With only a few more days to go before the start of the iconic 24H of Le Mans we had a nice chat with Ferrari 499P driver Antonio Giovinazzi who told us how he’s preparing for the most important race of the World Endurance Championship.
Antonio Giovinazzi is a well known name in the paddock. Born in 1993 in Martina Franca, a small town in the south of Italy, he is one of the greatest Italian drivers of his generation and has already driven quite a few different cars. His career started back in 2006, when he started karting: “I’m very proud of that little kid who used to go karting when he was little. He has come a long way from where he started, with lots of sacrifices that, in the end, were definitely paid back.” says Antonio, with his voice softening as his mind travels back to those days. He tells us that his racing idol was Michael Schumacher, seven times Formula 1 World Champion and Ferrari driver; now he’s the one driving for Ferrari both in Formula 1, as a reserve and development driver, and in the World Endurance Championship, where he’s at the wheel of the Hypercar 499P.
An Italian driver for Ferrari is something special, especially in this historical moment for the Scuderia as it’s back in the higher class of endurance racing after a 50-years-absence. When asked how it feels to be driving for Ferrari in such an iconic time, Antonio’s first word is “proud”.
“It’s a lot of work as it’s a new car with a new team […] Ferrari is an icon wherever it races, despite the category or the class because of its legacy. The pressure is higher than it is for the others, we have to work twice as hard to make sure we get the results that everyone wants and make the Tifosi happy and proud ”
Driving in WEC: the start of a new era
After his journey in the minor formula series he became driver for Alfa Romeo Racing in Formula 1 - where he stayed for three seasons - and debuted in the endurance world, competing in a couple of rounds of the World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 and GT classes. He also raced in Formula E during the 2022 season and was finally announced as an Hypercar driver for Ferrari at the beginning of 2023. We can definitely say that despite his young age Giovinazzi is a very experienced driver having raced in so many different categories and that’s what also helped him in getting familiar with the 499P, Ferrari’s first ever Hypercar:
“My experience in Formula 1 is helping me a bit with the understanding of the Hypercar, mostly because of its technical similarity with the hybrid engine. Apart from that it’s a completely different category, what doesn’t change it’s my mindset: the way that I train, prepare my laps or communicate with my engineer is the same.”
Antonio is currently busy in the World Endurance Championship at the wheel of the Ferrari 499P, the Scuderia’s first beast in the Hypercar class; the project has been prepared for many years by the whole Competizioni GT area to make sure that the car would’ve been able to win right from the start. The Tifosi had the chance to see the 499P for the first time on track at the 2022 Ferrari World Finals in Imola, where Antonio’s teammate, Alessandro Pier Guidi took it out on track for everyone to see. Giovinazzi, on the other hand, had already driven it during the first shakedowns - just like his teammates. “At the beginning I felt a bit claustrophobic as the cockpit is very small and hot but as soon as I got out on track and felt the speed and its aerodynamics working it was amazing”.
If there's something that Antonio thinks that's different it's definitely his approach: "I know that by driving a Ferrari I can fight for the podium at least, for a win... that's the difference". Driving for Ferrari, as he previously said, is both a pride and a responsibilty, as the pressure is at its highest.
As endurance racing requires more than one driver per car, Antonio is sharing the #51 499P with Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado, the two current GTE World Champions. Despite not being used to sharing the car anymore - as he raced only in single seaters during his last few seasons - he says that he’s happy about his two teammates as they both proved to be very strong drivers and won many titles together.
“Working with two teammates is really awesome. In the other categories you do have a teammate but it’s also your first opponent on track. Here you can really feel the teamwork”.
The start of the 2023 season wasn’t really kind to Antonio and his teammates: Sebring was a real challenge with a new car, no tire warmers and its pretty bumpy track. Despite a discrete performance in qualifying, the #51 had to return to its garage after a few hours of racing as it was involved in a crash while overtaking slower cars, losing a ton of time and crossing the finish line only seventh. The second round in Portimao wasn’t less harsh on Giovinazzi’s squad, who had brake problems throughout the whole race that made their stints harder and harder. Finally redemption came on the iconic Circuit of Spa Francorchamps, where Antonio - after almost clinching the pole position - and his teammates were able to stay out of trouble and jump on the third step of the podium after a thrilling, but challenging, race. “It’s been a bit difficult but we must learn from our mistakes and try to improve and grow.”
Full focus on Le Mans, "my biggest goal this year is do well there"
Next up on the WEC calendar is the most wonderful race of it all: the 24H of Le Mans. It’s the dream of many drivers but the reality of only a few: “Of course our full focus is on Le Mans. It will be the second time for me so I’ll take a bit of experience from my last edition” says Antonio, as he drove the 2018 edition at the wheel of a Ferrari 488 in the GTE class, “It’s a very long race and I’ll need a different mindset from when I drove it back in 2018."
“I remember watching basically only in the rear mirrors to check if faster cars were approaching, while this year I’ll have to deal with what’s in front only” he proudly says.
Racing for 24 hours is something pretty crazy and even if a driver doesn't spend all the time in the car he still has to be focused and watch his teammates driving. The clock is ticking and in 10 days the lights will go out at La Sarthe: the stakes are high and the pressure even more.
“Racing at Le Mans is always special and I simply cannot wait” says Antonio and we couldn’t agree more, wishing him the best for his first Le Mans at the wheel of a Hypercar.
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