The 2026 WEC 6 Hours of Monza was far more than the final race of the World Endurance Championship season. At the Italian circuit, several important chapters in modern endurance racing came to an end, led by the farewell to the Ferrari 499P in its original configuration and Robert Kubica’s departure from AF Corse after three seasons. The event also marked the end of Alpine’s factory WEC programme, Mike Conway’s full-time professional racing career and Sébastien Bourdais’ time with Cadillac.
For Ferrari, Monza represented the conclusion of a remarkable four-year chapter that included three consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and two world titles in 2025. Although the Prancing Horse could not celebrate a final victory with its current Hypercar, a podium finish in front of the tifosi provided a fitting farewell before the arrival of the revised Ferrari 499P Evo in 2027. Meanwhile, Cadillac’s victory gave Sébastien Bourdais a memorable final triumph with the American manufacturer.
Ferrari 499P bids farewell at Monza before the 2027 Evo arrives
Monza marked the final appearance of the Ferrari 499P in its original specification. After four seasons of historic achievements, Maranello’s Hypercar is preparing to undergo a significant technical evolution for the 2027 season.
The update represents the next stage of a project that began with Ferrari’s return to the top category of endurance racing in 2023. Three consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, followed by the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ World Championships in 2025, established the 499P as one of the most successful racing cars in Ferrari’s recent history.
The farewell at Monza delivered an important result, although it also brought considerable frustration. Antonio Fuoco had secured pole position in the #50 Ferrari, but the race proved more complicated than expected for the factory entries.
Tyre pressure problems compromised both the #50 Ferrari and AF Corse’s #83 entry. However, the #51 Ferrari shared by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi secured third place, benefiting from the substantial penalties imposed on the #007 Aston Martin in the closing stages for tyre pressure infringements and breaches of the maximum permitted energy allowance.
The result allowed Ferrari to finish its home event with a trophy, providing a symbolic conclusion to the first chapter of the 499P’s history. The difficulties experienced during the race also reflected the dramatic circumstances behind Ferrari’s Monza podium, with penalties and tyre management playing a decisive role.
The current version of the 499P will nevertheless continue representing Ferrari beyond the WEC. Two examples are scheduled to compete in the Asian Le Mans Series, beginning this weekend at Paul Ricard: the #47 entered by Cetilar Racing and the #90 operated by AF Corse.
Both cars will retain the existing specification, while Ferrari’s factory WEC programme will move towards the updated version in 2027. The Ferrari 499P Asian Le Mans Series programme therefore offers another opportunity to see the successful original package in competition.
Development of the new car is already progressing, with testing taking place at Imola. Ferrari has also announced that the presentation of the updated Hypercar will take place on 8 February.
Antonello Coletta hails Ferrari 499P as one of the most successful Ferraris ever
Eight victories, 27 podium finishes and 11 pole positions: these are the Ferrari 499P’s overall WEC statistics across its first four seasons. The prototype also ended Ferrari’s wait of more than half a century for major successes at Le Mans and in the World Endurance Championship.
Reflecting on the conclusion of this remarkable period after the 6 Hours of Monza, Ferrari’s Head of Endurance Racing, Antonello Coletta, acknowledged the disappointment of missing out on victory while celebrating the achievements of the programme.
“We are sorry that we were unable to take the car to victory in its final race, but even though we did everything possible today, it was difficult to do better than third place. In any case, the 499P has had an incredible cycle. This car has undoubtedly been one of the most successful Ferraris of all time, so we can only be happy with the successes we have achieved together. We are also proud to have finished this season on the podium at Monza in front of all the tifosi who came to support us, and we want to thank them for the affection they showed us here, just as they did at the beginning of the year at the opening round in Imola. Now we look ahead and focus on the new car.”
For Ferrari, the next challenge will be to build on those achievements with a revised technical package capable of competing against an increasingly strong Hypercar field. Antonello Coletta has already discussed the development challenges facing Ferrari’s 2027 WEC programme, making the winter preparation period particularly important.
Robert Kubica leaves AF Corse after three seasons with Ferrari
Monza was also Robert Kubica’s final race in the yellow Giallo Modena-liveried #83 Ferrari 499P. The Polish driver announced after the event that he would not continue with AF Corse in 2027, bringing to an end a partnership that began in 2024 and produced one of the greatest achievements of his racing career.
The highlight was undoubtedly victory at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson. It was a historic achievement for a privateer team, following the #83 crew’s victory at the 2024 6 Hours of Austin and second place in the Hypercar Drivers’ Championship the following season.
The separation came after a particularly unfortunate weekend. The #83 Ferrari struggled with tyre pressure problems and also experienced a pit-stop incident when an incorrectly secured wheel forced the crew to return to the pit lane. The car eventually finished eighth, well below its pre-race expectations.
“This was my last race in yellow,” Robert Kubica declared in a message published after the race.
The Polish driver’s next destination remains uncertain, although he still wants to compete in endurance racing and return to Le Mans. His departure concludes an important three-year chapter in which he added another remarkable achievement to a career already defined by numerous comebacks.
The decision also leaves AF Corse facing an important question over its future driver line-up. The end of Robert Kubica’s Ferrari journey means the team must prepare for the next stage of its Hypercar programme without one of the drivers who helped deliver its historic Le Mans success.
Mike Conway retires from full-time professional racing
The Monza finale also marked the end of Mike Conway’s full-time professional racing career. The British driver concluded a 12-season association with Toyota, establishing himself as one of the defining figures in the modern history of the World Endurance Championship.
Having joined Toyota in 2014, Mike Conway contributed to eight Manufacturers’ World Championships, two Drivers’ World Championships and two victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, achieved in 2021 and again in 2026.
