Ferrari returns to the top class of Le Mans for the first time in over 50 years
The last time Ferrari challenged for the overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans was in 1971, with the 512M, since then Ferrari has not claimed a complete victory at Le Mans in over 50 years, with its last and ninth triumph coming in 1965. Ferrari, who has remained successful in the GT classes in WEC and at Le Mans, announced on Wednesday its return to top-level prototype racing in 2023 with the prestigious FIA World Endurance Championship’s new Hypercar class, with a factory programme and will build its own hypercar.
Photo: REMI DARGEGEN/RM SOTHEBY'S
The legendary Italian marque will join Toyota, Peugeot, Glickenhaus and ByKolles in developing an LMH car to compete in the world championship from 2023, while Audi, Porsche and Acura have each confirmed LMDh programmes. Technical details of Ferrari’s LMH, track testing, and the drivers who will make up the official crews have yet to be revealed, although Ferrari says that it has started the design and simulation phases. This will be the first sportscar prototype by the manufacturer since the Ferrari 333 SP, which raced between 1994 and 2003 but didn't prove successful at Le Mans.
"In over 70 years of racing, on tracks all over the world, we led our closed-wheel cars to victory by exploring cutting-edge technological solutions: innovations that arise from the track and make every road car produced in Maranello extraordinary," Ferrari chairman John Elkann said in a statement.
"With the new Le Mans Hypercar program, Ferrari once again asserts its sporting commitment and determination to be a protagonist in the major global motorsport events."
FIA president Jean Todt also welcomed the news with a statement on Twitter:
“The announcement of Ferrari’s commitment to the FIA World Endurance Championship with a Le Mans Hypercar entry from 2023 is great news for the FIA, the ACO and the wider world of motorsport.
"I believe in the concept of road-relevant Hypercars competing in the FIA WEC and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I’m looking forward to seeing this legendary brand taking on this ambitious project.
This programme is an opportunity for Ferrari to be back at the forefront of sportscars "sooner or later,” as Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said a few years ago, especially with Formula 1 introducing an annual spending limit this season of $145 million for each team which is an opportunity for the manufacturer to increase its activities.
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