The Italian automaker unveiled its new prototype racer, which will campaign in the 2023 WEC series as well as the 100th running of Le Mans.
“This engine is the same architecture as the 296, but it is a brand new engine,” stresses Cannizzo, “All the technical solutions are specifically for this car, this level of power and these kind of races—the turbochargers are completely different and the weight saving we have made for instance is huge.”
Suspension is of a double-wishbone pushrod design, the front components neatly integrated into the monocoque, with those at the rear integrated in the gearbox casing. “The packaging is very compact, and the kinematics of the suspension have been carefully developed in the driving simulator to optimize peak performance of the car but at the same time manage tire degradation [so we can] have consistent performance through the stint,” explains Cannizzo.
“We have done… a lot of work in CFD and in the wind tunnel, and we optimized the car from a very pure technical point of view,” explains Cannizzo, “but… our colleagues at Centro Stile were able to give the car this character without harming performance… this expression that makes a real Ferrari and I think you can recognize the car on track immediately.”
Naturally outright victory is the ultimate target, but insiders choose their words carefully, stressing Ferrari must be humble when taking on frequently more experienced opposition in endurance racing’s top category.