A victory that was 58 years in the making
It had been 50 years since Ferrari competed in the top class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 58 years since they last won in the premier class. The 499P, the Maranello Hypercar, won on its first attempt, defeating Toyota for the first time in 2023 in the iconic race that is worth more than a season. The names of James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi, and Alessandro Pier Guidi, the crew that alternated behind the wheel of car number #51, will go down in history, as well as everyone who participated in this project that thrilled President John Elkann.
Newspapers celebrate the Red team
“The Ferrari that knows how to win” headlines the front page of the sports section of Il Resto del Carlino. “This feat by Ferrari is worth a lot, truly,” reads the article by Leo Turrini titled “John Elkann’s Right Choice.” “Ferrari must mark the start of its legend in this competition, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. When John Elkann decided to bring Ferrari back to the top category at Le Mans, he made the right call.”
“A day for the Reds” opens La Stampa. “Champagne flows abundantly on the podium, as it should in the heart of France. This triumph achieved on the first attempt was in the most prestigious edition,” reads the reportage by Stefano Mancini. “While other manufacturers had just finished last year’s 24 Hours, an unprecedented hypercar prototype was already clocking its first kilometers in Maranello. The project grew quickly: Ferrari started the season with pole positions and podium finishes in the first three races won by Toyota, and it arrived in peak condition at the event it valued most, like an athlete reaching peak form on the day of the Olympic race.” – La Stampa writes.
“Triumph at Le Mans” is the title on the page dedicated to Ferrari’s feat at La Sarthe in Corriere dello Sport. “Stronger than rain, accidents, and an engine stoppage,” an excerpt from the article highlights how the 499P #51 had to overcome everything that can happen in terms of unexpected events in a 24-hour race.
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“History says Ferrari at Le Mans’ 100th anniversary” is instead the title of the piece in Repubblica. “To return after half a century and win for the tenth time. To claim the world’s most iconic race, which celebrates its centenary in this edition: the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Yes, the one from the unforgettable Steve McQueen and his 1971 film. Now, that’s something Ferrari-worthy, one of those things that excite all the motor enthusiasts,” – we can read in the article by Paolo Rossi. “Le Mans was a gamble. Challenging Toyota in the most classic of classics was almost utopian. Because Endurance racing cannot be improvised; it requires reliability. The race at the Circuit de la Sarthe lasts a day, but it takes a year to prepare for it. In Maranello, they performed a magic trick with time.” – Paolo Rossi wrote.
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