Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar Revealed

Ferrari has unveiled the new Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) with which it will contest the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship. The new car gains a name which pays tribute to the tradition of Ferrari in endurance racing, 50 years after the Ferrari 312 P made its last appearance in world endurance racing’s premier class. The car, its race numbers - #50 and #51 - and technical details have been announced, but the driver line-up is yet to be officially confirmed.

The 499P's hybrid powertrain combines a mid-rear power unit with an electric motor powering the front axle. The internal combustion engine (ICE) has a maximum regulation-limited output to the wheels of 670 bhp and is derived from the road-going twin-turbo V6 family. The ICE, which shares the architecture of the engine fitted to the 296 GT3, has undergone a thorough overhaul by Ferrari’s engineers, aimed both at developing ad hoc solutions for the prototype and lightening the overall weight. Among the specific characteristics of the 499P's V6 is the fact that the engine is load bearing and therefore performs a valuable structural function, compared to the versions fitted to competition GT cars, where the engine is mounted onto the car’s rear sub-chassis. 

The second ‘soul’ of the hybrid powertrain is the ERS - Energy Recovery System - with a maximum power output of 268 bhp. The electric motor is equipped with a differential and is driven by a battery that is recharged during deceleration and braking, requiring no external power source. The battery pack, with a nominal voltage of 900V, benefits from experience finetuned in Formula 1, although it was purpose-built for the project. The 499P’s powertrain is coupled to a 7-speed sequential gearbox. 

The design of the new Ferrari 499P was refined with the support of the Ferrari Styling Centre under the direction of Flavio Manzoni. The bodywork of the prototype is sculpted from a flat surface, from which the side pods and wheel arches develop harmoniously. Aerodynamic flows pass through the side pods over the recesses between the main ridges surrounding the cockpit, cooling the radiators concealed beneath the bodywork. On the Ferrari 499P, the surface area of the wheel arches, a Ferrari hallmark, is characterised by large louvres, aimed at reducing the pressure inside the wheel housings. Together with the headlight clusters, they imbue the nose with a sense of character and expressiveness, with subtle references to the styling traits first introduced on the Ferrari Daytona SP3. 

The rear has subtle carbon-fibre skin covering the various functions, leaving the wheels and suspension completely visible. The tail is characterised by a double horizontal wing; the main wing and upper flaps have been designed for necessary downforce. The lower wing also features a ‘light bar’ that enriches the rear design with a minimalist touch. Finally, a multiple air intake feeds the V6 engine intake and supplies cooling air to the battery and gearbox. 

The braking system integrates a brake-by-wire system necessary to allow the recovery of kinetic energy by the front electric axle under braking. The electric front axle uses energy recovered while braking, storing it in the high-voltage battery before transmitting torque to the front wheels when a certain speed is attained.