Two Ferrari 499Ps will compete in the Hypercar class of the 2026-27 Asian Le Mans Series, with one entered by Cetilar Racing and the other by AF Corse. AF Corse will also provide technical support to both programmes as Ferrari expands the presence of its successful Hypercar beyond the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The participation confirms both Ferrari’s presence and, crucially, the arrival of the WEC’s premier class in the Asian series. The championship has been renamed the “Winter” Asian Le Mans Series after the conflict in the Middle East forced the ACO to organise the season around six races, with two races per weekend, at Le Castellet, Jerez and Paul Ricard.
The #47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 499P will be driven by Roberto Lacorte and Nicola Lacorte alongside Ferrari factory driver Antonio Fuoco. The #90 entry will feature Nicklas Nielsen, Ye Yifei and Argentine amateur driver Luis Perez Companc.
There had been some uncertainty over whether Hypercars would actually take part in the “Winter” Asian Le Mans Series, but the latest announcement confirms the presence of the Ferrari 499P together with the extensive AF Corse organisation led by Amato Ferrari.
Under the regulations, each crew must include a Bronze-rated amateur driver, following a concept already seen in the LMP2 and LMGT3 categories.
Cetilar Racing pairs Roberto Lacorte and Nicola Lacorte with Antonio Fuoco
Roberto Lacorte had wanted this opportunity for some time, and the introduction of the Hypercar category for the 2026-27 edition provided the perfect opportunity to put the programme together.
His son Nicola Lacorte will share the car after completing his second season in Formula 3 with DAMS, a campaign highlighted by victory in the Monza Feature Race. The third member of the crew will be Antonio Fuoco, winner of the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans with Ferrari.
Ferrari’s return to the top of endurance racing has already produced major successes with the 499P, including its 2024 victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Antonio Fuoco will have another major endurance commitment shortly before the Asian Le Mans Series campaign begins. One week before the opening round, scheduled for Paul Ricard on 14-15 November, the Ferrari factory driver will contest the 6 Hours of Monza, the final round of the WEC season.
Roberto Lacorte, Nicola Lacorte and Antonio Fuoco have already raced together. The trio contested the 2025 24 Hours of Daytona in a Ferrari 296 GT3 in the GTD class alongside Lorenzo Patrese. Nicola Lacorte and Antonio Fuoco also competed together at Indianapolis later that year.
“The new challenge that we are preparing to face together with Ferrari, in a top-level category such as Hypercar and in a rapidly growing championship such as the Asian Le Mans Series, represents a milestone in the history of Cetilar Racing,” Roberto Lacorte said.
“With the usual and valuable support of AF Corse, we will take to the track with an extraordinary and successful prototype such as the Ferrari 499P. We are truly delighted to be the first private team to experience this moment, driven by the same passion that has always distinguished us.”
AF Corse confirms Ferrari 499P line-up with Nicklas Nielsen and Ye Yifei
Argentine businessman Luis Perez Companc, 54, has ensured that a second Ferrari 499P will compete in AF Corse colours, carrying the #90.
Luis Perez Companc is preparing to make the step up to the top category alongside Nicklas Nielsen, with whom he has previously raced in LMP2, and Ye Yifei. Both Ferrari factory drivers have recently renewed their agreements with the Italian manufacturer.
The presence of two 499Ps means Ferrari will have a significant technical footprint in the championship, with AF Corse supporting both its own entry and the Cetilar Racing programme.
Ferrari 499P brings a new challenge for amateur drivers
The new Asian Le Mans Series format will also serve as an important test for machinery from the category that currently sits at the top of both the WEC and IMSA structure.
For the amateur drivers in particular, competing with a Hypercar represents a considerable step up from LMP2 machinery because of the additional complexity involved in managing hybrid systems, electronics and the cars themselves.
The Ferrari 499Ps competing in the Asian Le Mans Series will use the configuration currently raced in the WEC. Ferrari, meanwhile, is expected to begin the following WEC season with the “Evo” version of the 499P.
Which Hypercars could challenge the Ferraris?
The full list of rivals for Cetilar Racing and AF Corse remains unclear. Algarve Pro Racing is believed to have stepped back from plans to enter Porsche 963 LMDh machinery because the cars were considered particularly demanding for amateur drivers.
High Class Racing and Michelotto, meanwhile, have brought the Isotta Fraschini Tipo6 LMH back into consideration in recent months. The Italian Hypercar competed in the WEC until the 2024 6 Hours of São Paulo, and the Danish team could race the car in the Asian series, although no confirmation has yet arrived.
The BBM project also remains on standby. The British team has acquired two of the original “wingless” Peugeot 9X8 Hypercars, the specification that competed in the WEC from 2022 until the Qatar round in 2024. The programme is being financially supported by wealthy Greek driver Kriton Lendoudis.
2026-27 Asian Le Mans Series calendar and race format
As previously indicated, the traditional Sepang, Dubai and Abu Dhabi rounds will not feature. Instead, the championship will visit Paul Ricard on 14-15 November, Jerez on 16-17 January and Portimao on 20-21 February.
Each weekend will consist of two four-hour races, with the first held on Saturday and the second on Sunday, creating a six-race winter campaign in which Ferrari’s 499P will compete through both AF Corse and Cetilar Racing.
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