The Ferrari – AF Corse team's Hypercars will start in third and fourth positions on the second row at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2024, thanks to the results achieved in the Hyperpole. Alessandro Pier Guidi, who shares the 499P number 51 with James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, and Antonio Fuoco in the number 50 alongside Miguel Molina and James Calado, secured these positions. Here are the comments after the session that featured the top eight cars competing for the first four rows on the grid for the 92nd edition of the French marathon.
Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “It was a very tough Hyperpole. We did our best as a team to exploit the potential of our 499Ps. It appears that some competitors are overall stronger than us, but we know that the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a long race where various factors will play a crucial role, including the experience we drivers and the entire team have gained over the past few months.”
Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “We knew we might struggle in Hyperpole in terms of performance compared to some competitors. We weren’t very lucky with the red flag, which affected our tyre preparation as we tried to improve in the final phase. However, I think our goal was to qualify in the first two rows, to lower the risks at the start, and we achieved that. The race? I’m confident and believe we can perform well, particularly as we can draw on the experience gained in 2023. I believe we have what it takes to perform well in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti: “At the end of the Hyperpole, we find ourselves where we expected to be relative to the competition. It's important to note that a strong competitor like Toyota didn't take part in this session. Otherwise, I believe they would have been another challenger for the top positions. Our result isn't surprising, and we’re satisfied with our efforts. Now we look ahead to the race, which will be long and, as is traditional at Le Mans, full of challenges and variables to consider. The reliability of our 499Ps and teamwork will be two essential ingredients for doing well in the most eagerly awaited race of the year.”
Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars: “We are very satisfied with the result achieved in Hyperpole. We knew we didn't have much chance to shoot for pole position, but we gave it our all and made very aggressive choices. Alessandro and Antonio (Pier Guidi and Fuoco, ed.) did an excellent job. It was a shame that the red flag affected the result, especially of the 499P number 50, whose strategy was more aggressive in terms of fuel on board: Antonio was preparing for the flying lap when the flag was displayed. Looking ahead to the race, we know it won't be easy, as the pace shown by some opponents is remarkable. So we'll have to do everything perfectly.”