Ferrari’s objectives ahead of 2026 FIA WEC

The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship will kick off at the Lusail circuit in Qatar, which hosts the Prologue and the opening round on 28 March. These are the objectives of the Ferrari–AF Corse team as it returns to the top class of endurance racing with the number 50 and 51 499Ps, following last season’s Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ World Championship victories.

Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti: “The objective for 2026 is to defend the leadership we secured in 2025. That will not be straightforward, as our rivals are increasingly competitive and many of them are fielding updated cars, while we have taken a different approach, believing that the 499P remains competitive enough to fight at the highest level. 

We will approach the season race by race, aiming to achieve the best possible result. Our philosophy is always to look ahead, without dwelling on past achievements, even after an unforgettable season like 2025, when we had the unique experience of bringing a world title in the top class of endurance racing back to Maranello after more than 50 years. 

In 2026, we will approach the challenge with maximum focus, without allowing ourselves to be affected if things do not always go perfectly. Our drivers have a wealth of experience, so I am confident that none of them will feel the weight of starting the season as reigning world champions.” 

Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars: “The races in which we struggled in 2025 were the ones that gave us the clearest indications for improvement. Added to this is the fact that we had to re-homologate the car and that we will be using new tyres. 

The Federation decided to re-measure all cars in a new wind tunnel in the United States. This led to a repositioning of the 499P within the performance window, which now needs to be fully understood and addressed through set-up adjustments. As a result, we have a revised aerodynamic package. Although the changes are limited in scope, they have a significant impact on the car’s behaviour. 

To bring aerodynamic performance back within the new performance window, we focused our development on specific areas of the 499P, primarily the underbody, to meet the regulation-defined drag and downforce targets. The new window required a recalibration of the aerodynamic mapping. As a result, we now need to rediscover the balance that has always defined the 499P. 

As for the new Michelin tyres, we must not only re-establish correlation between wind-tunnel data and on-track performance, but also find a new match between the car set-up and the tyres. So far, we have not had the chance to fully explore all the compounds, having mainly tested the medium compound. While tyre warm-up has improved, we have yet to fully understand the impact on the car’s overall balance. We will complete this work in the period leading up to the start of the championship.”

Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “Our ambitions ahead of the new season are similar to those of 2025: to always give our best, race after race. With eight rounds on the calendar, it will be important to score as many points as possible at every event while minimising mistakes, especially given the very high level of our rivals and an increasingly competitive field. We finished last season on a positive note, so our aim is to carry that momentum into the opening round in Qatar.”

Miguel Molina, 499P #50: “After three years of consistently strong results, finishing in the top three of the World Championship as the number 50 crew, our ambition remains to fight for the title. We will see where we stand at the start of the season. The key races will be the opener in Qatar, which will provide the first indications after the winter break, followed by Le Mans for its prestige and history, but above all because double points are awarded, which are crucial for entering the final part of the season in the best possible position. I think the most challenging rounds will once again be São Paulo and Fuji.” 

Nicklas Nielsen, 499P #50: “After three very intense seasons, we naturally want to aim for the World Championship. Our journey in the top class of endurance racing so far has been incredible. Since 2023, our progress has been remarkable across the board, and we know we have a competitive car. The key now is to continue building on this positive momentum. One of our aims is also to improve on circuits such as Fuji and São Paulo, where we have struggled more than at other tracks, with experience playing a key role. We have been racing the 499P since 2023, but there is always something new to learn, both as a team and as drivers.” 

Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “Starting a new season after winning the championship is certainly positive and gives us a lot of energy, but we are fully aware that everyone begins again on zero points and with the same chances to perform well. Defending a title is always harder than winning it in the first place, something I have already experienced after world championship victories in GT racing. The goal for 2026 is to build on what we achieved last year and, if possible, to improve our result at Le Mans, where we finished on the podium, as well as at other rounds where there is still room to do more. Last year in Qatar, we were very fast, and we hope to repeat that performance so we can start the championship on the right foot.”

James Calado, 499P #51: “We have a competitive car and a strong, united team. For 2026, our ambition is to win the championship again, but we know how demanding this challenge will be. Consistency across an eight-round calendar is crucial, especially at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where double points are awarded and the result can prove decisive for the final standings. In 2025, despite winning the championship, we made a few mistakes during the season and incurred several penalties. These are aspects we must take into account going forward, as we look to improve and minimise the number of errors.”

Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: “2025 was a fantastic year – it fulfilled a dream I’ve had since childhood: becoming World Champion with Ferrari. We head into the 2026 season as reigning champions, but repeating what we achieved last year won’t be easy, and we know all our rivals will return to the track determined to beat us. The championship will kick off in Qatar, where Ferrari secured a fantastic one-two-three finish in 2025. The opening round of the season will be important to assess our level and that of our competitors. The Le Mans race is the most important of the year. However, I am just as excited about the 6 Hours of Imola in Italy, where in 2025 we won in front of our tifosi.”