Pride, passion and sacrifice are words that recur in the stories of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, winners of the Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Ferrari 499P. For the crew of the number 51 Hypercar, in addition to the extraordinary result in the world’s most famous – and oldest – endurance event, the 2023 FIA WEC season was enriched with a third place in the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. These results earned Ferrari fourth place in the championship Drivers’ standings and contributed to second place in the Manufacturers’ standings.
“When I crossed the line at Le Mans in first place, seeing the chequered flag waving in front of me,” says Pier Guidi, “I relived in an instant the many moments that allowed us to achieve that result. Almost two years of intense work, sacrifices, professionalism, in which the whole team, from the drivers to the Hypercar programme managers, from the technicians to the mechanics, never stopped.”
On Sunday 11 June, after completing 342 laps of the La Sarthe circuit, a 13.626-kilometre ribbon of tarmac where motor racing legend has been created, Ferrari number 51 entered the annals of history, returning the Maranello-based manufacturer to overall victory after 58 years, the year it returned to the top class, half a century after its last appearance. “I won the race I dreamt of winning since I was a child,” said the 40-year-old Italian driver. “The goal for 2024? With success at Le Mans in 2023, the next wish is to prove ourselves in France and try to win the championship title.”
It was a year full of emotions that peaked at a particular moment for James Calado. The Briton, already a champion with three LMGTE titles and two Le Mans in LMGTE Pro with Pier Guidi, revealed: “The last two minutes of the 24 Hours, when I was in the garage with Giovi, were never-ending: they might have been the most complicated two minutes of my life, because I felt a tension I had never felt before, which only unwound when our Ferrari crossed the line.” At that point, as the cars returned to the garages, another unforgettable moment occurred. “Giovi and I went on the track,” said the 34-year-old driver. “We were alone, while tens of thousands of people on the grandstands of the central straight applauded us: at a certain point the silhouette of the 499P appeared, driven by Ale; I remember every facet of that moment as the Hypercar approached to give us a ride to the pit lane and receive the embrace of the entire Ferrari – AF Corse team: we all felt very proud.”
The first full season in the FIA WEC, beyond the prestigious race results, will leave an indelible mark on Antonio Giovinazzi’s career: “I’ve learnt a lot this year,” confided the 30-year-old driver. “Being part of the same crew as Ale and James, already a close-knit, winning pair, allowed me to accelerate my adaptation to endurance racing, an area of motorsport that I’ve always been passionate about. Over the course of the year we’ve shown, with both our Hypercars and the six drivers who had the honour of racing them, that we’re a united, valuable team. I feel lucky. 2023 will remain a year with a special flavour among my memories.”