Early this year, a 499P raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ferrari’s first race win since 1965. Then, people could buy great Ferraris like the 250 GTO straight from the Scuderia. There have been a lot of changes in the car business since then, but Ferrari still thinks that history is essential. This means that the 499P Modificata, a version of the 499P Le Mans Hypercar that customers can buy, will be sold. Also, it doesn’t mean “clients” in the sense of “racing.” Pirates who want to race a Ferrari shouldn’t buy this car. Instead, people who want to buy their 499P and use it as the best track day car should. Also, the 499P Modificata is not a road car like the Toyota GR Super Sport or the Aston Martin Valkyrie, which will join the Hypercar class in 2025 but is likely inactive. This is a real track car because it doesn’t have to follow any rules. Because of this, the Porsche 919 Hybrid in the 499P Modificata is like the 919 Evo. Government rules do not limit Ferrari, so it can increase the car’s power and better use its hybrid aid. However, it’s less extreme than the Porsche 919 Evo, which has over 1000 horsepower and active aerodynamics. The finished model has 697 horsepower, four-wheel drive that can be turned on well below the 118 mph FIA speed limit, and Pirelli tires with unique designs. The hybrid powertrain’s power is also used differently; it can be released with a button, increasing the total output to 858 horsepower. The 499P Modificata has performance levels that are better than even the most extreme road cars. Only the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro and the Bugatti Bolide can match with them. In a Le Mans race, the Ferrari is the fastest car, even if the other two are close behind. Ferrari created the Sport Prototipi Clienti program to offer direct help since the car’s complex hybrid engine makes it hard for individual owners to drive. Through its F1 Clienti program, Ferrari will take care of and help owners of 499P Modificata cars in the same way it helps owners of classic F1 cars. This lets the company make a more advanced and up-to-date race car—in this case, the only one in its very exclusive class that powers all four wheels with a hybrid system. Another thing it means is that Ferrari will have a way to help with big projects in the future. The 499P Modificata’s price has yet to be made public by Ferrari. It can be hard to find similar racers since there are few prototype racers from other big manufacturers. The next best thing might be a $3 million Porsche 963 ready-to-race for client race teams. The Ferrari was made for rules that are much more difficult, so expect to pay a lot.
