The success of the Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans was at the heart of the event dedicated to Ferrari’s commitment to the top endurance class, held in Trento in conjunction with the second day of the 2023 “Sports Festival”.
The 499P that triumphed on the La Sarthe circuit, displayed at the entrance to the Palazzo della Regione, was photographed by the many fans who attended the “Ferrari Le Mans” meeting featuring Antonello Coletta, Ferrari Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti, and Antonio Giovinazzi, the driver who shared the Hypercar number 51 with Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado in France on 10-11 June.
A year ago, in the 2022 edition, the spotlights were turned on the Ferrari 488 GTE competing in the LMGTE Pro class in the FIA WEC – the car with which the Prancing Horse would claim the world championship title in both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ standings. This time, the return to Trento was an opportunity to explore Ferrari’s new sporting commitment with the Hypercar in the World Endurance Championship.
“Less than a year after the Shakedown of the 499P, we managed to win at Le Mans – a really incredible result,” said Coletta. “It added to a season where we had already taken pole position on our debut, on the Sebring track, and climbed the podium in all the races except Japan.” The result secured at the Centenary 24 Hours was then celebrated at Maranello two weeks after the sporting feat. “It was a party we wanted to organise for all the company’s employees and the general public, a memorable day with lots of fans coming from all over Italy and from further afield to take part,” added Coletta.
The debate, which was moderated by Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Mario Salvini, covered a wide range of topics. “Competing in endurance racing means sharing the car with two teammates,” explained Giovinazzi. “This involves continuous dialogue between us drivers, because every piece of information is key to developing the car and achieving good results. Actually, that’s one of the strengths of our team – the great relationship uniting Alessandro, James and me, as well as Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina e Nicklas Nielsen, our teammates in the number 50.”