The 2014 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is now in the history books, and already rumors are swirling about the future of the event. After winning the GTE Pro Class at the weekend, the latest buzz is that Ferrari might be planning a return to the top class at Le Mans. Even more intriguing is the suggestion that the legendary team would leave Formula 1 to mount the full-on attack. In a Wall Street Journal report, Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo has voiced his displeasure with the current state of F1 and talked about the potential of sports car racing. The presence of Fernando Alonso as the starter at Le Mans this weekend hasn’t helped to dispel the rumors either.
While there’s no official word on the company’s future racing plans or whether they would actually leave the F1 grid – this move would certainly shake up the motorsport world in a big way.
So tell us, would you like to see Ferrari competing with Porsche and Audi at Le Mans, or should the legendary red cars stay in Formula 1 forever?
Mike Garrett
Instagram: speedhunters_mike
mike@speedhunters.com
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
That would be awesome
WEC will need to feature more races! Bring it on!
Le Mans all the way, at least that might make F1 wake up
I doubt Ferrari will leave F1 any time soon, maybe in 5/6years time if they carry on with their current lack of success, but not right now. Firstly it's one of their biggest marketing schemes and secondly they get paid more than any other F1 team for competing. The money they get paid is based on their 'historic' status, if they left they would likely lose that forever so it doesn't really make much sense for them to throw their toys out of the pram over some rules. Besides which, they're complaining about the current rules around hybrids and fuel consumption in F1, yet all the P1 cars in WEC use hybrids, and they've also introduced large fuel saving rules this year.
I do hope they join the WEC grid though, watching Audi, Porsche, Toyota and Ferrari battle it out would be fantastic.
No doubt Ferrari will stay in F1. Bernie gives them good money. It's just another story for masses.
Robo_No1 the process of saving fuel is different. On WEC you have a amount of energy to use per lap. On F1 it is per race.
back 14 (ish) years ago I remember Ferrari making a lot of noise about forming a break away formula 1 premiership with other teams, the reason was they didn't like the plan to move to V8's (it could of even been to V10's it was a long time ago for me!) - they had concerns that the move was "castrating the fastest teams" - cue some bitter fighting talk, a lot of drama and then? - nothing. Ferarri know that leaving the F1 formula would be a bullet to their own heads- the Italian fans would riot. I want to see Ferrari in WEC, but I don't think it will be at the expense of their F1 team. To keep Alonso though, they may need to put him in a different car and formula so he can get a win and stay happy in the red suit and car.
How about another past winner like Mclaren joining in too? You can just see them racing in the LMP1 class and also competing in the GTE class with P1LM...
That's why I'd like to see Ferrari do it, because other teams/ex teams will see a high marque like that re-enter as a red rag to a bull, pulling those other teams/ex teams in, more money in the sport, more teams in the sport all add up to more excitement on the track (P1LMS would be a dream come true!)
Just to add, I don't think Ferrari liked the word "budget" either back then and that words been popping up again in F1 which I'm sure adds to their bemoaning currently.
that would be an interesting concept. Their cars would be running in GT, and i assume a "FULL BLOWN" attemp would mean LMP1.
So is there more future for Ferrari to develop cross over technology, in platforms that are road going vehicles? (GT)
IS that greater incentive that the state of f!?
Me thinks so!
I think that Ferrari must stay at F1! Ferrari is only team that has participated in all Grand Prix, but i realy want to see Ferrari in Le Mans.
Ferrari are going nowhere, they've got the resources to do both, they've done it before though it was a long time ago. It's just Luca angling for an even bigger slice of the pie than Ferrari already get.
Have a read of this, if anyone is interested about how prize money is divided in F1:
http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/how-now-to-lose-gracefully/
I would love to see a full-tilt attempt at LMP1, though. Especially if it brings others along with it. Audi have had it their own way for far too long now, despite how exciting the races have been before teams have retired and handed it to them.
Di Montezemolo dismissed this last week. "Pure speculation" he called it.
Lovely shot of the Can-AM 330 p4 though
First, I do not think for a moment that Ferrari will ever leave F1.
It's been there from the day one and that record is worth all the cups of the Le Mans put together.
Secondly, Ferrari in Le Mans in LMP1 class will be awesome, but not likely. They will not benefit from a wining car that looks like an UFO neither in the street cars or in the F1 cars.
So I think that they will remain at wining GTE-Pro Class and, hopefully F1 in the future.
Highly unlikely move but it would be pretty interesting. I'm not huge fan of current F1 scene and I do prefer sports car racing.
Ferrari will leave F1 the day F1 no longer exists. Luca is delusional and he's only trying to stir up controversy and leverage against the current engine rules because theirs is heavily underperforming.
Don't ever pay any attention to anything that comes out of that guy's mouth. He always has an agenda.
