Ferrari 499P
Demonstrating perfect tire management
In the final race, the two Ferrari 499Ps perfectly controlled tire wear, avoiding significant time losses and extending their winning streak since the start of the season to three.
In the qualifying hyperpole held on May 9th, the Ferrari AF Corse “Ferrari 499P” No. 50 (Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, Niklas Nielsen) recorded a time of 1 minute 59.617 seconds to take pole position. In second place was the AF Corse 499P No. 83 (Robert Kubica, Ye Yifei, Philip Hansson), and in third place was the Ferrari AF Corse No. 50, giving the Ferrari 499P a monopoly of the top three spots in qualifying.
The grandstands at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit were packed with spectators for the final race on May 10th. Blessed with fine weather, the six-hour fierce battle kicked off at 2:00 PM local time. Nielsen was the starting driver for car No. 50, and Calado was the starting driver for car No. 51, and they steadily maintained their positions in the top ranks.
Despite a fierce battle with their rivals from the middle to the end of the race, Ferrari AF Corse executed a perfect race strategy, maximizing the performance of their tyres and dominating the race. In the end, Giovinazzi in the #51 car took his second win of the season, beating the #50 Fuoco by 4.229 seconds.
Guidi, who drove the second stint in the No. 51 499P, reflected on the race as follows:
“Following our victory at the top of the podium at the previous race, the 6 Hours of Imola, we were able to win the 6 Hours of Spa. This season the team has shown true strength and we have been able to demonstrate the progress we have made with our car since its debut. At Spa, our tyre management was perfect and the team executed our strategy perfectly. We steadily built up results hour by hour, which led to a 1-2 finish for Ferrari.”
Ferrari leads the rankings
Ferrari, which has achieved three consecutive wins since the start of the season, is currently leading the manufacturers’ championship with a 65-point lead over second-placed Toyota.
The teammate #50 car was aiming for its second win since the opening race, but finished in second place, about four seconds behind. Nevertheless, Molina was pleased with the valuable points it gained in the Manufacturers’ Championship.
“The two Ferrari 499Ps led the race from the beginning, and not only us drivers but the team did a great job. I think we were able to bring home some important points that will help Ferrari win the Manufacturers’ Championship, which is our main target. It was a really great day for Ferrari.”
Starting from second on the grid, the No. 83 car had engine trouble and was forced to replace its turbocharger early in the race. However, thanks to the quick work of the mechanics, the car was able to return to the two-hour stage course and finish in 15th place in the hypercar class.
