Ferrari will be looking to extend the positive run that has characterised the start of the year: the number 51 499P of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi has so far claimed a win at Imola, two Hyperpoles and two podium finishes, while the number 50 of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen took victory on their debut in Qatar. The round on Belgian soil is the last event before the most eagerly awaited appointment of the year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, scheduled for 14–15 June in France.
Known among motorsport fans as the “University of Racing” in Europe, the historic Belgian track, inaugurated in 1921, measures 7.004 kilometres – the longest circuit on the FIA WEC calendar, except for Le Mans – and features 19 turns. Nestled in the Ardennes Forest, the circuit is synonymous with endurance racing: the first edition of the 24 Hours, today reserved for GT3 cars, was held in 1924, and over the decades the track has hosted multiple rounds valid for the endurance world championship: among the highlights is Ferrari’s victory at the 1000 Kilometres of Spa in 1972 with the 312 PB of Arturo Merzario and Brian Redman.
The situation. The Prancing Horse arrives in Belgium leading both world standings thanks to the win and pole position achieved in Italy, and the one-two-three and Hyperpole secured at the season-opener in Qatar. Ferrari leads the Manufacturers’ standings on 92 points – with a 29-point advantage over its nearest rivals; the 6 Hours will award 25 points to the winners – while in the Drivers’ standings the number 51 499P crew of Pier Guidi, Calado and Giovinazzi tops the table with 50 points. They are followed in second and third places, with 39 and 38 points respectively, by Yifei Ye, Robert Kubica and Phil Hanson, who share the number 83 Ferrari run by AF Corse; while Fuoco, Molina and Nielsen are entrusted with the other official Ferrari, the number 50.
AF Corse, fielding the 499P in Giallo Modena livery, leads the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams for independent squads.
The programme. Activities on the track will begin on Thursday, 8 May with two free practice sessions, both lasting 90 minutes, from 11.45 a.m. and from 4.50 p.m.; on Friday 9 May, after FP3 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., qualifying and the Hyperpole for the Hypercar class will take place, starting at 3.25 p.m. and 3.48 p.m. respectively. The green flag for the 6 Hours of Spa will be waved on Saturday, 10 May from 2 p.m. (local time).
Here are the driver comments in the build-up to the 6 Hours of Spa, scheduled for Saturday, 10 May from 2 p.m. local time.
Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “We return to the track at Spa, a circuit steeped in motorsport legend. The goal, after a challenging race for our number 50 crew at Imola, is to get back in the points and fully express the car’s potential, aiming – if possible – for a return to the podium in this final round before the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
Miguel Molina, 499P #50: “We face a very important race for this championship at Spa, where it will be crucial to achieve a strong result. After the round at Imola, we worked tirelessly to understand our mistakes and identify where we can improve. I hope the 6 Hours of Spa proves to be a positive race where we can maximise the potential of the 499P, aiming to score as many points as possible and hopefully fight for a podium finish.”
Nicklas Nielsen, 499P #50: “Fe achieved, both with our 499P and with the number 51 car, in Qatar and Italy. Now it’s time to return to the track at Spa, a very demanding and evocative circuit that is special to me. Last year the race was watched by an incredible number of Tifosi in the grandstands and the atmosphere werrari has had a brilliant start to the season thanks to the results we’vas fantastic. Alongside Antonio and Miguel, we’ll do our best to capitalise on the package we have and try to climb the podium.”
Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “We’re back in action at Spa following our outstanding victory at Imola, and morale is high – although we know the race won’t be easy at all. The 499P has previously shown it can adapt very well to this circuit, so we hope to be among the frontrunners again. Personally, I really enjoy Spa: over the course of my career, I’ve had a lot of success here with different cars. The circuit’s mix of speed and technical sections makes it unique from a driver’s perspective.”
James Calado, 499P # 51: “For an experienced driver like me, Spa is a truly unique track. I’ve raced many times on the ups and downs of the Belgian circuit, which I love because it pushes you to give your best in every single moment. The layout combines very fast sections with a variety of corners and, especially in the rain, it presents a real challenge on the track. The aim will be to do our best and bring home as many points as possible to defend our lead in the standings.”
Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: “The 6 Hours of Spa will be a race in which we aim to repeat the consistency we’ve shown on the track in the first two rounds of the season, keeping errors to a minimum and maximising the car’s potential to bring home the highest possible points haul. Spa is one of my all-time favourite circuits – it’s also where we achieved our first podium with the number 51 499P back in 2023. It’s a legendary track full of great memories. We know it won’t be an easy race, especially as the weather, as always, will be a major variable – changing rapidly and requiring the team and drivers to react in the best possible way.”
Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Ferrari Endurance and Corse Clienti: “As tradition dictates, the race at Spa carries a particular weight within the FIA WEC calendar, being the final round before the most important event of the year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The team arrives in Belgium after an excellent start to the season marked by strong results in both Qatar and Italy. The goal for this 6 Hours will therefore be to defend our lead in the world Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ standings, even though we’re fully aware that the Belgian round will be very demanding and that our rivals are constantly improving. We’ll do our best on a circuit that suits the characteristics of our 499P – as we saw over the past two seasons, during which Ferrari delivered some remarkable performances in Belgium.”
Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Ferrari Endurance Race Cars:
“We approach the next FIA WEC race at Spa-Francorchamps with great enthusiasm and equal humility, buoyed by two consecutive wins and our position at the top of both the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ standings.
The team worked tirelessly after Imola to prepare the cars and fine-tune a setup tailored to this notoriously technical and tricky circuit. Although our car has shown that it adapts very well to the characteristics of the Belgian track, we expect our rivals to be extremely competitive and the race to be closely fought. In this leg – which is fundamental for the world championship – focus, execution and race strategy will be more important than ever to bring both cars home in the points and consolidate our position in the standings.”
