Two weeks after its victory in the US with the 499P number 83, Ferrari returns to the spotlight in the FIA World Endurance Championship for round seven of the 2024 season at Fuji, Japan, with the 6 Hours race on Sunday 15 September.
Following the AF Corse team’s first-ever win with the number 83 Hypercar, crewed by Ferrari official drivers Yifei Ye and Robert Shwartzman alongside Robert Kubica, and the third-place finish by the number 50 car, piloted by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen, the Maranello manufacturer’s 499Ps are already preparing for the penultimate event of an eight-round season, which will conclude on 2 November in Bahrain.
The Fuji International Speedway, a 4.536-kilometre circuit inaugurated in 1965, has 16 corners and lies on the slopes of its volcanic namesake, one of Japan’s most renowned natural and artistic landmarks. This race holds significant weight for the world championship, with only two rounds remaining and 63 points in play for top spot (25 in Japan and 38 at the 8 Hours of Bahrain).
The situation. Ahead of the Japanese event, Ferrari holds third place in the Manufacturers’ standings with 128 points, 19 behind the leader of the rankings, Toyota. Fuoco, Molina, and Nielsen are also in third place in the Drivers’ standings, while their teammates Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi (who had to retire at COTA) sit in eighth. The crews of 499P cars number 50 and 51 are trailing 12 and 66 points behind the leader, respectively. Ye, Shwartzman, and Kubica currently sit in ninth position.
In the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams, restricted to independent teams, AF Corse is in second place, 30 points behind the leaders, thanks to the five class podiums – including two victories – achieved by the Giallo Modena-liveried 499P.
The programme. Friday 13 September features two 90-minute free practice sessions at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. On Saturday, 14 September, after a free practice session from 10:20 to 11:20 a.m., qualifying begins at 3 p.m., followed by the Hyperpole session at 3:20 p.m. to set the starting grid for the 6-hour race. The race kicks off on Sunday, 15 September, at 11 a.m. (local time).