Ferrari secured back-to-back wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans thanks to a stunning drive from the AF Corse team’s 499P number 50 car, which finished 14 seconds ahead of the second-placed No 7 Toyota.

Driven by Nicklas Nielsen, Miguel Molina and Antonio Fuoco, the trio completed 311 laps (72 in the lead) of the famous La Sarthe circuit to secure a prestigious win. Last year’s winning number 51 Ferrari - driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi - finished 36 seconds behind their teammates to secure third place in what was a memorable weekend for the Prancing Horse.

The race was notable for its punishing rainy periods, particularly overnight, which led to almost seven hours of safety car periods. The pit crew played their part, choosing the correct tyres to overcome the rainy conditions and aiding Nielsen in an extra pit stop after the Dane’s door wouldn’t close properly on the car. Despite falling behind during this period, Ferrari was ultimately able to overtake Toyota with the quicker car across the 24 hours.

Nicklas Nielsen: “Fantastic! It really is a dream come true. The victory seemed very difficult for part of the race, even at the end, when we had a problem with the door. But then everything went well. I’m speechless. I’m very proud of everyone. The last lap was very long, impossible to imagine. I worried about avoiding any risks and getting to the finish line as quickly as possible. I just had to manage the lead.”

This is the Prancing Horse’s 11th victory at Le Mans and with Charles Leclerc’s win at the Monaco Grand Prix last month, Ferrari becomes the first manufacturer to win both races in the same year since 1934.

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Ferrari