Cetilar Racing has officially unveiled the livery of its #47 Ferrari 499P Hypercar ahead of the 2026–27 Asian Le Mans Series, marking the Italian team’s entry into the highest category of endurance racing. Led by Roberto Lacorte, the team will field the Le Mans-winning Ferrari prototype with a driver line-up consisting of Roberto Lacorte, his son Nicola Lacorte and Ferrari factory driver Antonio Fuoco, winner of the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The announcement opens a new chapter for Cetilar Racing after years of competing in GT racing and the LMP2 prototype category. The move coincides with the introduction of Hypercars into the Asian Le Mans Series, which will hold its entire winter championship in Europe. With six four-hour races across three weekends, the team will have the opportunity to compete for overall victories in one of Ferrari’s most successful modern endurance racing cars.
Cetilar Racing reveals Ferrari 499P for its first Hypercar season
The Ferrari 499P represents a major step forward for Cetilar Racing, which has previously competed with Ferrari GT machinery, progressing from the 488 to the 296. Moving into the Hypercar class will allow the Italian outfit to race a prototype developed for the highest levels of international endurance competition.
The technical management of the #47 Ferrari 499P will be entrusted to AF Corse, Ferrari’s long-standing endurance racing partner. The Piacenza-based organisation will provide essential expertise as Cetilar Racing adapts to a category in which it has never previously competed.
Another important advantage will be the experience of Antonio Fuoco, who has already established himself as one of Ferrari’s leading endurance drivers. His extensive knowledge of the 499P, gained through competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, will be particularly valuable as Cetilar Racing prepares for its first season in the top class.
The programme builds on Ferrari’s confirmed expansion into the 2026–27 Asian Le Mans Series, where two examples of the 499P will compete for overall honours.
Roberto Lacorte, Nicola Lacorte and Antonio Fuoco form Ferrari’s #47 crew
The #47 Ferrari 499P will bring together Roberto Lacorte, Nicola Lacorte and Antonio Fuoco. For the Lacorte family, the project represents an especially meaningful achievement, offering father and son the opportunity to share a season in one of endurance racing’s most competitive prototypes.
They will face direct competition from another Ferrari 499P, the #90 AF Corse entry driven by Luís Pérez Companc, Yifei Ye and Nicklas Nielsen. Both cars will compete for overall victory in the newly introduced Hypercar category.
The all-Ferrari contest adds another dimension to the championship, with Cetilar Racing and AF Corse bringing two experienced endurance racing programmes into the same category. For Cetilar Racing, the challenge will be particularly significant given its recent progression from LMP2.
2026–27 Asian Le Mans Series calendar features six races in Europe
The upcoming Asian Le Mans Series will be contested entirely on European circuits, with three rounds consisting of two four-hour races each. The season will begin at Circuit Paul Ricard in France on 14–15 November 2026, before continuing at Jerez in Spain on 16–17 January 2027.
The championship will conclude at Portimão in Portugal on 20–21 February 2027, completing a six-race campaign. This unusual European schedule provides the setting for the arrival of the Ferrari 499P and the introduction of Hypercars into the championship.
For Roberto Lacorte and his teammates, the opening round at Paul Ricard will mark the beginning of a new sporting challenge. The programme will require Cetilar Racing to build on the experience accumulated in GT racing and LMP2 while adapting to the performance and operational demands of the Ferrari Hypercar.
Ferrari 499P makes history with first appearances beyond WEC and IMSA
Cetilar Racing’s promotion to Hypercar follows an encouraging previous Asian Le Mans Series campaign, which ended with the team finishing second in the LMP2 standings. That result confirmed its competitiveness after returning to prototype racing and helped establish the foundations for the move into the championship’s leading category.
The Ferrari 499P brings an exceptional record to the programme. The Italian Le Mans Hypercar secured three consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 2023 and 2025, in addition to winning the FIA World Endurance Championship Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles in 2025.
The prototype is also scheduled to race at Monza on 8 November, with three examples taking part in the final round of the World Endurance Championship. Its success has made the 499P one of Ferrari’s most significant modern endurance racing projects.
