Ferrari’s Alessandro Pier Guidi believes the World Endurance Championship has turn into a real pathway for younger drivers and now stands because the second-biggest sequence after Method 1.
Endurance racing has grown in reputation in recent times, fuelled by the introduction of recent LMDh and LMH laws which have attracted a number of the world’s greatest manufacturers to the WEC and the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
Whereas F1 stays the last word purpose for many aspiring drivers, restricted seats and hovering prices have pressured many to look elsewhere, with endurance racing more and more considered as one of the vital credible options.
In gentle of Italian Leonardo Fornaroli being left and not using a racing programme after profitable the 2025 Method 2 title, Pier Guidi inspired younger drivers to significantly think about endurance racing, citing the championship’s development and competitiveness.
“After I was youthful, I made a decision to begin [in] endurance racing,” stated the 42-year-old. “Endurance racing saved my profession. As a result of I had no likelihood within the single-seater for a lot of causes. Truly, the cash was the largest one.
“However I believe now the championship is rising up a lot. Due to Ferrari for coming again within the general class, and the championship grew [with it].
“In the meanwhile, after Method 1, it [WEC] is the largest championship by way of automotive racing. I’ve the sensation that we’re closing the hole with F1, whereas a few years in the past, we have been a bit extra far.
“I believe it [endurance racing] is basically enticing for a lot of younger guys. For positive, I might counsel to come back right here in the event that they don’t have any likelihood to go there [F1].
“In fact, when you’re younger, you attempt to go in F1. However I believe this championship, [with] the extent of the competitors, the extent of the automotive, the know-how concerned, the manufacturing concerned, it isn’t far now.”
#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi
Photograph by: AG Photograph – Daniele Paglino
Pier Guidi began his profession in single-seaters within the early 2000s earlier than switching to sportscars, happening to race within the FIA GT Championship and the Blancpain Endurance Collection (now GT World Problem Europe).
After signing a manufacturing unit cope with Ferrari in 2017, he grew to become one of the vital profitable GT drivers and has since established himself as a number one prototype racer, claiming an general victory on the Le Mans 24 Hours and a Hypercar world title.
Pier Guidi rejected the notion that endurance racing is all about administration, saying this self-discipline of motorsport may be equally rewarding for drivers as single-seater racing – if no more.
“Generally it is even higher [than single-seater racing] as a result of we will push extra,” he stated. “Generally you assume that endurance is simply managing, but it surely’s not true. Okay, the Bahrain [track] is a peculiar factor the place the degradation may be very excessive, so it is advisable handle like they do more often than not.
“However in case you assume even about Le Mans, the place the degradation may be very low, and the tyres are actually constant in that observe, we push flat out from the primary lap to the top.
“As a driver, you take pleasure in if you push greater than if you handle.”
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