Ferrari "studying" history-making works Le Mans entry

Ferrari

Ferrari "studying" history-making works Le Mans entry

Scuderia is also considering IndyCar but not Formula E

Ian Parkes

Wednesday 9 September 2020 08:10

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Ferrari is "studying" the possibility of entering Le Mans with its own works Prototype car for the first time.

While Ferrari has been renowned for taking part in the GT class at Le Mans and in the Le Mans Series over the years, it has never developed its own LMP car.

Ferrari did enter a 333SP in the WSC class, the forerunner to LMP, in the 1994 Le Mans, but that was designed by Dallara and built by Michelotto.

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The need to diversify its motorsport portfolio, which also includes the prospect of competing in IndyCar, comes as the Formula 1 team prepares itself for the imposition of a budget cap for next year.

As part of the cost-saving programme, Ferrari recognises a number of its employees will need to be moved across to other areas.

"The welfare and wellbeing of our employees, as we have proven through this pandemic, is priority number one, and yes, we are looking at reallocating those resources to other activities," said CEO Louis Camilleri in an interview with this writer.

"One of them, clearly and the most important is shifting those resources to the GT side, which is the road cars, but also potentially, IndyCar is one.

"We're studying Indy. It depends somewhat on the flexibility they will come up with in terms of their future regulations because the chassis is standard, and aero is pretty standardised as well, which they've done as a cost-containment exercise

"We'll see, we're studying it. We haven't decided one way or another yet, while potentially Le Mans is another one we are studying very carefully. As you know there are two categories [of LMP] so we are studying both."

Camilleri has confirmed that Ferrari will not follow a number of other leading manufacturers into Formula E. Mercedes, Jaguar, Audi, Porsche and Nissan all now take part.

Addressing why it is not on the agenda, Camilleri said: "Mainly because we don't feel it's necessarily road relevant, and two, that a lot of Formula E is very standardised.

"We like to go to places where we can differentiate ourselves. It's hard to see where you can get a competitive edge."