[WEC] Ferrari Hypercar Discussion

[Mike E]

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2021/0...from-2023.html

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...urance-racing/

https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/...y-lmh-program/

[Mike E]

I wonder if AF Corse will run these cars.

And imagine all the driver managers going crazy right now...

[FIRE]

Great news!!!

[Cinghio44]

Years and years of speculation about a possible Ferrari team in WEC and finally it's gonna happen!! Just wow

So it will be and Hypercar just like Peugeot, Toyota and Glickenhaus. Audi, Porsche and Acura opted for the LMDH concept. Who knows how these two philosophy will clash together ...

[Bcarr6]

I imagine F1 will now be magically able to avoid a clash with Le Mans

[NaBUru38]

Mamma mia!!!

[Mike E]

Bad news, guys. This car is gonna be red. Maybe not red, white and black. But definitely red.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Bad news, guys. This car is gonna be red. Maybe not red, white and black. But definitely red.

Red? Now how did you jump to that bizarre conclusion?

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Red? Now how did you jump to that bizarre conclusion?

Well, it's just a hunch really...

[JoeW04]

Fantastic news

[CTD]

Well:

[canaglia]

I think this is the natural consequence of f1 budget cap and 2022 PU freezing that will let f1 manufacturers and teams save a lot of money given also by considerable restrictions of available hours spendable on aero development as well.
2023 is still too far and a lot of things may happen in the meantime but ferrari stepping in LMH will likely obliterate VW brands influence on ACO making a really hard life for lmdh in WEC/LM.

Curious about the engine that will be used for the lmh, likely a f1 derivated enlarged V6 turbo.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by canaglia

I think this is the natural consequence of f1 budget cap and 2022 PU freezing that will let f1 manufacturers and teams save a lot of money given also by considerable restrictions of available hours spendable on aero development as well.
2023 is still too far and a lot of things may happen in the meantime but ferrari stepping in LMH will likely obliterate VW brands influence on ACO making a really hard life for lmdh in WEC/LM.

Curious about the engine that will be used for the lmh, likely a f1 derivated enlarged V6 turbo.

They could easily use the motor from the gte car or its successor

[WyldStallion]

Well I hope theirs actually looks hypercarish and not lmp1'ish...Toyota warming up to me some though....Ferrari out of anybody has the best chance of achieving that.

[hondafan37]

I just hope it's a V12, it would be unforgettable magic and maybe the last one in history.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

Well I hope theirs actually looks hypercarish and not lmp1'ish...Toyota warming up to me some though....Ferrari out of anybody has the best chance of achieving that.

I think the reason why Ferrari are doing this whereas they havent previously - is that they can make money from it

Ferrari are probably the only Brand that could build a run of say 100 or 2 hypercars like the FXX-K and sell them for fortunes (£5 million or above) to collectors - so I think something that can be sold as a track only Hypercar is the most likely

[GingerPixel]

Aston who? I'm sure Ferrari will have already had a phone call or two from wealthy people wanting their own.

Absolutely huge news for Le Mans and the class.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Mal

I think the reason why Ferrari are doing this whereas they havent previously - is that they can make money from it

Ferrari are probably the only Brand that could build a run of say 100 or 2 hypercars like the FXX-K and sell them for fortunes (£5 million or above) to collectors - so I think something that can be sold as a track only Hypercar is the most likely

I would like to think that is not the only reason but it is easy to imagine a couple of LMH Ferraris ending up here in the near future:
https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/corse-clienti/f1-clienti

[Mike E]

Fancy that! A Ferrari junior driver doing some endurance racing.

https://www.motorsport.com/gtwce-end...-lynx/5488037/

[canaglia]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Fancy that! A Ferrari junior driver doing some endurance racing.

https://www.motorsport.com/gtwce-end...-lynx/5488037/

Actually don't think this is strictly related to the ferrari hypercar program, Giovinazzi who is a ferrari raised driver drove also for ESM in WEC as side program when he was competing in GP2 as ferrari academy driver.
Won't be surprised if lmh program will see academy drivers who didn't get to f1 like Shwartzman also because I don't think current af corse drivers will be picked since they have no experience in prototypes, only Bird drove a lmp2 years ago.

[Adam43]

Yes, as well as providing work for the engineers etc in a budget cap era F1 it could add another opportunity for the team’s drivers.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by canaglia

I don't think current af corse drivers will be picked since they have no experience in prototypes, only Bird drove a lmp2 years ago.

That's an interesting point, as we've seen other GT drivers recently step into prototypes now they know there's potential Audi/Porsche/Ferrari/whoever seats up for grabs (Mies and Thiim for example).
I fully expect this trend to continue over the next year or so.

[Simmi]

The driver market is going to be fascinating. You can imagine a lot of quality drivers trying to get in the sportscar mix ASAP - especially if the likes of Audi/Ferrari try and get their desired drivers under contract towards the end of this year.

Then there's guys with budget who you could potentially build a privateer effort around.

I'm assuming Porsche possibly have enough contracted drivers to test and source from within. But maybe not.

[Mike E]

Neel Jani has moved to Porsche's GTE team. He will be a useful guy to do LMDh development work.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Mike E

I would like to think that is not the only reason but it is easy to imagine a couple of LMH Ferraris ending up here in the near future:
https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/corse-clienti/f1-clienti

I have been to fiorano and seen the Corsa client set up ..... Ferrari make incredible money from selling then operating its old F1 cars for very wealthy customers, then there is the historic programme, the fxxk, the gt cars and the cup cars.... Their business model is incredible ... Everyone pays for a slice of that brand, its exclusivety and its lifestyle and the company makes money out of all of it.