‘A style of the long run’. That was the caption Ferrari used for the primary photographs of the up to date 499P. However reasonably than providing only a glimpse, the pictures revealed a wealth of particulars that had been instantly seen to the bare eye.
The revised LMH took to the observe on the finish of July for 2 days of testing at Monza, forward of its debut within the World Endurance Championship in 2027.
The prototype ran in a black, white and gray camouflage livery, much like the one used through the programme’s launch in 2022. The present-spec 499P additionally lapped the circuit, permitting Ferrari to check the 2 automobiles straight.
Antonio Fuoco and Miguel Molina took turns on the wheel representing the #50 crew, while Antonio Giovinazzi and Alessandro Pier Guidi of the #51 automotive joined them on a programme aimed toward typically enhancing the efficiency of the hybrid prototype, which is powered by a V6 turbo engine based mostly on that of the 296.
On the eve of the Le Mans 24 Hours, Ferrari’s technical chief Ferdinando Cannizzo had made it clear that the updates can be designed with the automotive as a complete in thoughts, reasonably than specializing in only one space. Cannizzo had acknowledged that Ferrari was planning to make use of ‘lower than 4 and greater than two’ evo jokers, whereas emphasising simply how vital it was to make all the 499P aggressive.
“You already know full properly how a lot I deal with the automotive’s integration; every little thing has to work properly. And this appeared to us to be the appropriate solution to arrive at a structured package deal. As a substitute of utilizing one joker at a time, we’ll be bringing a package deal of upgrades that represents a really complete integration,” Cannizzo had stated.
“It received’t be a totally new automotive, however we’re engaged on it and now we have 4 evo jokers to make use of.”
Ferrari 499P EVO at Monza
Photograph by: Ferrari
Seen modifications had been placed on maintain till 2024
At Maranello, Ferrari had been engaged on the 499P to unlock its full potential. The engineers had been conscious that they’d a automotive with monumental potential, however one which wanted to be uncovered step by step and with meticulous consideration to element.
The primary apparent challenge was noticed proper from the beginning, when tyre put on administration issues arose; reasonably than resting on their laurels after successful Le Mans twice with the identical automotive (2023–24), the primary evo joker was deployed in mid-2024 – following the second victory at La Sarthe – to revamp the rear brake cooling duct, whereas additionally modifying the entrance aerodynamics by including two facet flaps (generally known as ‘flicks’) beneath the headlights.
The remainder was achieved over the winter; it was there that the interior and ‘non secular’ transformation actually occurred. The 499P went on to dominate the primary half of 2025 by securing 4 consecutive victories and managing to make progress even in races that had proved harder, similar to Sao Paulo and Fuji, sweeping all WEC titles.
On the finish of final season, Cannizzo admitted that Ferrari’s intensive improvement work had performed a vital function in unlocking the 499P’s full potential. By that stage, nevertheless, there have been only a few avenues of improvement left unexplored forward of 2026. One inherent weak spot nonetheless remained below the microscope, and that has now been addressed.
All-round improvement
Within the present period of Hypercars (LMH and LMDh), it’s pure that automobiles ‘frozen’ by homologation rules could also be designed to ship their finest efficiency below particular circumstances. In different phrases: some groups wished a automotive able to successful primarily Le Mans, whereas trying to patch issues up for the remainder of the season.
What has grow to be clear is simply how aggressive Ferrari has been at Le Mans. That was true once more this yr, when – regardless of what the group advised was a much less beneficial Steadiness of Efficiency – the 499P nonetheless made positive aspects in each lap occasions and total efficiency, giving Ferrari loads of causes to be inspired whatever the closing end result.
The essence, nevertheless, has not modified, and the method adopted by Cannizzo and his technical group had a really particular goal: to attempt to make the 499P a flexible automotive able to holding its personal in each potential scenario, even on sections with low-speed corners – which have at all times proved problematic for the group (as seen in Brazil and Japan) – whereas remaining aggressive total. Consequently, the package deal that made its debut at Monza ties in with what was talked about earlier, specifically enhancing the automotive as a complete.
This yr, the one new improvement stemmed from the requirement to take the automobiles to the Windshear wind tunnel to acquire a brand new homologation from the federation, forcing Ferrari to revise some minor bodywork particulars. Mixed with Michelin’s newest tyres, that course of has helped form the event path in direction of 2027.
What can we study the primary official (and unofficial) images to emerge from Monza?
Comparability of Ferrari 499P (2026 vs 2027)
Photograph by: Ferrari
Beginning on the entrance, there are some notable variations in comparison with the present mannequin competing on the planet championship: the splitter retains the identical form however is raised increased and has sharper edges within the central part, with the addition of two facet strips alongside these fitted beneath the headlights.
The headlights are actually smaller in dimension as a result of a central strip of LEDs has been added, simply above the nostril, changing the 2 small lights that had been launched in the beginning of 2024. The white lights on the sting of the nostril have been retained, with the addition of two additional lighting programs on both facet above them, seen on the outer edges.
Between the entrance bumper and the splitter, the system that channels airflow and cools the entrance braking system has been modified, as the 2 air intakes that was situated contained in the headlight housings are now not current; as a substitute, a pair have appeared alongside the central LED strip, with underbody deflectors that direct the air in direction of the facet skirts, passing behind the internal facet of the entrance wings.
That is one other main new characteristic, with a gap now seen between the newly-designed entrance wheel arch and the facet panel, because of an answer much like these already seen on Porsche, Genesis and Toyota fashions.
Transferring on to the central part, the vents above the facet skirts have been shortened and moved in direction of the bonnet, the place three have been added to the decrease part, close to the exhausts. As well as, there’s a giant opening main in direction of the rear wheel arch, which can be newly designed.
Present Ferrari 499P testing at Monza
Photograph by: Ferrari
And it’s exactly on the rear finish that the opposite main a part of the work has been concentrated. Whereas the bonnet fin retains comparable traces (with a barely widened air consumption above the cockpit), the rear wing is of a totally new design, with facet helps which have now doubled in quantity, accommodating a double horizontal wing profile (completely different from the central one) inside them on the high.
Transferring all the way down to the decrease part, the second wing above the diffuser – which additionally served as a rear mild cluster (identified within the commerce as a ‘beam wing’) – has been changed by a strip of horizontal purple LEDs mounted within the centre of the rear wheel arch opening, the place one may also see a type of separation within the facet profiles, taking the place of the three diagonal openings at present in place.
The rear bodywork has been raised to accommodate a brand new diffuser that includes two a lot bigger arches, that are now not related as a single unit however have been break up, leaving a central opening. The entire meeting is related to the redesigned bodywork on the edges, behind the rear wheels, with a totally altered form that leaves house for a large slit at every finish.
These are the primary modifications seen on the prototype that examined at Monza, though all of them stay topic to alter earlier than the automotive is homologated.
Ferrari was happy with the result of the take a look at, with International Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti Antonello Coletta saying: “The Monza exams concluded positively and allowed us to finish the programme we had deliberate. The 2 days had been extraordinarily helpful for starting to confirm the operation of all the brand new parts we’re testing and for beginning to perceive probably the most promising instructions to pursue, with the goal of finalising the options for subsequent season as quickly as potential.”
Ferrari 499P
Photograph by: Ferrari
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