Ferrari 499P
Leclerc second fastest in the afternoon session
Arthur Leclerc, who participated in the rookie test at the Bahrain International Circuit for Ferrari, recorded the second fastest time overall in the afternoon session.
The official rookie test took place on November 4th, the day after the final WEC race, the 8 Hours of Bahrain. Ferrari AF Corse’s official driver Thomas Neubauer was at the wheel of the No. 51 “499P,” while this season’s Italian GT Endurance Championship champion Arthur Leclerc was at the wheel of the No. 50 car, and customer team AF Corse’s No. 83 car was driven by Phil Hanson.
The three drivers took part in the morning and afternoon sessions, putting in energetic laps on the 5.412km Bahrain International Circuit. The Ferrari AF Corse cars No. 50 and No. 51 completed 68 laps in the morning session and 77 laps in the afternoon session. Leclerc recorded a good time of 1’50.460, good for second overall, while Neubauer’s best lap of 1’51.030 put him in seventh place overall.
Despite it being his first time driving a hypercar, Leclerc showed glimpses of his talent, and reflected on the session as follows:
“The rookie test in Bahrain was a truly rewarding experience. Driving the 499P was an extraordinary experience. It is incredibly powerful and requires a high level of attention and precision at all times to complete a perfect lap. During the test, I really got to experience the complexity of hypercars, but at the same time, I really enjoyed it. The WEC, in which the 499P competes, has become an increasingly attractive and competitive championship in recent years. It would be a dream come true to be able to race the 499P in the future.”
On the other hand, it seems to have been a valuable experience for Neubauer as well.
“Driving the Ferrari 499P was simply fantastic. Reaching top speeds in such a racing car and the feeling you get all the way around the circuit was a new experience for me and I really enjoyed it. I’d like to thank Ferrari for giving me this opportunity and the team for allowing me to quickly learn many aspects of the 499P.”