BTW, Luca waved the flag for the start of last year's Le Mans. Were these rumors going around then? Not that I know of, and presumably because Ferrari were still competitive with the old, better sounding (IMO) V8s.
It would be nice to see them on Le Mans but they are not going to leave F1 because their business is there, and besides, Ecclestone won't allow this to happen because most of the fans of F1 are fans of Ferrari.
Le Mans
They need to race at Le Mans next year. Just because I'll be there and so will Nissan in P1. A P1 class with Nissan, Toyota, Porsche, Audi and Ferrari would be amazing.
Renault is also rumored to have a LMP1 car for next years race, with their current f1 engine in it.
I see nothing wrong with them moving to le mans. F1 isnt what it used to be.
That would be awesome! I Just feel like F1 is killing themselves with all these rules and regulations. I just get the feeling F1 is being all too controlling with the rules
LE MANS! While the FIA and Uncle Bernie have a chokehold on development in F1, they actually encourage it in the WEC. sure, they have fuel/energy consumption limits, but the fact that the Toyota, Porsche, Audi, independent teams all run different configurations of not only engines but hybrid systems is amazing. and they all worked! had the safety cars come out at the right time, that race to the finish would have been one for the ages. and to top it all off, the GTE Pro class was some of the most exciting I've ever watched! Im excited for the future of the WEC / LM24 and the Tudor Sports Car Championship, especially with Nissan coming aboard, to which I say I wont be the least bit surprised to see a Renault F1 "power unit" involved. Factory Backed teams are what sports car racing and the motorsports world as a whole need badly.
I can't see Formula 1 without Ferrari, I just can't. I can see any other marque leaving, but no, not them.
That being said, 2015 LeMans, with a shootout between Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, Toyota and Nissan just may be the most exciting prospect in 30 years. Add in some more firepower to the GTE class and it'll easily be the biggest ticket on the race calendar.
How many factories can LeMans support for LMP1? I want all of them, but surely the nature of the race was to have the LMP2 and GTE Pro/AM classes out as well... could this be the reduction of the other classes in the field? I'm sure the Audi #3 wouldn't complain after all.
Should Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, Toyota and Nissan (Renault) battle it out in the top class though? I'm actually excited by the idea of it... I want Ford to come in with a redesigned GT too... Mazda with a 797? Mercedes, BMW! My head would explode if it could keep going this way.
Unfortunately, this could just be the Italian ego (no offence Dino) saying that if they can't win, they'll just take their ball and go home.
Yes lemans has soul....f1. Is. Too quiet now
If Ferrari does actually decide to leave F1 then maybe it'll make FIA rethink their regulations. I'd like to see Chevrolet get into LMP1 also.
Is Luca Di Montezemolo's displeasure with the current state of F1 entirely due to the fact that Ferrari are doing literally nothing of any note at the moment?
I'd be willing to bet it is.
It would make me pretty bummed if Ferrari left F1, but I'd have nothing against seeing them run in the LMP1 class. If I had to pick between the two, I'd choose F1, just because there's so much history there.
Ferrari do this every couple of years, generally when the regulations aren't to their liking, or they want to renegotiate their share of the TV income. They did it when the turbo four cylinder engine regulations were floated, they're doing it now, and they'll do it again.
They may very well enter Le Mans, but Ferrari will never leave F1. It's just politics and mind games.
Hotcakes yyep
Hotcakes I wish they would leave. But they wont they are too ({'}) to do so.
Shut the hell up Ferrari/Luca. You already get special treatment from the FIA with your veto and automatic cut of the championship prize money each year before the pie gets divided among the constructor standings.
They have a political, financial, and driver edge (two proven Driver Champs, no other team has that amount of talent combination). Yet those stupid inefficient upper management stiffs in Maranello can't produce a competitive car because the culture at Ferrari is to stifle creativity in their staff, rather than promote it.
James Allison, who led the design of the best performance to budget ratio car last season (Lotus E21), was recently poached by Ferrari and even he cannot produce results because he's alluded in the media that creativity basically goes to die at Ferrari. They even supposedly brought Rory Byrne out of retirement to help in the development of the F14 T this year and look what good that's done. I'm sure they let him contribute so long as his hands were tied behind his back at the drawing table. For God's sake.
I've been watching F1 since the early 2000's when MS was dominating. I didn't realize it then but Ferrari had always gotten special treatment, and while it doesn't take away from their accomplishments during that dynasty, it does cast a shadow given their unfair competitive advantage in those years (particularly in testing and their bespoke Bridgestone tires built for them). I never heard them complaining then.
