Ferrari will head into the 2026 World Endurance Championship with small updates to its title-winning 499P Le Mans Hypercar.
Though the Italian producer has opted in opposition to utilizing any extra evo jokers from the 5 out there to it through the preliminary five-year lifecycle of the automobile, it’s making minor revisions to the aerodynamics of its LMH prototype because it bids for a fourth consecutive win on the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The choice to replace the aero of the 499P follows the WEC’s change from Sauber to the Windshear wind tunnel in North Carolina, requiring all producers to re-homologate their automobiles within the US. A extra substantial improve to the automobile will comply with in 2027, when the 499P enters its fifth season in competitors.
“We tried to reap the benefits of this chance [of a new wind tunnel] to tweak a number of issues, however we most popular to take action with out making any main adjustments, so with out enjoying any jokers, despite the fact that they have been out there below the rules,” Ferrari’s head of endurance Ferdinando Cannizzo mentioned at an occasion in Maranello.
“We wished to offer continuity to the work we’re doing and provide you with way more vital adjustments within the following season [2027], during which we’ll make built-in adjustments, i.e. we’ll attempt to see one thing that’s designed from a 360-degree perspective and never simply to optimise a single space, on this case solely aerodynamics.”
The aero tweaks Ferrari has deliberate for 2026 will assist it stave off rising competitors in Hypercar, when Genesis enters the championship with the GMR-001 and a number of other incumbents, together with Cadillac, BMW, Alpine and Toyota, introduce considerably overhauled automobiles.
The aero changes will coincide with the introduction of Michelin’s new slick tyre constructed from 50% sustainable supplies.
Concentrate on reliability
#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi
Picture by: Marc Fleury
Ferrari burdened {that a} key purpose for 2026 is to enhance the reliability of the 499P after an advanced Le Mans look during which each its factory-entered automobiles have been hit by technical points.
“If there’s a weak level, it’s that one facet we should not hand over on – reliability. I feel it is without doubt one of the necessary areas for enchancment to concentrate on, additionally as a result of the quicker we go, the extra we will exploit the automobile and the extra reliability points come to the fore, as a result of we’re placing increasingly stress on the techniques,” Cannizzo mentioned.
“Once we encounter reliability points, we all know that we’re actually on the restrict, so we’ve to suppose forward and construct in very excessive security margins each time we design the automobile. So I feel that is the world for enchancment – I would not name it a weak point, however it’s positively an necessary space for enchancment.”
Cannizzo pointed to Toyota’s spectacular restoration in 2025 as proof that Ferrari wants to lift its recreation on the reliability entrance subsequent season.
“This season has demonstrated one basic factor: Toyota, which began with some difficulties however completed all of the races, then completed second within the championship, just by scoring a one-two within the final race [Bahrain],” he mentioned.
“They suffered loads, however they nonetheless completed in second place, and that is the results of the consistency of the outcomes they managed to realize, so we’ve to do the identical factor.
“We wish to speak about extra complete enhancements, trying additionally on the staff, consideration to element and the way we carry out in races is without doubt one of the points that at all times must be taken care of, as a result of this yr we misplaced a number of seconds as a result of errors or penalties, and that is one thing that, given the continuously rising stage of general competitiveness, we can not afford.”
#50 Ferrari Af Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen, #51 Ferrari Af Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi
Picture by: Jakob Ebrey / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
Growth within the Hypercar class is closely restricted, with groups solely allowed a restricted variety of upgrades to their automobiles. Additional, every producer is required to hunt permission from the rulemakers the FIA and the Car Membership de l’Ouest to make use of an evo joker on their automobile.
Since its Hypercar debut, the one time Ferrari deployed an evo joker was after Le Mans 2024, when it up to date the brake techniques on the 499P. However whereas Ferrari has largely shunned making main adjustments to its prototype, Cannizzo revealed that it has continuously been refining the automobile in a number of areas for general enchancment.
“The automobile nonetheless has many hidden areas that must be explored with plenty of endurance,” he defined. “After I say hidden areas, I am referring to the big selection of changes we’ve within the automobile, as a result of generally we do not realise what we will do, just by altering the shock absorbers somewhat than the suspension from smooth to exhausting, combining shock absorbers with much less or extra damping, with floor clearance, with aerodynamic traits, with tyre temperature or with the selection of the precise compound.
“There are such a lot of variables that understanding tips on how to mix them in the precise approach for every circuit will not be straightforward. That is the work that has saved us busy through the years, with a totally new automobile that we too have discovered to know in all its secrets and techniques, race after race.
“It’s clear that it’s troublesome to realize vital enhancements on a automobile the place little will be modified, however we’ve seen that with this method we’ve managed to drastically improve the efficiency of this automobile this season with out altering something when it comes to elements, however in actuality, we’ve modified loads in how we’ve offered the automobile in every race.”
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