Ferrari has confirmed that it will enter the 2023 WEC season competing in the new Le Mans Hypercar class - the top class in world endurance racing.
Ferrari has not competed for outright victory at Le Mans since 1973, with its sportscar racing programmes in recent times focusing on GT class racing. Its brief time in the Le Mans Prototype class in the 90s coincided with GT1 cars dominating the field, and Ferrari privateer entries using the Dallara built 333 SP.
Though it’s unconfirmed at this stage, the brand’s LMH entry could be a racing version of a new flagship hypercar and successor to the LaFerrari, that was confirmed to Auto Express two years ago.
Speaking in 2019, Ferrari chief marketing officer Enrico Galliera said: “Yes, we are working on the next hypercar, which will come after 2022.”
The brand’s marketing boss made it clear that the next halo Ferrari would not be part of the strategy to launch 15 new models (including the new Roma and upcoming Purosangue SUV) and would instead be the first car to emerge after Maranello has completed that plan to totally renew and expand its core line-up.
While finer details remain out of reach, Galliera hinted that the next hypercar wouldn’t major on delivering a power output to up the ante on the new 986bhp, plug-in hybrid SF-90, which is a series model and described by the brand as a ‘range supercar’.
The Ferrari exec suggested to Auto Express that the philosophy of the next hypercar will major on lightness, controllability and aerodynamic proficiency. As such, it could shape up as a rival for the Aston Martin Valkyrie, which foregoes heavy hybrid technology. Galliera also suggested that a very similar non-hybrid strategy was possible for Ferrari.
While Ferrari has just revealed its first plug-in hybrid model and will produce more in the future, it will continue to develop its 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12, with twelve cylinders a possible engine configuration for the firm’s flagship, limited run model. However, combining this with heavy battery tech is not on Ferrari’s agenda.
“To be honest, electrifying a V12 means creating a very, probably heavy and big car. So electrification ideally should be coupled with smaller engines,” said Galliera, who also confirmed that a fully-electric Ferrari is not in the product plan.
“The philosophy is to try to be ready with different technologies in order to use them according to what we think is the necessary evolution. That’s why we have a wide range of engines - V12, V8 and in the future the V6.
“That’s why in terms of technology we have the normally aspirated engines like the V12. We have the turbo technology in the V8 and now we have the plug-in hybrid.”
We look back on when Toyota broke the Le Mans lap record...