The 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship season ended in Bahrain, with Ferrari taking the runner-up spot in the Manufacturers’ standings, plus third and fourth place in the Drivers’ ranking with the crews of the 499P number 50 and 51, respectively. Here are the drivers’ comments after the 8 Hour race at the Sakhir circuit.
Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “It was a positive season, with the team performing well in both qualifying and races, especially in the race of races, Le Mans. Obviously, there’s still work to be done to improve in the future, but we can only be satisfied. The Bahrain race? It wasn’t straightforward. We did our best, competing with the Porsches. Our excellent strategy allowed us to hold them off. I’m sorry for the collision with the 499P number 51. I got to turn 7 with more speed, finding Ale (Pier Guidi, Ed) in front. And I was worried about how he might move, so in doubt, I went right. It was a mistake, but the fact remains we’re very united as a team. We’ve already cleared the air, and now we all look to the future together.”
Miguel Molina, 499P #50: “I’m delighted with our excellent start here in Bahrain, moving up from fifth to second position. For the race, we set up with the middle and last hours in mind when the temperatures dropped, a choice that paid off. The season? There’s no doubt it was very positive as we were often in contention for the top positions. The entire team, from the drivers to the engineers to the mechanics, had a fantastic season in their debut year in this category.”
Nicklas Nielsen, 499P #50: “I’m satisfied with my driving in a race that was by no means easy, just as it wasn’t easy to keep contending with the number 38 Porsche. Our car was excellent, although we couldn’t fight for the win. The season? A beautiful and positive year ends here in Sakhir because it wasn’t easy to construct a project like this from scratch. The entire team grew through the sporting journey we experienced. A fantastic journey that I look forward to continuing.”
Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “We’d have preferred to end the season with a better finish in Bahrain, without a doubt, but looking back on this year, we have to be very satisfied, particularly with the victory at Le Mans, which went down in motor racing history and which as drivers filled us with indescribable excitement.”
James Calado, 499P #51: “The whole team did an outstanding job in this historic season for Ferrari. Race after race, we showed our great potential, learning more about our 499P and our capabilities. These are excellent foundations on which to look forward to next season.”
Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: “The 8 Hours was a tough race for us, but here in Bahrain, we ended a season of which we should be really proud. We won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, crowning a year that marked Ferrari’s return to the top endurance class. Now we’ll look to the future and find the motivation to be even stronger next year.”
Antonello Coletta, Global Head Endurance and Corse Clienti: “The 8 Hours of Bahrain marks the end of the 499P’s first World Endurance Championship season. I am very proud and happy with the results we’ve achieved, with the prestigious win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the six podiums, the two pole positions and the fastest lap again in France. This project took its first steps a year and a half ago and yet has given us great satisfaction that has repaid the team’s enormous efforts and sacrifices.”
Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars: “It was a genuine pleasure to conclude this season with a podium in Bahrain, and we’re proud of what we’ve done. Throughout the year, we’ve continued to develop our 499P and finish every race with no particular problems, finishing on the podium every time except at Fuji. We won the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the first attempt, in the season of our return to the top class after fifty years. This result shows the value of the path we have taken. Now, we are already looking to the future to prepare for the 2024 season as well as possible.”