Ferrari 499Ps dial In at Fuji in First Practice Sessions
FUJI INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY,JAPAN – September 26,2024 – Ferrari’s 499P Hypercars completed extensive running today at Fuji International speedway,kicking off preparations for the seventh round of the 2024 FIA world Endurance Championship. The two official Ferrari – AF Corse entries and the customer AF Corse 499P logged meaningful mileage across two free practice sessions, gathering crucial data for race setup.
The first day of track action saw the number 50 Ferrari,piloted by Antonio Fuoco,Miguel Molina,and Nicklas Nielsen,complete 96 laps. The number 51 crew of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi finished 91 laps, while the number 83 499P, driven by Yifei Ye, Robert Kubica, and Phil Hanson, recorded the most laps of the day with 99.
Free Practice 1 unfolded under dry conditions with ambient temperatures around 29°C and track temperatures reaching 44°C. The number 83 499P, sporting a Giallo Modena livery, led the Ferrari contingent with a ninth-place finish, posting a best lap of 1’31″356 – 1.204 seconds behind the session-leading Peugeot number 94.The number 50 499P secured tenth position with a 1’31″530 lap time (+1.378), completing 45 laps. The “sister” Ferrari – AF Corse car finished 13th,achieving a best lap of 1’31″650 on the eighth of its 50 laps.
Free Practice 2 mirrored the morning’s conditions, with slightly cooler temperatures ranging from 25°C to 35°C. The number 50 crew achieved eighth place with a best lap of 1’30″081,just 0.586 seconds off the pace of the session-leading Peugeot number 93. The number 51 car finished 16th with a 1’30″559 lap time. The number 83 499P concluded the day in 12th position, recording a best lap of 1’30″277.
Looking Ahead: Saturday’s schedule includes Free Practice 3 (9:50 – 10:50 a.m. local time), Hypercar Qualifying (3:00 – 3:12 p.m.), and Hyperpole (3:20 – 3:30 p.m.). The green flag for the race is set for 11:00 a.m. on sunday.
