The Qatar 1812 KM, a fresh addition to the FIA WEC calendar, marked the start of the 2024 World Endurance Championship season. This is the second year for the Ferrari – AF Corse team, which competes with the official 499Ps. The event, staged over the first weekend in March can be revisited with the latest episode of “The Red Line”, a web series available on the official “Ferrari” YouTube channel.
In this Middle Eastern country, which has appeared on the motorsport stage in recent years courtesy of the opportunities offered by a futuristic venue like the Lusail International Circuit, the endurance race concluded after sunset, with floodlights illuminating the 5,380-kilometre track. The cameras captured the track activities and the preparatory days and hours before the Maranello manufacturer cars’ hybrid engines revved up.
This behind-the-scenes report offers a comprehensive overview of the Italian team’s weekend, documenting moments typically out of the public eye. It focuses on the crews of Antonio Fuoco-Miguel Molina-Nicklas Nielsen and Alessandro Pier Guidi-James Calado-Antonio Giovinazzi, who line up in the 499P cars number 50 and 51.
“The Red Line” reconstructs the array of activities that encapsulate the team’s commitment to the world championship: from a stroll on the track, with the drivers able to study every inch, through physical training and tailored “menus” designed to maximise their energy before each timed session, to meetings with the leaders of the Prancing Horse Hypercar programme, technical meetings and appointments with guests and the media.
The narrative reaches an emotional climax with the team’s shared excitement during qualifying and the over 330 laps, culminating in sixt and twelfth places in the final standings for the 499P numbers 50 and 51, respectively. These results secured the team’s first world championship points, setting the stage for the season’s second round, the 6 Hours of Imola, on 21 April.