I really could care less if Ferrari simply disappear from F1. They have pedigree/history, sure, but they also lack relevance these days, especially under Luca's watch. it's sad that Domenicalli had to fall on the sword, when it's really DiMonzeMOANo's fault. I'm glad they weren't able to poach Newey from Red Bull because I have a feeling not even Newey could get things sorted out.
I love the comments majority of the well versed F1 people are giving. Ferrari heads are displeased with their cars and want to find an "easy" way out. That's right, blame the new rules. According to Ron Dennis...spend the money and catch up cause complaining won't make a difference. When the teams have rules favouring them everything is all fine and dandy.
BTW...Chris Nuggets i agree with you 100%. They can go along their merry way
Either some want it or not, Ferrari is F1 and F1 is Ferrari. That's the way it was and that is exactly the way is going to be. Today's F1 has become a bad joke and the people who are responsible for this mess should leave the sport and find another occupation. i was planning Monza this year but when i first heard the sound of the cars I changed my mind. I went to LeMans and i enjoyed RACING. I really hope LDM slaps them in the face and leave this UGLY F1.
We're getting our asses kicked in F1. Obviously F1 sucks. Let's move to Le Mans...
I would love to see Ferrari back at le mans. Porsche and Ferrari at each others throats again... amazing!
they should take on both , cuz they've got the money.
I think it would be sad to see Ferrari leave F1, after all, they founded the damn thing. But they never really were successful at Le Mans, not after the GTOs and 330 P4, so I guess it could be interesting. But Toyota, Audi and Porsche are so ahead of the game at the moment, I don't see how Ferrari could beat them ... Wait and see
I found something interesting
they should take both, F1 is Ferrari's "original habitat". But they also good in LM.
mtammekand1989 Heard rumours that could be an LMP, or merely a test mule for their F1 PU
Anyone know what the car is in the header? 412?
Go to LM and then Lamborghini needs to grow some balls and get a car together for it too!!
LoganSpaans Lamborghini is owned by the Audi portion of the Volkswagen Group (VAG). If the VAG feels like Lamborghini needs to win Le Mans to boost its credibility they'd simply put some Lamborghini logos on an R18 prototype with a few aerodynamic changes, win LeMans and then retire the program like they did with Bentley. Lamborghini does not need to "grow some balls" unless they are a stand alone company.
MilesHayler mtammekand1989 Another rumour: This might be an LaFerrari FXX.
I'd love to see it, and see how it affects their production line....I remember a day when their consumer cars resembled their race cars....now it just seems like two different worlds.
I've seen their top line stuff, like F40, F50 and Enzo, and wondered how they'd fair with that much technology in a race car.....FXX project, for example. It's time for Ferrari to show their stuff at another discipline...like they used to.
worker bee LoganSpaans a lambo-styled R18 would definitely be an interesting thought
nugundam93 worker bee LoganSpaans You know what? You're right!
Chris Nuggets ouch ouch ouch and ouch..hahahaha i dont think the tifosis can bare to watch their aristocratic horsies getting slain by the Japs. they should just stick to Formula1 and its pathetic,filthy politics. Le Mans is pure racing to the core, not a circus ran by an idiotic old fart who is bidding his days to get comfy with his coffin,*bernie fuckleston, Ecclestone-sorry. Circuit De La Sarthe has become uncharted territory for the Scuderia, ever since Ford handed their royal ass back to Modena.
If Ferrari leaves the F1, it is the end for this competition. Many other teams will follow them out.
The WEC is more spectacular, and cars have closer performances.
And an LMP1 is faster than an F1!!
David Togheishop On what planet is an LMP1 car faster than an F1 car? On a straight, maybe, maybe, over a lap absolutely not!
F1 needs Ferrari way more than Ferrari needs F1, Ferrari will still be the most noted marque in the world with or without F1. Their road cars sell themselves globally among their rabid fanbase.
F1 has become completely unrecognisable from 2014 after many years of trying and i think a move to endurance racing would reinvigorate Ferrari because they'd have some freedom in their designs rather than the straight jacket that is F1.
I desperately hope this does come to be and that fans continue to drop F1 so the FIA can see how they've ruined what was the best sport in the world.
Ferrari are a bunch of cry babies. The last time there were turbos in f1 they got their asses handed to them because all they've ever produced to that point was big v12s. And after turbos proved to be incredibly dangerous, unreliable and overpowering, ferrari got their wish when f1 went back to N/A in 1989. Now, post-schumacher they no longer control the politics of F1 and f1 went back to turbos which ferrari sucks at it so they're throwing a tantrum like a child about leaving f1 and hoping the FIA will listen because they're the only team that has competed in f1 since it was created.
And yes i know ferrari did a great job with turbos on the F40, it is an amazing car. But building a turbo super car versus being consistently competitive with turbos on a racing level is 2 completely different things. And also NONE of their road cars have been boosted since. Even the LaFerrari is big v12.