Ferrari 499Ps start 24 Hours of Le Mans

The Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans kicked off at 4 p.m. on Saturday in a spectacular setting, with the stands of the French La Sarthe circuit sold out to capacity. Two hours after the green flag, the Ferraris held eighth and ninth position with the 499P numbers 50 and 51, respectively.

The Ferrari – AF Corse team entrusted the first stint to Nicklas Nielsen, who started from the front of the grid after Antonio Fuoco took pole for the crew completed by Miguel Molina. James Calado set off second at the wheel of the number 51 Hypercar shared with Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi.

In the early stages of the race, round four of the 2023 FIA WEC, the Dane and the Briton battled for the top positions. Nielsen pitted first after ten laps, while Calado stopped six laps later. After a few yellow flags, Fuoco began his 24 Hours during the second hour, replacing Nielsen, who had completed two stints. However, in Hypercar number 51, a different strategy kept Calado in the cockpit for three stints before he handed the wheel to Giovinazzi.