The Fuji International Speedway will host the seventh and penultimate round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. The six-hour race is due to be held on Sunday, 15 September, starting at 11 a.m. local time.
The Ferrari – AF Corse team arrives in Japan with its line-ups as follows for the official 499Ps: car number 50 with Fuoco, Molina and Nielsen, and car number 51 with Pier Guidi, Calado and Giovinazzi.
The AF Corse team is also set to start with Ferrari number 83, driven by Ye, Shwartzman and Kubica. Here are the comments in the run-up to the race.
Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “Following our third-place finish in America, we’ll have to give our absolute best in Japan, as the battle for both the Driver’s and Manufacturer’s world championships remains wide open. We’ll be focused on a race that, as usual, I expect to attract huge numbers of motorsport fans, making the weekend all the more atmospheric.”
Miguel Molina, 499P #50: “I earned my maiden victory in the FIA WEC at Fuji with the Ferrari 488 GTE in 2017, triumphing in the LMGTE Am category. That’s a memory I really cherish. This year, the Fuji leg holds special significance for us, as it comes with just two races left in the season, and the points available are vital for us to keep alive our dreams of achieving something truly remarkable.”
Nicklas Nielsen, 499P #50: “The goal in Japan is to win as many points as possible. The race will be challenging, not only because the track isn’t the best fit for our car’s characteristics, but also due to the formidable competition. This year, though, as well as winning at Le Mans we have continued to improve and get to know the 499P, so we line up confident and ready to do our best.”
Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “The main goal for Fuji is to secure the maximum number of points possible, since Ferrari is in strong contention for the world Manufacturers’ title. It will be tough, as I believe the Japanese circuit doesn’t particularly favour us. Fuji isn’t my favourite circuit, but I've had two victories there alongside James in the LMGTE Pro category (2017 and 2022, Ed.). The weather is forecast to be unsettled over the weekend, with some rain expected, so that will be another variable to consider.”
James Calado, 499P #51: “The race at Fuji is really important for our crew and for our teammates in the number-50 499P. Our common goal is to secure strong results for Ferrari, which will be vital for the World Championship standings.”
Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: “In Austin we showed that we’re really quick, but the race result was by no means positive, so we head to Fuji with the aim of redeeming ourselves. The circuit is quite challenging, and last year in Japan our performance was not great. However, I am hopeful that the experience we've gained over the past few months will help us this time around. I am delighted to be back in Japan, where I always find really passionate motorsport fans and a lot of love for Ferrari. It promises to be a fantastic race atmosphere.”
Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti: “We’re back on the track two weeks after our race at COTA, where we clinched a crucial victory with the number-83 499P, ending the 6 Hours with the number 50 Hypercar also achieving an impressive third place. It was a historic success for Ferrari, as we secured our third victory in the FIA WEC's top class with three different vehicles. Following our wins at Le Mans with both the number 50 and 51 official 499Ps, we have now reached the top step of the podium with AF Corse’s private entry as well; that’s something that fills us with pride.
We now move on to Fuji in Japan, where we remain in the running for the world Manufacturer’s and Driver’s championships, and in the independent team standings. We’ll do our very best to harness the full potential of our 499Ps in a race where minimising errors will be crucial. It won't be easy, and we are fully aware of our competitors’ strength, but we will spare no effort.”
Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars: “After the promising performance in Austin, we’ve worked intensely this week with the clear goal of being able to focus on winning at Fuji as well and keep the Manufacturer’s world championship open until the last race.
We know it won’t be easy to achieve this result on our rivals’ home circuit as they lead in the standings. In 2023, the Japanese race was the most difficult for the 499P, but since last year we’ve learned a lot about how to exploit the full potential of our car, so while we respect the strength and speed of our opponents, we’re not taking to the track as if we were already beaten.
Optimising performance in different conditions and evaluating different strategic scenarios will be equally important in this race, where the wet, changeable weather always creates some surprises.”