Ferrari Reaffirms Hypercar Commitment Through 2029

Ferrari has reaffirmed its commitment to participating in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class with its 499P until at least the end of 2029 season, in line with the extension of the homologation period for current top-class machinery.

The Italian manufacturer’s global head of endurance Antonello Coletta told reporters in the buildup to last weekend’s Bahrain season finale that the decision has been taken to extend what was originally planned as a five-year program to seven years.

It follows the decision of the FIA and ACO to extend the homologation period through 2029 last year, in part to allow incoming Hypercar manufacturers Genesis, Ford and McLaren to amortize their investments in the platform.

“At the moment, our program was planned for five years, from 2023 until 2027, because it was the cycle that the FIA defined in terms of rules,” said Coletta.

“Now the FIA moved ahead [the homologation] until 2029, and for Ferrari, it’s confirmed that we will go ahead until 2029. We will see about the future, but [until then] the cycle is the same, and we will maintain our involvement in this championship.”

Coletta’s remarks come amid intensifying discussions among manufacturers regarding the shape of the Hypercar rules from 2030 onwards, with Porsche having led the push towards a unification of the LMH and LMDh rulesets.

Ferrari has previously stated its position is that it must retain the ability to design its own chassis and use its own hybrid power unit whatever shape the rules take in the future, although it is not fundamentally opposed to such a move.

Asked if the outcome of these talks would dictate whether Ferrari stays in Hypercar beyond 2029, Coletta replied: “Now it’s still early to speak about it because we haven’t had anything on the table. Only a hypothetical new way, but nothing is clear.

“The convergence of the rules has been on the table many times and we had some meetings in the recent past. I believe that the final decision is not clear. It’s complicated. Until 2029, the FIA decided the rules stay the same.

“For the future, we will see. It is clear that if we have the same platform, it will be easier than today, but the actual compensation [in the Balance of Performance] in terms of who will drive [with what] and so on is run very well.

“But it’s clear that if we have the same platform, it will be easier.”

Coletta once again reiterated that Ferrari has no short-term interest in a WeatherTech Championship program with the 499P.

“At the moment, we maintain our involvement in the WEC,” he said. “IMSA is not in the near future.

“I don’t know in the long term, but at the moment we concentrate on the WEC.”

Coletta: WEC Title a “Different Satisfaction” To Le Mans Wins

Ferrari secured the manufacturer’s title in last weekend’s Bahrain finale as its two works cars finished third and fourth, which was more than enough to see off the distant threat of Porsche and Cadillac heading into the decider.

The No. 51 crew of Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi and James Calado secured the drivers’ championship as the Prancing Horse also locked out the top three places in that classification, with the satellite No. 83 crew second and the No. 50 third.

Reflecting on Ferrari’s achievement, and asked by Sportscar365 to compare it to Ferrari’s three 24 Hours of Le Mans victories, Coletta said: “It’s clear that the championship victory is different. It’s not just one episode but the synthesis of our work.

“During the first season, in 2023, we learned a lot. In 2024 we progressed in terms of management of tires, reliability, and I remember at the start of the season I declared we were ready to win the championship, or at least fight for it.

“We deserve this title. We worked very well for all season, it’s clear that it is impossible to have amazing results in every race, but we won half of the championship [four wins] and we were very consistent in the rest of the races.

“It’s a different satisfaction [to winning Le Mans]. It’s impossible to explain the difference, they are two different issues. But we are proud to have won both.

“It’s better to win both than just one!”