Ferrari 499P, the Hypercar’s pre-race preparation

After an FIA WEC race, the Ferrari 499Ps return to Italy where each car undergoes meticulous inspections and fine-tuning in preparation for the next race. At the headquarters of racing partner AF Corse, the preparation of a hybrid hypercar consists of six main stages which, in addition to assembly and numerous checks, include the fire-up and bodywork scanning. A team effort, where the engineers’ data collection, the mechanics’ expertise and the use of advanced tools converge to achieve the ultimate synthesis.

The return. A few hours after the chequered flag, the official 499Ps are ready to return to Italy. “The cars travel by air,” explains Batti Pregliasco, Team Manager of the Ferrari - AF Corse team, “because it is essential to speed up the times in order to be able to start work in the workshop as quickly as possible.”

At the headquarters of racing partner AF Corse, a dedicated team of approximately 40 mechanics oversees the various stages of car preparation. “Hypercars are exceptionally technologically advanced as well as complex,” Pregliasco adds, “which is why our team is made up of specialised individuals, each assigned to well-defined areas of expertise.”

Complexity. Each Ferrari 499P comprises over 3,000 components, excluding the internal elements of both the internal combustion engine and electric motor (engine- and motor-specific assessments are conducted at the Maranello workshop). Before going out on the track for a World Endurance Championship race, each car undergoes thorough targeted checks. “Our Hypercars are engineered to endure up to 9,000 kilometres with the same components,” elaborates Luca Massé, AF Corse Technical Manager, “thus far surpassing the distance of a 24 Hours of Le Mans. This means that after the shorter races, such as the 6-, 8-, or 10-hour events, covering 2 or 3 thousand kilometres, the cars return to our headquarters for checks and, frequently, reassembly, using mostly the same components.”

The significant difference, however, arises in the run-up to the most highly anticipated race of the season, held at the La Sarthe circuit in France. “Before Le Mans,” continues Massé, “we replace up to 70% of the parts.”

Six phases. The process of preparing a Ferrari 499P for a race includes six main stages: dismantling of the component parts, then checking them, remounting or assembling the car, fire-up, set-up and scanning. “The data gathered by the engineers on the track is essential to begin the preparation work in the workshop,” analyses Luca Massé. “Disassembling the car involves reaching a stage where only the chassis remains, while all other components are inspected in specialised departments to conduct targeted analyses.”

Once the control phase is over, the cars are reassembled. “This leads to the fire-up stage, where a static check is conducted on the engine, front transmission, and battery,” explains Massé, “to ensure the car has been assembled correctly. Following this is the set-up phase, the initial adjustment of the 499P, which will be refined once out on the track, considering circuit specifics and weather variables.”

Finally, before leaving the racing partner’s premises, once the bodies have been reassembled, Hypercars number 50 and 51 undergo another set-up known as ‘scanning’, using cutting-edge instruments to ensure the cars are assembled correctly, meeting the standards set by the FIA.