▶ Revealed at Finali Mondiali
▶ Will cost €5.1 million for two years
▶ Comes just months after the standard 499P won Le Mans
Last year, Ferrari revealed the 499P Modificata, a customer-friendly version of its Le Mans-winning hypercar. Fast-forward to this year Maranello has posted a specially customised version of the hypercar on X – with one intriguing detail.
The car pictured below is painted in a fetching black and yellow colour scheme, but F1 fans will be more interested in the 44 number it’s carrying. That’s the racing number for seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, who’ll soon be joining the Scuderia in 2025.
Fun marketing exercise, or a car that the Englishman has already pre-ordered? Either way, it looks great.
Keep reading for more on the 499P Modificata.
Ferrari 499P Modificata: what you need to know
Ferrari already has a reputation for bringing its wealthiest, most valued customers right into the fold, but it’s just taken things up a notch with this; the 499P Modificata. Just revealed at Finali Mondiali, Ferrari’s annual bash in Mugello, it’s a track-only racecar heavily based on the 499P that won Le Mans earlier this year. Simply put, it’s a €5.1 million ticket (before tax) into one of Maranello’s most sophisticated racing programs.
Let’s talk tech
From the outside at least, the 499P Modificata looks identical to the hypercar that won the Le Mans centenary in June, but Maranello’s engineers have tweaked a significant amount under the high-downforce bodywork. Their aim? To make it easier to maintain and more suited to the gentleman drivers lucky enough to get behind the wheel.
The Modificata uses a lightened version of the mid-rear mounted V6 found in the 296 GT3 race car, albeit with different engine mappings and electronic controllers. It’s mated to an F1-derived battery and a 200kW hybrid system that, significantly, doesn’t need to adhere to the ACO’s strict hypercar regulations.
While the racecar proper can only deploy its hybrid power beyond speeds of 190km/h (118mph) to achieve performance parity with LMDh cars, the Modificata can power the front axle from a standstill. That gives it increased traction and torque out of corners and a smoother power delivery.
After ‘unlocking’ the potential of the hybrid system, Ferrari engineers spent time calibrating the power delivery of both axles. And just like the race car, it can recover energy through braking.
Give me some specs
Overall power is up to 858bhp, but the 499P Modificata has a further trick up its sleeve: a push to pass button – just like one you’d find in the F1 car – gives the driver a further 161bhp of power for seven seconds at a time.
A focus on drivability
The Modificata will run on bespoke Pirellis rather than the ACO-mandated Michelins of the race car. Featuring F1-derived tech, the key focus has again been on driveability and handling feedback – as well as a reduction in warm-up times and degradation. The ethos is simple: trade some peak performance for usable, predictable performance.
The suspension system has been overhauled too; the Modificata will still use a state-of-the-art pushrod solution but it’ll now be more drivable and predictable. After all, this isn’t designed to be a race car, but a taste of what a 2023 Hypercar can do.
Finally, the drivers’ seat has been widened to better accommodate the different, more varied body shapes of Ferrari’s prospective Sport Prototipi clients.
How much?
The 499P Modificata is the first chapter in Ferrari’s new Sport Prototipi Clienti program, and will run parallel to the F1 Clienti program. Throw in the Ferrari Challenge too, and there are now a few routes into the inner circles of the Scuderia – providing you have the cash.
The 499P Modificata experience can be yours for €5.1 million before tax, though that includes two years of proper track support: at Ferrari organised events, Modificata owners will have a track and team of mechanics at their disposal.
Each chassis will be made new and not adapted from any existing race or testing tubs, and Ferrari hasn’t put a number on how many it’ll sell. Expect lots of vetting though, the 499P Modificata – although not intended for competition – still uses technology from the race car, and Ferrari will be keen for it to remain a secret.