Ferrari at COTA two months after a podium finish

WECHyperCar

Aug 28

Fifty-six days after the previous round in Brazil, the FIA WEC returns to the spotlight at the Circuit of the Americas, venue for the Lone Star Le Mans, the fifth round of the 2026 season. The 499Ps fielded by the official Ferrari – AF Corse team and the #83 car entered by the AF Corse will tackle the undulating circuit near Austin, Texas. The six-hour race kicks off at 1 p.m. local time on Sunday 6 September.

Ferrari #51 — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at COTA 2024. Ferrari #499P #51 took pole position during qualifying.

Aiming for a fourth podium

After the second-place finish at Interlagos for the #51 crew of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, the team heads to the United States aiming to extend its run of strong results and secure valuable points in the World Championship standings.
The São Paulo result for the reigning World Drivers’ Champions gave the Maranello manufacturer its third podium of the season, after the #51 crew’s second place at the opening round in Imola and the third-place finish at Spa-Francorchamps by their teammates Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen in the #50 Ferrari 499P.

#83 Ferrari 499P — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at COTA 2025. Ferrari #499P #83 took pole position during qualifying.

499P Performances last two seasons at COTA

Ferrari #83 — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at COTA 2024. Ferrari #499P #83 won the race in 2024.

With its frequent elevation changes, the 5.513-kilometre circuit features 9 right-hand and 11 left-hand turns. It hosts a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship for the third consecutive year.
In the previous two seasons, Ferrari took two pole positions, with the #51 crew in 2024 and the #83 in 2025. The #83 crew of Yifei Ye, Robert Kubica and Robert Shwartzman won the race in 2024. This was the Ferrari 499P’s third victory overall, following its victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023 and 2024.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at COTA 2025. Ferrari #499P #50 finished second in torrential rain.

Fuoco, Molina and Nielsen finished second in the #50 in 2025. These results came in vastly different weather conditions, highlighting the car’s great adaptability to the American circuit. Two years ago, the race took place on a dry track in high temperatures, while 12 months ago more than two-thirds of the event was run in torrential rain.

Ferrari #50 — 📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa-Francorchamps 2026. Ferrari #499P #50 finished third.

Antonio Fuoco #50: “It is good to be back on track after such a long break, almost two months since the race in Brazil. Our car has proved well suited to the Austin circuit in the past, so we are confident heading into the Lone Star Le Mans. We will look to make the most of the experience gained at this track over the past two years and secure valuable points for the standings. Temperatures in Texas are likely to be very high, so tyre management will be a key factor in achieving a strong result.”

Miguel Molina #50: “We return to action in America at a circuit where, in previous seasons, the Ferrari 499P has shown it can challenge for top results. Our aim in this race is to maintain that level as we enter the second half of the season, which will be new territory for us and our rivals alike. After Japan, we will race the 499P at Barcelona for the first time before ending the year at Monza. We must remain focused and execute every aspect perfectly to achieve the best possible result.”

Nicklas Nielsen #50: “Our car has performed very well at Austin in the past and, personally, I think COTA is a fantastic circuit to drive – undoubtedly one of the best on the entire calendar from a driver’s perspective. Having finished on the podium in recent years, with a third and a second place, we return to the United States aiming to remain competitive and dreaming of achieving a top-step finish.”

Ferrari and its drivers in FIA championships

Ferrari sits third in the World Manufacturers’ Championship with 88 points, 44 points behind the leaders. In the World Drivers’ Championship standings, Pier Guidi, Calado and Giovinazzi lie fourth with 57 points, 18 points off the top. Ye, Hanson and Kubica are ninth with 31 points, while Fuoco, Molina and Nielsen are 11th with 29. The winners of the American round will receive 25 points.

Alessandro Pier Guidi #51: “We have delivered good performances with the 499P at Austin in the past, so we hope to show once again that we can contend for a great result at this circuit, with its unique layout. It will be important to score as many points as possible in this fifth round of the season to remain in contention in both the World Drivers’ and World Manufacturers’ Championship standings. “

James Calado #51: “We approach the Lone Star Le Mans as we do every race, aiming to perform at our best across the board as a team and achieve the best possible result. The 499Ps have so far proved competitive in Texas, both in qualifying and in the race. In recent years, we have also gained experience at this circuit in very different conditions, from extreme heat to the heavy rain of 2025. We will build on that experience and go into the American round with confidence.”

Antonio Giovinazzi #51: “In 2024, our crew secured an unforgettable pole position at COTA before being forced to retire from the race, while last year we finished fifth after starting from second on the grid. We have always been competitive, but for various reasons we have not managed to reach the top step of the podium. We therefore hope to star in a great race and return from America with a substantial haul of valuable championship points.”

Schedule

Friday 4 September, starting at 11.30 a.m. and 4 p.m: two 90-minute free practice sessions.

Saturday 5 September