Ferrari to enter Le Mans with Hypercar in 2023

Ferrari

Ferrari to enter Le Mans with Hypercar in 2023

The Scuderia will enter the LMH catagory

Ewan Gale

Wednesday 24 February 2021 16:15 Updated: 16:28

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Ferrari has announced it will compete in the World Endurance Championship with an entry into the Le Mans Hypercar category from 2023.

The Italian manufacturer will join the likes of Toyota and Peugeot in the new top class of WEC, aiming to claim overall victory at the coveted Le Mans 24 Hour race for the first time since 1965.

Ferrari president John Elkann said: “In over 70 years of racing, on tracks all over the world, we led our closed-wheel cars to victory by exploring cutting-edge technological solutions: innovations that arise from the track and make every road car produced in Maranello extraordinary.

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"With the new Le Mans Hypercar programme, Ferrari once again asserts its sporting commitment and determination to be a protagonist in the major global motorsport events”.

Since 1965 Ferrari has taken 27 class wins at Le Mans, with its last in 2019 in the GTE Pro category when James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Daniel Serra drove a 488 GTE to victory.

The news comes after Ferrari recently announced it would not seek an entry into IndyCar despite suggestions last year it was considering such a programme.

It is now clear Le Mans Hypercar is Ferrari's chosen project, and with it a deployment of staff from Formula 1 following the implementation of a budget cap from this year.

FIA president Jean Todt said: “The announcement of Ferrari’s commitment to the FIA World Endurance Championship with a Le Mans Hypercar entry from 2023 is great news for the FIA, the ACO and the wider world of motorsport.

"I believe in the concept of road-relevant Hypercars competing in the FIA WEC and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I’m looking forward to seeing this legendary brand taking on this ambitious project.”

Automobile Club de l’Ouest president Pierre Fillon added: "Today is a great day for endurance racing: Ferrari is coming back to the top level, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship.

"The Hypercar field promises some epic battles. Alongside Ferrari, in 2023, many manufacturers who have already joined us are sure to pull out all the stops to win the race in its centenary year.

"This is excellent news for a discipline whose rule base forms a solid foundation on which to build a bright future."

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— Ferrari Races (@FerrariRaces) February 24, 2021