WEC Monza
Ferrari to approach Monza WEC with "humility" after Le Mans win
Ferrari must approach its home World Endurance Championship race at Monza this weekend with “humility” after its Le Mans 24 Hours triumph, says Alessandro Pier Guidi.
Jamie Klein
Edited: Jul 6, 2023, 1:41 PM
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The Prancing Horse scored a historic first outright Le Mans win in 58 years last month, also marking the first triumph in the WEC for its new 499P LMH contender.
Pier Guidi was part of the line-up of the winning #51 Ferrari crew alongside James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, who beat the best of the Toyota GR010 HYBRIDs by one minute and 20 seconds at the conclusion of a thrilling battle at La Sarthe.
But the Italian driver says that while the high-speed Monza layout should suit the 499P, he is expecting another formidable challenge from Toyota.
“We expect many fans and it will be nice to meet them again in the Italian round after the victory at Le Mans,” said Pier Guidi. “Their support will be essential for us.
“[Monza] is very fast, it is the [track] on the championship calendar that most resembles the Circuit de la Sarthe, and I think it is a track where we can be competitive..
“We approach this race, in any case, with humility: I think Toyota remains the benchmark in the championship.”
Ferrari’s #50 car crewed by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen scored pole at Le Mans but finished fourth after being delayed by repairs when one of its hybrid system radiators was pierced by a stone.
Molina has his eyes set on victory as he and his team-mates aim to claw back the lost ground in the championship, which is led by the #8 Toyota crew.
“Our goal is clear,” said the Spaniard. “After winning as a team at Le Mans, in Italy we will have to aim for a new success, also in view of the championship.
“In the first part of the season, in fact, we showed that we could fight with Toyota. Now the ambition is to take a further step forward and fully prove our value.”
Ferrari goes into the Monza round having been hit by a Balance of Performance change that means it will run 5kg heavier and with 12kW/16bhp less power than it ran at Le Mans.
The marque’s global head of endurance Antonello Coletta was cautious on producing a repeat of its historic La Sarthe win in front of the tifosi.
“We are aware that from now on our path will be even more difficult, considering that our opponents will come to Monza with the ambition of doing well in a race of crucial importance for the championship,” said Coletta.
“For these reasons we will maintain high concentration and maximum commitment with the aim of continuing to collect important results, and to bring the 499P on the podium for the rest of the season.”
Read Also:
- Conway: WEC title hopes over for #7 Toyota crew after Le Mans DNF
- Proton “can only surprise” in first WEC races with Porsche LMDh
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