The FIA World Endurance Championship returns to the spotlight in the US for round six of the season, the Lone Star Le Mans, at the Circuit of The Americas on Sunday 1 September, starting at 1 p.m. local time. The six-hour race will feature the Ferrari – AF Corse 499Ps numbers 50 and 51, driven by Fuoco-Molina-Nielsen and Pier Guidi-Calado-Giovinazzi, respectively. Here are the comments ahead of the US round.
Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “We’re back on the track in the US for the sixth race of the season, and one that will be crucial in terms of the championship. There’s no doubt that our goal is to secure as many points as possible to keep the challenge for the world titles alive. Before the summer break, we carried out some tests in Austin with some encouraging results: we’re confident we can perform strongly in a positive race.”
Miguel Molina, 499P #50: “As always, we aim to work as best we can to achieve a great result in America. We remain in the world title hunt, and every point earned at COTA will be crucial. The track? I’m fond of this track, which could suit our car well. We are focused and determined to perform well.”
Nicklas Nielsen, 499P #50: “We had positive impressions during the COTA test in late July, and I believe our car is well suited to this circuit – certainly better than São Paulo. Before a race weekend, it’s always hard to gauge the strength of our opponents on the track. So, we’ll need to wait for free practice to make an initial assessment. Our goal is to score as many points as possible. The circuit? The surface is very bumpy, and the track varies greatly in its characteristics. The first sector is impressive, especially with its sequence of fast bends.”
Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “The Circuit of the Americas is better suited to our 499P than Interlagos, so compared to the last race in São Paulo I think we’ll have a better chance and I feel more optimistic. I don’t think we’re among the favourites for this 6 Hours, but we’ll do our best to exploit the potential of the car and our team. On a personal level, I’ve always enjoyed driving at Austin. It’s a track that holds good memories for me, especially those from 2017 when, in my first year as a Ferrari official driver, I won the race at COTA alongside James (Calado) in the LMGTE Pro class. There are very high temperatures expected in Texas combined with the possibility of showers, which means that both tyre management and an optimal team strategy could prove decisive factors in the result.”
James Calado, 499P #51: “I have fond memories of Austin, especially from the races we ran there in the LMGTE Pro class. One standout moment was the 2017 victory with Ale (Pier Guidi), a year that finished with us winning the world title. COTA is a lovely circuit to drive, especially in the first sector, where I've always felt comfortable. Looking ahead to the next race, the tests we conducted a few weeks ago with the 499P undoubtedly played a key role and ended positively for us. I can’t wait to take to the track to assess our capabilities against those of our opponents.”
Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: “After a challenging race in Brazil, we are finally back on track in the USA for this 6 Hours, which will be crucial for us. We know we can rely on a good car and a team continuing to grow and gain experience, which is vital for success in a world championship. COTA is hosting its first world championship race in the Hypercar era, and they have resurfaced the track since the July tests. This presents a new challenge for all teams, so we’ll have to excel in finding the correct setup and minimising errors. I expect a great race.”
Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti: “After the summer break, we return to action at the extraordinary COTA track, which is once again hosting a world championship race, four years after the last edition of the FIA WEC, and for the first time in the Hypercar era. We’re happy to be making our return to Austin and the United States, a key market for our brand, as well as a country where people are really passionate about motorsport.
The 6 hours of COTA is an event of paramount importance: we’ll be striving for the best possible result as we seek to stay in contention for the world Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ championship titles with the official 499Ps numbers 50 and 51, as well as the title for independent teams with the number 83 car entered by AF Corse.”
Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars: “The team is eager to bounce back after the challenging race in Brazil. We resume at the COTA circuit in Austin, where we tested for a few days with nearly all the teams before the summer break.
COTA is a complete track, whose corners vary from low to very high speed. It has a peculiar first sector with corners that follow one another in sequence and a very bumpy surface. We gathered very useful information there, optimising a setup that could adapt well to the bumpy sections. However, shortly after our test, they resurfaced a significant portion of the track. It will therefore be crucial to understand how much this resurfacing has reduced the bumps, potentially allowing for more aggressive setups. We will also need to re-evaluate the impact of the new asphalt on tyre wear, especially considering the extremely high temperatures at this time of year.”