A unique material that can combine lightness and strength, critical factors for optimum performance on the track. Carbon fibre is one of the essential elements that allowed the Maranello-based manufacturer’s engineers to conceive, design, and develop the Ferrari 499P, the Le Mans Hypercar. Since its debut, the 499P has won two 24 Hours of Le Mans races and the 6 Hours of COTA. Alessandro Pier Guidi, the driver who won the world’s most famous endurance marathon in 2023 alongside James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, talks about the role of this invaluable composite.
Production process. “The production process for the carbon fibre we develop in Maranello is quite complex,” explains the 40-year-old driver, “influenced by many parameters, such as the orientation of the fibres and the way the autoclave is used to produce the final part.”
Use. A composite used extensively in the 499P. “The bodywork, bodyshell, and even the brakes are made from carbon fibre,” says the Ferrari official driver, who takes the wheel of car number 51 in the FIA WEC. “It’s an excellent ally for achieving incredible performance on the track. The first factor is carbon fibre’s lightness, which helps keep the car’s overall weight down. Equally important is its strength, which ensures safety for us drivers when we enter the cockpit, and at the same time is an essential aspect for homologating the car.” “These two factors,” adds Pier Guidi, “make carbon fibre essential for winning endurance races.”