Ferrari 499P rehearsal at Sebring, Monza and Portimao.
Source Ferrari News
📷 © Courtesy of Ferrari. Ferrari 499P at Sebring 2023.
Two tests sessions in Sebring
📷 © Courtesy of Ferrari. Ferrari 499P at Sebring 2023.
The Ferrari 499P had two test sessions at the Sebring International Raceway where it will make its racing debut in the 1000 Miles of Sebring scheduled for 17 March.
The Prancing Horse’s new Le Mans Hypercar was involved in two days of testing end of January during which all the drivers of the two crews that will face the World Endurance Championship had the chance to familiarise themselves with the 6 km circuit.
During the first test in the Western Hemisphere some solutions were tested with the aim of improving the reliability of the car. The particular nature of the historic Florida track, famous for its uneven road surface, made it possible to gather useful information on the suspension and chassis responses to intense stress.
"The Sebring test was very important for us because we had the chance to test the Ferrari 499P on the track where we will be making our debut,' said Alessandro Pier Guidi , 'a track that is also very harsh on the car's mechanical components. I really enjoyed driving the car on this track. The feedback from these two days is positive, we have gained experience that will be important at the 1000 Miles of Sebring and, above all, we have been able to get precise timing references compared to our rivals. We still have a lot of work to do to improve further, but we know in which direction to do it."
📷 © Courtesy of Ferrari. Ferrari 499P at Sebring 2023.
Following its first outing on the Sebring circuit in January, the Ferrari 499P underwent another two days of testing at the venue early February for the 2023 World Endurance Championship opening round.
On the test days, Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi, James Calado and Antonio Fuoco took turns at the wheel. Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen were absent due to participating in the double Asian Le Mans Series weekend. At Sebring, the Ferrari 499P switched between sequences of laps on the track and pit stops, during which the technicians performed routine checks. The testing made it possible to continue fine-tuning the car’s reliability, which is usually one of the decisive factors on this track.
“We made some progress compared to the previous test a couple of weeks ago,” said James Calado, “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 of Sebring weekend begins”.
Session at Monza
📷 © Courtesy of Ferrari. Ferrari 499P at Monza 2023.
The 499P did continue its development program in Europe with two days of testing at the Autodromo di Monza, the circuit set to host the fifth round of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship this coming July.
📷 © Courtesy of Ferrari. Ferrari 499P at Monza 2023.
At the wheel of the Maranello-based manufacturer’s Le Mans Hypercar were the six drivers who will take part in the top class of the World Championship: Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, the trio making up the crew of the 499P number 50; and Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, who will share the cockpit of the number 51.
“Testing our Hypercar on a historic track such as Monza, less than a month from its debut, is a valuable opportunity to continue fine-tuning the car. We’re satisfied with the work done, even if each test highlights those details that still need to be understood and resolved ahead of the official competitions – commented Miguel Molina –. The Italian track is a good benchmark both in terms of performance – considering the high speeds that can be reached – as well as the overall balance, given that it includes two turns that demand very hard braking.”
The development programme of the Prancing Horse Hypercar will continue up until the Prologue, scheduled for 11-12 March at the Sebring International Raceway, Florida.
Final tests at portimao
📷 © Courtesy of Ferrari. Ferrari 499P at Portimao 2023.
The final appearance of the Ferrari 499P before its debut at Sebring was held at the Portimão track, where the crews of Prancing Horse’s Hypercar concluded the final three days of endurance testing ahead of the FIA WEC season start. The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve once again hosted the Ferrari AF Corse team after an initial contact in the autumn. The track layout, which alternates between fast stretches and sections characterised by curves of varying degrees, allowed technicians to continue make improvements ahead of its first official engagement, with work particularly focused on reliability tests. On the 4.6-kilometre circuit - which will also host the second act of the FIA World Endurance Championship in April - the drivers of the Ferrari 499P took turns at the wheels of the no. 50 and 51.
“There are just a few days to go before the Sebring Prologue,” said Nicklas Nielsen, “and every kilometre covered on the track is useful to understand where and how we can improve our car, ahead of a race debut that will be thrilling for all of us, but at the same time very demanding on a technical level.“
Source: Ferrari News
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