Positive news has been slow in coming for the proposed Pro-Am Hypercar class for the 2026/ 2027 Asian Le Mans Series, but Ferrari is set to give it a mighty boost. The head of Corse Clienti, Antonello Coletta, confirmed to DSC last week that the 499P will form part of the grid for the inaugural season for the class.
“I am sure that we will be in the Asian Le Mans Series. We have some fantastic customers, and we know that some of them would love to drive the 499P.”
Coletta, like others, is keen to see more detail in the class ruleset, with concerns elsewhere about the inherent costs of the currently necessary monitoring of the Hypercar performance management systems.
“I believe we need to put maximum attention into the rules, probably in particular to the categorisation of the drivers, but there is consistent interest from us and from our customers.
“This is a programme that gives us another opportunity to help cover our costs, so why not!”
DSC is aware that several existing Ferrari/AF Corse customer drivers have received offers to join an Asian Le Mans Series effort, which is understood to be focused on utilising the full-season WEC cars for 2026.
There was no confirmation last week of the potential number of cars that could be involved, but DSC is aware that Ferrari has proposals in play for what could be as much as a three-car effort.
Ferrari then joined Peugeot as the marques most likely to feature after Bob Berridge’s BBM Sport confirmed its interest with one or two ex-factory Peugeot 9X8s.
Other teams and marques are understood to be examining potential programmes, including at least two teams looking at a possible Porsche effort, including a team not presently in either Hypercar or IMSA’s GTP class.
Antonello Coletta pic copyright DPPI/ FIA WEC
