The 2024 entry list for the FIA World Endurance Championship is expected to include a third Ferrari 499P Hypercar alongside the pair of Ferrari AF Corse works cars.
Initially mentioned as a possibility by Ferrari’s motorsport head Antonello Coletta and revealed by DSC last month, the car will be confirmed for a full season in 2024.
Furthermore, DSC now believes that the car, initially understood to involve backing from Richard Mille, will, in fact emerge as a car entered by AF Corse SRL.
The entry will bring Yifei Ye from Hertz Team Jota to the effort alongside Robert Kubica. Kubica was announced this week as an AF Corse driver and went on to test in a 499P at Imola the same day.
Chinese racer Yifei Ye impressed with his pace at Hertz Team Jota in its Porsche 963 and now looks set to go head to head with his previous team in the WEC’s Teams Championship for privately entered Hypercars.
It would be a move that would see the Chinese driver move out of the Porsche factory stable where he has been a nominated driver via Porsche Asia Pacific – There is no confirmation that Ye would be named as a Ferrari contracted driver.
Ferrari F1 reserve driver Robert Shwartzman is strongly rumoured to be the third full-season driver for the effort.
DSC asked Shwartzman if he could see himself racing a 499P in the future after his appearance at the Rookie Test in Bahrain.
“Yes,” he said. “I am open to everything, I am not just focused on F1. I really hope that after this test there will be an opportunity to try and race the hypercar and get the whole experience in endurance racing.
“For the moment no (there are no further plans), but I am always open to it.”
Picture top credit: Porsche