His most recent victory at La Sarthe was particularly significant because it was there that the first clear indications of his approaching departure emerged, notably during an interview conducted before the celebrations began.
Mike Conway’s final appearance in the #7 Toyota, shared with Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, did not deliver the ending he had hoped for, with the Drivers’ World Championship celebrations going to his teammates.
Nevertheless, the British driver expressed enormous satisfaction with everything he had achieved throughout his professional career, from his years in IndyCar to the memorable successes he enjoyed as part of the Toyota family.
Alpine ends its WEC Hypercar programme with a Monza podium
Another significant farewell involved Alpine, which brought its factory WEC programme to an end at Monza. The decision to withdraw from the Hypercar category concludes a journey that began in 2013 in partnership with Signatech and developed through several generations of prototypes and major endurance racing successes.
The French manufacturer departed the championship with an impressive performance. The #36 Alpine A424, driven by Jules Gounon and Victor Martins, finished second behind only the victorious #38 Cadillac.
The result demonstrated the competitiveness Alpine had achieved just as its factory programme was reaching its conclusion.
The team’s second entry experienced a very different race. The #35 Alpine shared by Charles Milesi and Ferdinand Habsburg was forced to retire following an accident at Parabolica.
Nevertheless, the #36 crew’s podium ensured that Alpine ended its WEC involvement on a positive note, adding another important result to a record highlighted by victory at Fuji in 2025.
The wider changes also extend to the organisation behind Alpine’s motorsport activities. Following its acquisition by the Dumarey Group, the Viry-Châtillon facility is set to be converted for other purposes, with motorsport no longer expected to remain its primary focus unless circumstances change unexpectedly.
Although Alpine is withdrawing, Signatech, the technical partner that supported the manufacturer’s endurance activities for many years, is determined to continue racing.
Under Philippe Sinault’s leadership, Signatech achieved considerable success while representing Alpine, including three LMP2 class victories at Le Mans, the 1000 Miles of Sebring and the 2022 6 Hours of Monza.
That 2022 season was particularly significant because Alpine inherited the Rebellion prototype and competed in the Hypercar category with a restricted LMP1 car.
Finding a new manufacturer or technical partner will be far from straightforward, but Philippe Sinault has no intention of giving up and is already exploring opportunities for the future.
Sébastien Bourdais leaves Cadillac with victory at Monza
Monza also marked the end of Sébastien Bourdais’ association with Cadillac. The French driver is leaving the factory programme after five seasons with the American manufacturer, including two years in the WEC operation entrusted to JOTA.
Sébastien Bourdais will not be part of Cadillac’s 2027 driver line-up, with António Félix da Costa and Ricky Taylor joining the programme.
His final race, however, delivered a particularly memorable conclusion. Sharing the #38 Cadillac with Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber, Sébastien Bourdais claimed victory at the 6 Hours of Monza.
It was the crew’s first victory in the World Endurance Championship and provided the Frenchman with a fitting farewell to the manufacturer.
Yet one major disappointment remains in Sébastien Bourdais’ endurance racing career: the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Born in Le Mans itself, the French driver has spent three decades pursuing an outright victory in his home race. He finished second on three occasions with the Peugeot 908 LMP1 before achieving a class victory in GTE-Pro with Ford in 2016.
That success was important, but it was not the overall victory he had been seeking.
The disappointment was arguably even greater in 2026, when his #38 Cadillac was forced to retire with a power-steering problem while leading the race.
On paper, that retirement may have represented the loss of his final opportunity to claim an outright victory at Le Mans, making his successful farewell at Monza particularly bittersweet.
Sébastien Bourdais considers his future but refuses to compromise
The future of the four-time Champ Car champion remains uncertain. Sébastien Bourdais has confirmed that he is in contact with several organisations, but he has not yet received any concrete offers or signed an agreement for 2027.
His intention is to continue racing, without restricting himself to a particular category. GT racing, LMP2 and Hypercar/GTP are all potential options.
However, the French driver has also highlighted the difficulties associated with his FIA Platinum driver classification. That status limits the opportunities available in certain endurance programmes, where teams frequently build their line-ups around Silver- and Bronze-rated drivers.
At 47, Sébastien Bourdais has no intention of retiring from motorsport. The challenge will be finding a suitable programme that allows him to continue competing at a high level without accepting an arrangement that does not meet his expectations.
Ben Keating steps away from full-time WEC racing as Corvette celebrates LMGT3 titles
Ben Keating also deserves recognition after contesting his final race as a full-time FIA World Endurance Championship driver at Monza.
The experienced Texan, who has enjoyed a lengthy career in international endurance racing, has decided to step away from full-season programmes and focus instead on selected events. However, he is not retiring from competition altogether.
His final WEC season ended in impressive fashion. Driving the #33 TF Sport Corvette, Ben Keating played a crucial role in securing the LMGT3 championship for Jonny Edgar, sharing the car with the young British driver and Nicky Catsburg.
Third place at Monza was sufficient to secure both the Drivers’ Championship for Jonny Edgar and the Teams’ Championship for TF Sport and Corvette.
It was a fitting final chapter for one of endurance racing’s most accomplished gentleman drivers, who leaves full-time WEC competition having once again contributed to a championship-winning campaign.
For Ferrari and the wider endurance racing paddock, the 2026 Monza finale will be remembered as a weekend of major transitions. The original Ferrari 499P leaves behind an extraordinary legacy, Robert Kubica and several established competitors are moving towards new chapters, and the championship now looks ahead to a significantly changed landscape in 2027.
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