The Prancing Horse’s Hypercars return to the Circuit of The Americas – COTA for the sixth act of the FIA World Endurance Championship scheduled for the weekend of September 1st.
The penultimate round of the world championship, over the 6-hour distance, will feature the 499Ps numbers 50 and 51 of the Ferrari – AF Corse team, entrusted respectively to Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans last June, and Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi.
Completing the representation of the Maranello cars will be the 499P number 83 entered by the AF Corse team and driven by Ferrari officials Yifei Ye and Robert Shwartzman, together with Robert Kubica.
#50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen
Photo at: JEP / Motorsport Images
The race
After undergoing a test on the Texan track at the end of July, the Le Mans Hypercars return to the 5.513-kilometer, 20-corner circuit for their first official test.
In the world championship calendar, in fact, COTA returns to host the American event four years after its last appearance, and for the first time in the era of Hypercars that currently represent the top class of endurance racing.
The situation
For the 499Ps of the official team, this is a return to racing 49 days after the previous world championship round, the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, which ended with fifth and sixth place respectively for crews numbers 51 and 50.
After the first five seasonal events – held in Qatar, Italy, Belgium, France and Brazil – Fuoco-Molina-Nielsen occupy second place in the Drivers’ standings with 98 points (19 less than the leaders), while Pier Guidi-Calado-Giovinazzi are eighth (with a gap of 59 points).
In the Constructors’ standings, however, Ferrari is third with 109 points (17 less than Porsche).
The standard-bearers of the 499P number 83 Ye-Shwarzman-Kubica (11th overall in Sao Paulo and second in the class reserved for independent teams) are 11th in the Drivers’ standings, and AF Corse occupies third position in the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams.
#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi, #59 United Autosports McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo: James Cottingham, Nicolas Costa, Gregoire Saucy
Photo at: JEP / Motorsport Images
Facts and figures
49 days passed between the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, the fifth round of the championship, and the Lone Star Le Mans, the sixth round of the championship
2010 the inaugural year of the Circuit of the Americas – COTA
5,513 the length of the American track (in kilometers)
109 Ferrari points in the Constructors’ standings; the Prancing Horse occupies third place in the standings
Fuoco-Molina-Nielsen have 98 points in the Drivers’ standings: the crew is in second place; Pier Guidi-Calado-Giovinazzi, with 58 points, are eighth
#50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen
Photo at: JEP / Motorsport Images
The words of the protagonists
Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “We are back on track in America in a race, the sixth of the season, which will be essential in terms of the championship. Our goal is undoubtedly to score as many points as possible to keep the challenge for the world titles open. In Austin we carried out some tests before the summer break which gave us positive indications: we are confident that we can be protagonists of a good race.”
Miguel Molina, 499P #50: “As always, our goal is to work as best as we can to have a great race in America. We are still fighting for the world title and every point obtained at COTA will be crucial. The track? Personally, I like this track that could suit our car well. We are focused and determined to do well.”
Nicklas Nielsen, 499P #50: “During the test at COTA at the end of July we had positive feelings and I think our car is well suited to this circuit, certainly better than Sao Paulo. It is always difficult, before the race weekend, to know the value of the opponents on the track: we will therefore have to wait for the free practices to have an initial assessment. We will aim to score as many points as possible. The circuit? The surface is very bumpy and the track alternates very different characteristics. The first sector is impressive especially for the succession of fast corners.”
#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi
Photo at: JEP / Motorsport Images
Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “The Circuit Of The Americas is a track that suits our 499P better than Interlagos, so compared to the last race in Sao Paulo I think we will have a better chance of doing well and I feel more optimistic. I don’t think we will start as favourites in this 6 Hours, but we will do our best to enhance the potential of the car and our team.”
“Personally, I have always enjoyed driving at Austin, a track where I have good memories, especially in 2017, when I won the race at COTA in the LMGTE Pro class with James Calado in my first year as an official Ferrari driver. Very high temperatures are expected in Texas, which could alternate with downpours: therefore both tyre management and a good team strategy could be key factors for the result.”
James Calado, 499P #51: “I have great memories of Austin when I think back to the races we ran there in the LMGTE Pro class: among these I fondly remember the success together with Ale Pier Guidi obtained in 2017, a year that you saw us conclude by obtaining the world title”.
“COTA is a really nice circuit to drive, especially in the first sector, where I have always felt comfortable. Looking ahead to the next race: without a doubt the tests we carried out a few weeks ago with the 499P were important and ended positively for us. I can’t wait to get out on track to understand our value in relation to that of our opponents.”
Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: “After a difficult race in Brazil we are finally back on track in the United States of America in this 6 Hours that will be really important for us. We know we can count on a good car and a team that is continuing to grow and gain experience, essential aspects to do well in a world championship”.
“COTA is hosting a world championship race for the first time in the Hypercar era and, compared to the tests in July, the track has been resurfaced: we are therefore approaching a new challenge for all the teams in which we will have to be good at finding the right setup and reducing errors to a minimum. I expect a good race.”
#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi
Photo at: JEP / Motorsport Images
Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti: “After the summer break we are back in action on an extraordinary track like COTA, which is once again hosting a world championship race four years after the last edition of the FIA WEC, and for the first time in the Hypercar era.”
“We are happy to return to the scene in Austin and in the United States of America, a key market for our company, as well as a land of great passion for motorsport.”
“The 6 Hours of COTA is a capital event: we will try to fight for the best possible result with the aim of staying in the running for the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ world titles with the official 499Ps numbers 50 and 51, as well as for the title reserved for independent teams with the number 83 car entered by AF Corse”.
Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars: “After the hard-fought race in Brazil, the team has a great desire for redemption. We start again from the Austin circuit, where we carried out a few days of testing, together with almost all the teams, before the summer break”.
“COTA is a complete track, with corners that vary from low to very high speed and a peculiar first sector with corners that follow one another in sequence and a very bumpy surface. We have collected very useful information, optimizing a set-up capable of adapting well to the bumpy sections”.
“On the other hand, immediately after our test, the track was largely resurfaced: it will therefore be essential to understand how much this intervention will have reduced the roughness, allowing for the use of more aggressive set-ups, and the impact of the new asphalt on tyre wear will have to be reassessed, also considering the very high temperatures of this period of the year”.
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