Ferrari marked a triumphant return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans after a 50-year absence, winning the Centenary edition of the historic event with its 499P Hypercar, in a manic race filled with rain showers and lengthy safety car periods. The 2023 win is the Prancing Horse’s 10th overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the last of which was won 58 years ago in 1965.
Car number 51, piloted by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi, crossed the finish line with 342 laps under its belt to clinch the victory, after what was the closest battle for the top step in recent Le Mans history, at least until Toyota’s car number eight spun out with less than two hours to go, necessitating a stop in the pits for repairs.
The prancing horse’s other entry, number 50, finished in fifth position despite starting in pole position, after a crash early in the night knocked the crew out of contention for the podium.
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Ferrari’s return to Le Mans was spurred by the sport’s new Hypercar category, with a focus on hybrid technology. Replacing the fabled LMP1 category, the new Hypercar class was a result of a rule convergence that allowed competitors from the United States’ IMSA-sanctioned series to compete in World Endurance Championship (WEC) and vice versa, allowing for a wider variety of manufacturers and race teams to compete against each other.
Aside from ending Toyota’s five-year winning streak, the Ferrari 499P also beat out the Porsche, Peugeot, and Cadillac factory entries after 24 hours of intense racing – each of them were leading the race at one point.
The Hypercar grid is set to further expand next year with the addition of new factory entries from BMW, Alpine, and Lamborghini.
