Two Ferrari 499Ps First Confirmed Hypercar Entries

A pair of Ferrari 499Ps have become the first confirmed entries for the new Hypercar class of the upcoming Asian Le Mans Series.

The Italian manufacturer had announced its intention to join the new division at the start of this year, prior to the conflict in the Middle East throwing plans for the series into doubt.

In the end organizers opted to move the entire season to Europe with three events at Paul Ricard, Jerez and Portimao.

However, this had raised doubts about the future of the Hypercar class, particularly with the challenging cold winter conditions at these venues.

But it has now been confirmed that two Ferrari 499Ps will tackle the season, one entered by AF Corse and the other run under the Cetilar Racing banner but with technical management from Amato Ferrari’s squad.

It is mandated that Hypercar entries feature at least one FIA-rated Bronze driver in their lineup and the No. 90 AF Corse car will therefore be piloted by Luis Perez Companc alongside regular Ferrari 499P racers Nicklas Nielsen and Yifei Ye.

Antonio Fuoco will then partner Cetilar team owner Roberto Lacorte and his son Nicola aboard the No. 47 entry.

“The new challenge we’re about to take on alongside Ferrari, in a top-tier category like Hypercar and in a rapidly growing championship like the Asian Le Mans Series, is a milestone in Cetilar Racing’s history,” said Roberto Lacorte, who added that the car’s livery will be revealed at the end of October.

“With the usual, invaluable support of AF Corse, we’ll be taking to the track in a marvellous and winning prototype like the Ferrari 499P, and we’re truly thrilled to be the first private team to experience this moment, driven by the same passion that has always set us apart.”

Nielsen added: “I’m very happy to be racing in the Asian Le Mans Series with Luis and Yifei.

“We’ve been doing quite a lot of LMP2 together with Luis (in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2024-25), so I’m looking forward to driving with him again in such a competitive championship.

“It’s always nice to drive the 499P, so I’m looking forward to trying a new environment.”

It is unclear how many other cars will join the Ferraris in the new Hypercar division with Algarve Pro Racing boss Stewart Cox recently telling Sportscar365 that he had abandoned plans to enter a pair of Porsche 963s because of the European move.

Similarly, Francois Perrodo had also been in talks to race a Ferrari before deciding against competing amid the calendar change.

It’s understood series organizers extended the entry deadline by one week, as an effort to attract more Hypercar entries.

The Asian LMS season is due to begin at Paul Ricard on Nov. 14-15.