Celebrating Ferrari's Le Mans glory at 2023 Festival of Speed

The number #51 499P squad have really fought their way to this point. Alessandro Pier Guidi and Calado earned their stripes in Ferrari’s GTE cars over the years, helping the 488 GTE become one of the Scuderia’s most successful cars. Giovinazzi, meanwhile, seems to have found his calling, having been chewed up and spat out by the F1 churn. He wears endurance racing well.

The timescales, though. We can’t believe them. For a bit of context, the last time the Tifosi could celebrate such a victory was exactly a year before the Ford GT40 first won, or to put it a more conventional way, almost 60 years ago. Ferrari hadn’t even started a running of Le Mans, as a factory entry in the top class, since 1973.

So to return in 2023 and win on the first go out was heartening for all enthusiasts and indeed the marque itself, which had known nothing but bad luck in the pursuit of overall victory at La Sarthe in the 58-year interim. It's a moment we won’t soon forget. Can it be repeated next year? The competition is only getting stronger. We can’t wait to see it unfold.

Photography by Pete Summers.