The Ferrari 499Ps will start from the front row of the centenary edition at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Maranello manufacturer starred in the Hyperpole on its return to the top class of the FIA WEC. Antonio Fuoco was quickest, 0’773 ahead of Alessandro Pier Guidi, who will set off from second in the endurance race on Saturday, 10 June.
Two Ferraris will set off from the front of the grid in the world’s most famous endurance race. This also happened at the last official appearance in 1973, when Arturo Merzario and Carlos Pace posted the fastest time in the 312 PB ahead of Jacky Ickx and Brian Redman in the same prototype.
The 499Ps occupied the top spots right from the opening stages of the Hyperpole, held in dry track conditions with an asphalt temperature of 28.9°C. Alessandro Pier Guidi raced against the clock in the number 51 Hypercar, posting a time of 3’23”897 on his first lap to take the provisional lead. Despite the traffic on the track in the session open to the best eight cars in each class of Wednesday’s qualifying session, the 39-year-old driver then cut the time to 3’23”755 for the crew completed by James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi.
In the second part of the thirty-minute timed session, Antonio Fuoco narrowed the gap on his teammate, first stopping the clock just 0’008 behind Pier Guidi, then completing a lap in 3’22”982. The time set by the Italian driver, who shares the cockpit with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, earned the Prancing Horse a historic pole position on its return to compete for overall victory at the La Sarthe circuit after half a century’s absence. This is the Ferrari - AF Corse team’s second pole of the season after Fuoco’s in the opening round at Sebring.