With Cetilar Racing and AF Corse entering the Asian Le Mans Series, the Ferrari 499P will compete outside the WEC and IMSA environments for the first time. The move extends the prototype’s racing activities into another major endurance championship, building on the achievements of Ferrari’s established factory programme.
The importance of the 499P to Ferrari’s endurance racing operations is also reflected in the factory driver programmes involving Antonio Fuoco and the manufacturer’s other Hypercar competitors.
Antonello Coletta celebrates Ferrari 499P’s successful history
Roberto Lacorte, Nicola Lacorte, Antonio Fuoco and Antonello Coletta all spoke during the presentation of Cetilar Racing’s new Ferrari 499P.
Antonello Coletta expressed pride in the fact that the 499P had proved competitive from the very beginning of its racing programme. The Ferrari endurance racing chief also recalled the historical connection between the Hypercar and Cetilar, whose branding was the first to appear on the prototype during its initial shakedown at the 2022 Ferrari Finali Mondiali in Imola.
That connection gives the new Asian Le Mans Series programme additional significance, bringing Cetilar Racing directly into competition with the car it supported during the earliest stages of its development.
Roberto Lacorte calls Ferrari 499P programme a milestone for Cetilar Racing
Speaking at the presentation, Roberto Lacorte described the unveiling as one of the most important moments in Cetilar Racing’s history, reflecting on the emotional significance of seeing the Ferrari 499P wearing his team’s colours.
“Today is a wonderful day because it represents a milestone in the history of Cetilar Racing. Seeing the beautiful Ferrari 499P up close in our colours is an incredibly powerful emotion, one that I struggle to put into words. We are facing a demanding challenge, but at the same time an extremely exciting one for Cetilar Racing; a new chapter, undoubtedly the most important, for an organisation that over the past ten years has written significant pages in the history of endurance racing at world level.”
Roberto Lacorte also highlighted the personal importance of sharing the car with Antonio Fuoco and his son Nicola, describing the opportunity as the fulfilment of a dream.
“The 499P is an iconic car, an extraordinary machine that I will have the pleasure of sharing with an outstanding driver like Antonio Fuoco and with my son Nicola. That is another dream come true. I cannot wait to get on track at Paul Ricard in a few weeks and begin making it a reality.”
Nicola Lacorte reflects on the team’s journey to the top of endurance racing
Nicola Lacorte echoed his father’s enthusiasm, emphasising the significance of Cetilar Racing’s progression through the different levels of motorsport.
“For Cetilar Racing, all of this represents the achievement of a goal, the culmination of an important journey upwards. From the lower categories, we have reached the pinnacle of endurance racing and even motorsport in general. I think that means a great deal for the entire project.”
For the younger Lacorte, the experience will also have particular personal meaning, having watched the team develop over the years before becoming directly involved as a driver.
“Being part of this team at this particular moment in Cetilar Racing’s history is something special because I have always watched the team grow from the side of the track, and now I find myself playing a leading role with them inside the car.”
Antonio Fuoco looks forward to new Ferrari 499P challenge
Antonio Fuoco will bring valuable experience to the programme, having already won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Ferrari in 2024. The Italian factory driver has also enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Cetilar Racing, making his participation in the new Hypercar project particularly meaningful.
“I began my journey with Cetilar Racing in 2021. Since then, we have grown together, carried out many programmes together and taken part in numerous championships. But I think this is something of a dream for all of us.”
Antonio Fuoco also emphasised the historical significance of the Ferrari prototype and the opportunity it represents for the entire team.
“The Ferrari 499P is a car that has written important chapters in motorsport history, and having the opportunity to drive it represents a tremendous opportunity for everyone.”
With its experienced technical partner, an established Ferrari factory driver and the personal commitment of the Lacorte family, Cetilar Racing enters its first Hypercar campaign with an ambitious programme.
The opening races at Paul Ricard will provide the first indication of how successfully the team can translate its previous GT and LMP2 experience into the highest category of endurance racing. For Ferrari, the championship also represents another opportunity to expand the competitive reach of the 499P beyond its established World Endurance Championship programme.
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