Ferrari has completed another two days of testing with potential 2027 upgrades for its 499P Hypercar at the Circuit of The Americas as development of its next Evo package continues.
The Italian manufacturer remained at COTA following its victory in the Lone Star Le Mans, using Tuesday and Wednesday to assess a range of technical solutions that could form part of the 499P’s first major Evo joker update since the middle of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship season.
James Calado, Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen and Yifei Ye all took part in the Texas programme, which included running with both Ferrari’s camouflage-liveried development car and the current-specification 499P. For Calado, Nielsen and Ye, the test marked their first opportunity to drive the 2027 development mule.
Ferrari continues evaluation of 2027 499P upgrades
The COTA running represented Ferrari’s second dedicated test of potential 2027 updates after the manufacturer first put its revised 499P through its paces at Monza.
Ferrari has yet to finalise exactly which developments it will homologate for next season. Instead, the manufacturer continues evaluating different aerodynamic and technical configurations before deciding which changes offer the greatest benefit.
Its initial Monza programme featured Fuoco alongside Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi and Miguel Molina. Ferrari described that phase as an opportunity to assess a wide range of solutions while keeping several options open before final homologation.
Fuoco therefore becomes the only driver involved in both development tests so far, while Calado, Nielsen and Ye expanded the pool of factory drivers able to provide feedback on the revised package at COTA.
Current and development-spec 499Ps both run in Texas
Ferrari also ran a current-specification 499P during the two-day session, allowing the team to compare its existing race package directly against the potential 2027 developments.
That comparison should prove important as Ferrari determines which changes justify the use of its available Evo jokers. Under Hypercar regulations, manufacturers can introduce a limited number of homologated performance updates during the life of a car, making the selection of each development particularly significant.
Ferrari has used only one such joker since the 499P debuted in 2023. The manufacturer revised its brake ducts during the middle of the 2024 season, while aerodynamic changes introduced ahead of 2026 did not require another joker because they formed part of the car’s rehomologation process.
The planned 2027 package is therefore expected to represent the most extensive evolution of the 499P since the car entered competition.
COTA test follows Ferrari’s first 2026 victory
Ferrari remained in Texas immediately after claiming its first WEC victory of the season at the Lone Star Le Mans.
Fuoco, Molina and Nielsen won with the #50 Ferrari after Toyota’s #7 suffered a hydraulic problem during the closing stages. The result ended Ferrari’s longest WEC winless run and gave the defending Manufacturers’ champion an important boost during a difficult title defence.
Ferrari also demonstrated strong pace throughout the COTA weekend. Giovinazzi put the #51 on pole after matching Cadillac’s Jack Aitken to the thousandth of a second, while the factory 499Ps had already occupied the top two positions during opening practice.
The victory moved Ferrari to third in the Manufacturers’ Championship and reduced the gap to Toyota and BMW ahead of the final three rounds of the season.
However, Ferrari’s 2027 development programme predates its more difficult 2026 campaign rather than representing a direct reaction to its current championship position. The manufacturer had already outlined plans for a substantial evolution of the 499P earlier in the year.
Ferrari plans busy autumn testing programme
The COTA session forms only one part of an extensive testing schedule Ferrari has planned for the remainder of the year.
Its next development outing will take place at Fuji Speedway on 29 September, two days after the 6 Hours of Fuji. That will allow Ferrari to continue testing at the Japanese circuit immediately after completing another WEC race weekend.
The programme will then move to Silverstone on 7 October before another session at Barcelona on 20 October. The latter comes shortly after WEC makes its first visit to the Spanish venue.
Running at several circuits with different characteristics should give Ferrari a broader picture of how its proposed developments perform across a range of conditions before it commits to the final specification.
Fuji combines a long straight with a technical final sector, while Silverstone places greater emphasis on high-speed aerodynamic performance. Barcelona should provide another varied reference as Ferrari attempts to ensure its update delivers benefits across the full WEC calendar rather than at one specific type of circuit.
2027 package could mark biggest 499P revision yet
Ferrari revealed earlier in 2026 that it intended to make a major update to the 499P for next season, potentially using multiple Evo jokers as part of the programme.
Head of Endurance Race Cars Ferdinando Cannizzo said during Le Mans week that the manufacturer was preparing its largest revision of the car since its 2023 debut. At the time, Ferrari was considering using three performance jokers, although the final number and exact nature of the changes remain subject to the continuing testing programme.
The Monza and COTA tests therefore represent evaluation stages rather than confirmation of a finished 2027 car.
Ferrari has used camouflage on the development mule to obscure some of the visible changes, particularly around areas where aerodynamic revisions could provide clues about the final package.
That approach allows the manufacturer to test several configurations before deciding which elements will form part of the homologated Evo specification.
Ferrari balances current title fight with future development
The development work comes while Ferrari remains firmly involved in the 2026 championship battle.
After winning both the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles in 2025, the marque entered this season attempting to defend both crowns. Its campaign has proved more challenging, with Toyota and BMW establishing themselves at the front during the opening five rounds.
Victory at COTA has nevertheless brought Ferrari back towards the leading pair at a crucial stage of the season.
At the same time, its testing programme shows the manufacturer remains focused on longer-term competitiveness. Rather than waiting until the conclusion of the current campaign, Ferrari is developing its next evolution while continuing to race the present specification.
The next test at Fuji will continue that process immediately after Round 6, before Silverstone and Barcelona provide further opportunities to refine the package.
Ferrari has yet to confirm the final specification of its 2027 499P, but with two dedicated development tests now completed and several more already scheduled, the manufacturer is steadily narrowing its options ahead of the biggest planned update to the Hypercar since its debut.
