Ferrari LMP1 Le Mans 24 Hours bid a matter of time
Ferrari will return to the Le Mans 24 Hours in pursuit of outright victory "sooner or later", according to company president Luca di Montezemolo


Di Montezemolo has admitted that Ferrari is already developing technology that could find a home in a car built to next year's LMP1 rulebook and powered by a version of its new 1.6-litre V6 turbo engine.
AUTOSPORT revealed Ferrari's interest in a new Le Mans programme last month.
"We are working on some technology innovation that we are testing at the moment, so this is the first time in which, theoretically, there could be the possibility of thinking about Le Mans," he said.
"There have been a few weeks where I have begun to think of the possibility, if the rules go in the right direction that I expect, maybe to do sooner or later Le Mans with a Ferrari car to win."
The latest comments from di Montezemolo suggests that Ferrari's evaluations of the 2014 LMP1 rulebook are further down the line that his own previous remarks or those of Antonella Coletta, who runs the marque's non-Formula 1 programmes.
F1 BUDGET CAP BOOSTS LMP1 CHANCE
Di Montezemolo explained that the F1 budget cap, which is due to be introduced for 2015, could give Ferrari the capacity to undertake an LMP1 programme in the World Endurance Championship, which includes Le Mans.

"I cannot say to 100 people, go away and find a job, so this could be also a possibility to have some of my people to work in this direction," he said.
The first factory Ferrari prototype programme since 1973 (pictured) would not be possible before 2016, di Montezemolo said.
New regulations for F1 and LMP1 that come into force next year both allow for an increase in the amount of energy that can be retrieved by the cars' hybrid systems.
The new P1 coupes from Audi and Porsche retrieve energy from exhaust gases using the similar technology to the Motor Generator Unit - Heat systems to be used in F1 next year.

DTM champion Mike Rockenfeller won't race at Le Mans in 2014
Risi Competizione set to return to Le Mans 24 Hours

Latest news
Double F1 race winner Jean Pierre Jabouille has died
Former French Formula 1 driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille has died on Thursday at age 80, French media have reported.
IMSA champion Jarvis to contest full ELMS season with United Autosports
Reigning IMSA Sportscar Championship title-winner Oliver Jarvis will contest the European Le Mans Series with United Autosports alongside Formula 2 convert Marino Sato, in addition to the World Endurance Championship.
20 years on: Porsche’s 911 GT Daytona 24 Hours giant-killing relived
IMSA’s new GTP class for LMDh cars had a more auspicious debut last weekend than the Daytona Prototypes that arrived in 2003. Back then, they were humbled by a GT Porsche 911, which won the Floridian sportscar classic by nine laps.
Entries open for the 2023 Williams Autosport Engineer of the Future Award story
Entries have opened for the 2023 Williams Autosport Engineer of the Future Award, with budding motorsport engineers invited to apply for the revamped prize.
Why the WEC should make space for modern garagistes in 2023
OPINION: There is plenty of excitement over the glut of manufacturers tackling the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship this season. The selection committee is set to face headaches over who it decides to admit and who gets turned away from the 2023 entry list, but history tells us that the smaller entrants have a place
Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022
The season just gone was a memorable one for many of our staff writers, who are fortunate enough to cover motorsport around the world. Here are our picks of the best (and in some cases, most eventful) from 2022
Is Qatar the price motorsport fans have to pay?
OPINION: Fresh from hosting a controversial 2022 football World Cup, Qatar has added its name to the 2024 World Endurance Championship calendar. Although questions may be asked about its presence on the calendar, is it simply the price to pay for having a healthy racing championship?
How Toyota defeated Alpine for the 2022 WEC title
Toyota #8 trio Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa outscored their rivals in the last season before the World Endurance Championship’s top class gets ultra-competitive. Here's how their Hypercar battle with Alpine and the remaining class tussles played out in LMP2, GTE Pro and GTE Am
The long road to convergence for sportscar racing's new golden age
The organisers of the World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship worked together to devise the popular new LMDh rule set. But to turn it from an idea into reality, some serious compromises were involved - both from the prospective LMDh entrants and those with existing Le Mans Hypercar projects...
How Porsche's Le Mans legend changed the game
The 956 set the bar at the dawn of Group C 40 years ago, and that mark only rose higher through the 1980s, both in the world championship and in the US. It and its successor, the longer-wheelbase 962, were voted as Autosport's greatest sportscar in 2020 - here's why
Why BMW shouldn't be overlooked on its return to prototypes
OPINION: While the focus has been on the exciting prospect of Ferrari vs Porsche at the Le Mans 24 Hours next year, BMW’s factory return to endurance racing should not be ignored. It won't be at the French classic next year as it focuses efforts on the IMSA SportsCar Championship, but could be a dark horse in 2024 when it returns to La Sarthe with the crack WRT squad
The problem sausage kerbs continue to cause
Track limits are the problem that motorsport doesn't seem to be able to rid itself of. But the use of so-called 'sausage kerbs' as a deterrent has in several instances only served to worsen the problem, and a growing number of voices want to see action taken
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.