Ferrari is returning to the top flight of endurance racing beginning in 2023. The Italian automaker made the announcement, confirming plans to line up in the ‘Hypercar’ class of the FIA World Endurance Championship. It will be the first time since 1973 that Ferrari will be competing for outright victory in the WEC. The automaker's return to endurance racing also puts an end to what would be a 50-year absence in the Le Mans 24 Hours, a race that Ferrari has won nine times, including six straight wins from 1960 to 1965.
Ferrari’s return to the highest levels of endurance racing is a long time coming. It’s also coming back at a time when the field looks like a who’s who of endurance racing heavyweights.
Ferrari should be able to contend immediately, especially with all the resources its spending on its Le Mans Hypercar program. The exact details about the program will be revealed at a later date, but it’s been announced that an in-house chassis will be developed for the unnamed hypercar. It will also feature a hybrid powertrain that would be limited to 670 horsepower, including 268 horsepower produced by an electric motor. The hypercar will also weigh 2,270 pounds.
Development of the hypercar is already underway, and it will be available for purchase once it’s completed. As part of homologation rules, Ferrari must approve the car for sale and build at least 25 production units of the model.
Ferrari also shouldn’t have any problems fielding a competitive driving lineup in its return to endurance racing. It has a driving academy that's stocked with young racing talent, including FIA Formula 1 runner-up Callum Ilott. The trio of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Daniel Serra could also make a formidable team after piloting the Scuderia to a 27th class win in the 2019 GTE Pro class with a Ferrari 488 GTE. It could also tap into its alumni of F1 drivers, including former world champion Kimi Raikkonen and current Alfa Romeo teammate Antonio Giovinazzi. The latter is employed by Ferrari.