Ferrari chief executive officer Benedetto Vigna proudly commented on the historic victory of the 499P in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which brought the Prancing Horse back to the forefront after returning to the WEC in the top class after 50 years. It was a sensational success for Hypercar #51, skillfully driven by the trio of Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado, who prevailed over the Toyota #8 brought to the finish line by Brendon Hartley.
Hypercar 499P Triumphs in the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna’s Pride
“An incredible success,” said the Italian manager for FormulaPassion following the 24 Hours of Le Mans – “There were few people here in Le Mans, but many contributed. It once again demonstrates that Ferrari is unique and that we make unparalleled cars. It is a unique car. The next goal? To continue winning.”
This result will forever remain indelible in the history of the Prancing Horse, as it is their first victory at Le Mans since their return to the Endurance World Championship this year since 1973. The victory is even sweeter considering that the 499P was not the favorite, despite securing a one-two in qualifying on Thursday.
Everyone expected another seasonal triumph for Toyota, but they had to settle for the second step of the podium. There is regret, however, for car #50, which finished “only” fifth and was five laps behind its sister car.
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The flagship car driven by Antonio Fuoco (author of the pole position), Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen encountered a serious problem with the hybrid system radiator during the night, forcing the mechanics to carry out extensive work before being able to send the car back on track.
Despite this setback, the second 499P staged an impressive comeback, overtaking both Peugeots and Glickenhaus, only succumbing to the significant gap from the two Cadillac cars.
Nevertheless, apart from this obstacle, Ferrari’s Le Mans weekend remains one of the most incredible results, probably since Kimi Raikkonen’s Formula 1 world championship victory in 2007. The next WEC round will take place on Ferrari’s home ground, with the 6 Hours of Monza scheduled for July 9th.
