Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar Revealed

Ferrari has introduced the new Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar (LMH), which will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2023. The new car has a name that pays tribute to Ferrari’s endurance racing legacy, 50 years after the Ferrari 312 P made its final appearance in the world’s premier class. 

The hybrid engine of the 499P combines an electric motor driving the front axle with a mid-rear power unit. The internal combustion engine (ICE) is a member of the twin-turbo V6 family with a maximum output to the wheels that are regulated at 670 horsepower. The ICE shares the same architecture as the engine installed in the 296 GT3. 

It has received a comprehensive makeover by Ferrari’s experts to reduce total weight and create customized solutions for the prototype. Among the unique features of the 499P’s V6 engine is that it is load-bearing and hence fulfils a valuable structural role, as opposed to versions used in competitive GT cars, where the engine is placed onto the car’s rear sub-chassis. 

The second “soul” of the hybrid drivetrain is the Energy Recovery System (ERS), which has a maximum output of 268 horsepower. A battery refilled during acceleration and braking powers the electric motor, which has a differential and doesn’t need an external power source. The battery pack has a nominal voltage of 900V. 

It takes advantage of the expertise honed in Formula 1, despite being custom-made for the project. The engine of the 499P is connected to a 7-speed sequential transmission. The Ferrari Styling Centre, led by Flavio Manzoni, assisted in developing the new Ferrari 499P design. The prototype’s bodywork is carved from a flat surface and gracefully curves into side pods and wheel arches. 

Aerodynamic flows run via the side pods across the voids between the major ridges encircling the cockpit to cool the radiators hidden beneath the bodywork. Large louvres, a Ferrari trademark, are present on the Ferrari 499P’s surface area of the wheel arches. These louvres are intended to lower pressure inside the wheel housings.

Incorporating modest nods to the stylistic cues first seen on the Ferrari Daytona SP3 gives the nose personality and expressiveness along with the headlight clusters. The different components in the back are subtly covered in carbon-fibre skin, exposing only the wheels and suspension. A “light bar” that adds a simple touch to the rear design is also a part of the lower wing.

The primary wing and upper flaps of the double horizontal wing that makes up the tail have been developed to provide the necessary downforce. Several air intakes are also used to feed the gearbox and batteries with cooling air and feed the V6 engine. The braking system includes a brake-by-wire system that allows the front electric axle to recuperate kinetic energy during braking. 

The electric front axle stores energy recovered during braking in a high-voltage battery before transferring torque to the front wheels once a certain speed is reached. While winning the 2023 1000 Miles of Sebring in March would be the 499P’s first race on this side of the Atlantic, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June is unquestionably a priority.