A technical infringement discovered during post-race scrutineering saw the No.50 Ferrari 499P disqualified from 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours, reshuffling the final classification.
The decision, confirmed late Monday by race stewards, has sent shockwaves through the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) paddock and significantly altered the championship landscape.
The No.50 AF Corse Ferrari driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen, had crossed the line in fourth place, just 29.666 seconds behind the race-winning Ferrari and a mere 1.179 seconds away from the podium.
However, a breach of the technical regulations concerning the car’s rear wing support has resulted in the car’s exclusion from the final results, stripping the trio of valuable championship points and casting a shadow over their title hopes.
The technical infringement centered on the rear wing support of the No.50 Ferrari 499P. During the routine post-race inspection officials found that the rear wing deflected 52 millimeters under load—far exceeding the 15-millimeter maximum allowed under Article 3.8.7 of the LMH class technical regulations.
The substantial deviation was traced to the absence of four bolts from the rear wing assembly, a critical component designed to maintain the structural integrity and aerodynamic performance of the car.
Ferrari engineers explained that the bolts had come loose during the race and while a mechanic noticed the absence of one bolt during the car’s final pit stop, the team opted not to replace it.
The team’s defense hinged on the assertion that the missing bolts were the sole cause of the excessive deflection and that telemetry data did not indicate any meaningful change in the car’s speed.
Nevertheless, the stewards were unconvinced noting that the No.50 Ferrari achieved its highest top speed on lap 380 of the 387-lap race, suggesting a potential performance advantage due to reduced aerodynamic drag.
The official documents revealed that the Ferrari 499Ps were clocked at 349 km/h (217 mph), outpacing their closest rivals, including the Porsche and Toyota entries.
The report further highlighted the safety implications of the missing bolts, stating that “the irregular and incomplete assembly of the rear wing support presents a risk of structural failure under high-speed stress or fatigue, which cannot be overlooked.”
The non-compliance with the homologated specification of the car, combined with the excessive rear wing deflection, constituted a clear breach of the technical regulations getting the No.50 Ferrari 499P disqualified.
The ramifications of the disqualification are significant for both the team and the championship. The No. 50 Ferrari’s exclusion from 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours final classification promotes the No. 12 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by Norman Nato, Alex Lynn, and Will Stevens to fourth place.
MORE WEC:
2025 Le Mans 24 Hours Race Results
No. 6 Penske Porsche disqualified for Le Mans weight infringement
Kubica, Ye and Hanson claim Le Mans 24 Hours victory for AF Corse Ferrari
The No. 7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid also moves up to fifth, with all subsequent classified competitors advancing one position.
For Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen, the loss of fourth place and the accompanying 30 championship points is a devastating blow.
Prior to the disqualification, the trio sat 24 points behind the No. 51 Ferrari crew of James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and Antonio Giovinazzi in the WEC standings.
The gap has now doubled to 48 points, severely diminishing their hopes of mounting a title challenge in the remaining rounds of the season.
