The Ferrari Hypercars will be back under the spotlight in Japan for the 6 Hours of Fuji, round six of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship.

Two months after the Monza race, when the number 50 Ferrari finished runner-up, the World Endurance Championship resumes with the season’s penultimate event on Sunday, September 10.

The 499Ps will be put through their paces at the Fuji International Speedway, the track on the slopes of the Japanese volcano of the same name, a 4.563-kilometre circuit where these Maranello-brand cars are yet to appear.

The layout of the track, featuring a long straight and alternating wide-radius bends such as the famous “100 R”, with others taken at low speeds, means the teams need to do a lot of fine-tuning to optimise the car’s performance in radically different sectors.

After five podiums in as many races, including a triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Ferrari – AF Corse team aims to win crucial points for its title challenge.

Miguel Molina driver of the 499P #50 said: “The objective for this 6 Hours will be the same as it is in every race: to fight for a top result that would mean valuable points towards the championship standings.

“I like this track because it includes a long straight that ends with a major braking section and very fast corners, so it offers several overtaking opportunities.

“It is also a track that reminds me of my first world champion triumph: that was the 2017 season when I took victory in the FIA WEC with the Ferrari 488 GTE shared alongside Thomas Flohr and Francesco Castellacci, in the LMGTE Am class: it was a big thrill.”

The Prancing Horse is second in the Manufacturers’ standings, 26 points behind Toyota, victory and pole position at the 6 Hours of Fuji and the 8 Hours of Bahrain are worth 65 points in total.

In the Drivers’ standings, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, who share the 499P number 51, are third, ahead of their number 50 Hypercar teammates Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen.

British James Calado, who drivers the 499P #51 said: “I’m happy to be back at the wheel of the 499P after two months: there are a couple of races left in this season, we are third in the standings and we want to pick up some precious points, so the aim is to climb onto the podium in Japan.

“In 2022 at Fuji with Alessandro (Pier Guidi, Ed.) we clinched a win that would prove fundamental at the end of the year for winning the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles in LMGTE Pro. I have wonderful memories of that weekend.

“What does Japan mean to me? I think Tokyo is a fantastic city and the people are very welcoming; a country where the passion for motorsport is as incredible as the affection they show towards us as Ferrari drivers.”

The two pairings lie 23 and 30 points respectively behind the championship leaders.

The race programme gives the teams two free practice sessions on Friday, 8 September, from 11 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 3.30 to 5 p.m.

On Saturday, September 9, after a the third free practice session from 10.20 to 11.20 a.m., qualifying from 3.30 to 3.45 p.m. decides the starting grid for the 6 Hours, which kicks off on Sunday, September 10 at 11 a.m. (all times are local).

The qualifying and the race can be followed live from the drivers’ perspective via the on-board cameras of the number 50 and 51 Hypercars, available on the official Ferrari YouTube channel.