans.

Ferrari currently sits third in the Manufacturers’ standings with 134 points, 27 behind the leading Porsche and 17 points behind Toyota second. A pole and a win by Ferrari at Bahrain would enable the team to clinch 39 points. In this case, one of the two official Porsche 963 may not earn more than 11 points which means not better than a P7! AND, Toyota may not score better than 26 points which means not better than a P3!

Note that, in case Ferrari ends with the same number of points than Porsche or Toyota, they would not earn the title as they count only one win (Le Mans) this year for three to Toyota.

ALESSANDRO PIER GUIDI: « After the last race in Japan, which proved very challenging for us, we come to Bahrain aware that we can perform better. I believe we’ll have the chance to compete for a strong result at Sakhir, and I’m confident the entire team will give their all to stay in contention for the world manufacturers’ title right up to the last corner. Many points are up for grabs, and I expect a hotly contested, far-from-easy race. »

JAMES CALADO: « We arrive in Bahrain knowing that the world title is still undecided. It’s clearly a complex challenge, but we head into this weekend determined to give it our all, both as drivers and as a team. We’ll do our best and build on our experience at Sakhir last year to improve further. Thanks to our teammates’ performance, this year we achieved another victory at Le Mans, marking a historic milestone with two consecutive wins in the most important race of the year. As I’ve already said, my dream is also to become world champion with Ferrari in the Hypercar class. »

ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI: « This year, luck hasn’t been on our side with our 499P number 51, and we haven’t seen great results, apart from the remarkable podium at Le Mans. Thus, we aim to end the season on a high note by scoring as many points as possible. The world manufacturers’ championship title is still mathematically within reach for Ferrari, so we’ll do all we can to contribute. » Source: Ferrari

Best case scenario for the World Driver Championship

In the Drivers’ standings, Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen are in second place in the #50 499P, on 115 points, 35 points off the top.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day. Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen won the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen need to win the 8 Hours of Bahrain AND the current leading trio (Estre-Lotterer-Vanthoor) behind P8 to clinch the drivers’ title.

In order for the #50 Ferrari squad to keep their P2 in the Drivers Championship, they need to end in the top 8 at least AND ahead of the #6 Toyota as Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries who are currently third in the Championship, two points behind the #50 Ferrari trio.

Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi, teammates in the number 51 car, sit eighth with 59 points. — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at Lone Star Le Mans. Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi, teammates in the #51 Ferrari 499P, sit eighth with 59 points..

ANTONIO FUOCO: « As always, we head out onto the track to do our best. We know that the 8 Hours of Bahrain will be an extremely challenging race, not least because our direct rivals have been highly competitive throughout the season and will be very determined heading into this last event. Our philosophy, however, is to pursue every avenue, and in this spirit, we approach a race that will be long and full of variables. As we saw in past seasons, we know that in Bahrain, the race result is always unpredictable. »

MIGUEL MOLINA: « After an extraordinary season in which we claimed victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, we arrive in Bahrain still mathematically in contention for both titles. We understand how challenging it will be to secure these and, with only a few results that could benefit us, we know we must aim for victory. We’ll take to the track for the 8 Hours in this spirit. I really like the Sakhir track, where I have always been competitive – a circuit on which our 499P can also perform well. »

NICKLAS NIELSEN: « Last year in Bahrain, we finished on the podium at the close of a demanding season. This year, we return to the Sakhir circuit knowing more about the track and our car. The race won’t be easy, but we must give it our all, and only after the 8 hours can we do the maths. After winning at Le Mans with Antonio and Miguel, my dream is to bring a world title to Maranello. » Source: Ferrari

FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams

The AF Corse Ferrari 499P #83, driven by Robert Shwartzman, Robert Kubica and Yifei Ye won Lone Star Le Mans (COTA) — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at Lone Star Le Mans. The AF Corse **Ferrari** 499P #83, driven by **Robert Shwartzman, Robert Kubica and Yifei Ye** won Lone Star Le Mans (COTA)

HERTZ Team JOTA are already champions. AF Corse is currently second with 122 points. Proton Competition #99 is only 6 points behind and #38 HERTZ Team JOTA is 7 points behind. To consolidate that position, Ferrari official drivers Yifei Ye and Robert Shwartzman, who share the Giallo Modena-liveried #83 499P with Robert Kubica, need to end the 8 Hours of Bahrain ahead of two privateer Porsche. There are, potentially, several other scenarii possible but, the worst case scenario for AF Corse-Ferrari to lose its P2, is for the #99 Proton Competition Porsche to win the race.

Timetable (CET)

Thursday 31 October

10:15-11:45: Free Practice 1

15:30-17:00: Free Practice 2

Friday 1 November

10:00-11:00: Free Practice 3

14:40-14:52: Hypercar Qualifying

15:00-15:10: Hypercar Hyperpole

Saturday 2 November

12:00-20:00: 8 Hours of Bahrain