Ferrari 499P Set to Feature in New Asian Hypercar Class

Ferrari intends for at least one of its 499Ps to enter the new Hypercar class of the Asian Le Mans Series this year and is in talks with potential customers.

It was announced at last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans that a new class for the top tier of sports car racing would be introduced into the Asian category for the 2026-27 season, with rules forcing crews competing in the division to feature at least one FIA Bronze-rated driver and the Hypercar machinery can only be run by privateer teams.

Ferrari is one of the few Hypercar manufacturers to already have a privateer car, with an AF Corse-entered 499P joining the two works cars in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

It emerged last November that Bob Berridge’s BBM Sport operation had purchased the first-generation of wingless Peugeot 9X8s and was intending to run these in Asian LMS.

However, other potential interest in the new class had been limited amid the costs involved – and in the wake of its launch announcement ACO President Pierre Fillon told Sportscar365 there could be only “two or three” Hypercars on the grid to begin with.

But, at the unveiling of the 499P’s livery for this year’s WEC, Ferrari’s global head of endurance Antonello Coletta confirmed it is working on plans to have a presence in the category.

“We consider this opportunity because it’s another opportunity for a customer and we have very important customers that love to race,” Coletta told selected media including Sportscar365. “I’m sure that Ferrari will be at the Asian Le Mans Series.”

He said it was too soon to comment on how many 499Ps could take part in the Hypercar category’s inaugural season, but that discussions are under way.

“Our interest is really consistent and I’m sure that we will have a customer that are interested to go ahead in this program,” Coletta added.

“I believe that we need to put maximum attention on the rules, probably the categorization of the drivers, but it should also be another opportunity to cover our costs [of Ferrari’s Hypercar program].

“It makes sense, because we have the cars, we have the customers.”

Per rules, the cars in Asia would have to be run as a privateer effort, with Coletta previously indicating that AF Corse is the only team with the capability to run the hybrid-powered LMH-based prototypes.

Although Coletta spoke positively of the new class, current Ferrari 499P pilot Antonio Fuoco was more cautious about the prospect of Bronze drivers racing Hypercar machinery.

“I believe that it won’t be easy, especially if we go to certain tracks where climate conditions are not that warm,” he said.

“So the topic we dealt with a few years ago concerning the tires and the heat, it would be difficult to manage a Bronze, especially for a car which is there for the first time.”

While Ferrari is intending for the 499P to join the Asian LMS ranks, there is still no prospect of an immediate entry into the top GTP class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Ferrari has repeatedly stressed that its focus for the 499P is WEC and, even despite its double title success last year, Coletta said the manufacturer would not contemplate any WeatherTech Championship entry until 2028 at the very earliest.

“IMSA is not in our next target,” he said. “I can confirm that in 2027 we will be only in the WEC. But the future I don’t know.

“At the moment, we concentrate on the World Endurance Championship.”