Ferrari will aim to conclude its challenging 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) campaign with victory at the 6 Hours of Monza on 6–8 November. Having lost its Hypercar Manufacturers’ Championship to Toyota following the penultimate round in Barcelona, the Italian manufacturer now hopes to secure a strong result in front of its home supporters.
The Prancing Horse enters the season finale with just one victory in 2026, a considerable contrast to its dominant 2025 campaign. However, a podium finish for Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen in Spain has provided renewed momentum as Ferrari attempts to overtake BMW for second in the Manufacturers’ standings.
Ferrari looks to recover from challenging 2026 campaign
Ferrari entered 2026 as the defending Hypercar Manufacturers’ champion, having won the opening four races of the previous season. However, the Italian manufacturer’s title defence has proved considerably more difficult, with Toyota emerging as the dominant force.
The No. 50 Ferrari 499P secured the marque’s only victory of the campaign at Circuit of The Americas, where Fuoco, Molina and Nielsen capitalised on a late retirement for the leading No. 7 Toyota.
The Japanese manufacturer’s hydraulic problems handed Ferrari an unexpected opportunity, allowing Nielsen to secure victory at Lone Star Le Mans and end its winless run.
Nevertheless, Ferrari could not maintain that momentum during the subsequent round at Fuji, while Toyota strengthened its championship position.
The Manufacturers’ title was ultimately decided at Barcelona, where Toyota completed a dominant one-two finish to secure its eighth WEC crown.
Despite losing the championship, Ferrari remains involved in the battle for second, with its Barcelona performance helping reduce BMW’s advantage ahead of Monza.
Molina and Fuoco celebrate Barcelona podium
Ferrari’s strongest performance in Barcelona came from the No. 50 crew, with Molina, Nielsen and Fuoco securing third behind the two Toyotas.
Starting eighth, Molina made considerable progress during the opening stages, climbing to fourth before moving into second. However, Nyck de Vries subsequently overtook the Spaniard in the No. 7 Toyota, establishing the Japanese manufacturer’s one-two advantage.
Nielsen and Fuoco maintained competitive pace throughout the remaining stints, eventually securing the final podium position. The trio finished 39.725 seconds behind the winning Toyota, emerging as the strongest challengers to the Japanese manufacturer.
For Molina, the Barcelona podium carried additional significance as he competed on home soil.
“It was a great weekend, made all the more special by the excitement of racing at home and achieving this positive result,” Molina explained. “Getting on the podium in Barcelona was a dream of mine, and I’m delighted to have made it come true.”
Fuoco also welcomed the result, while emphasising Ferrari’s ambition to improve further at Monza.
“We managed to make the most of everything at our disposal, which is certainly a positive,” Fuoco added. “Now, we need to focus on the final race at Monza, with the aim of doing even better. Racing in Italy for the second time this season will be special for us. We expect a fantastic atmosphere in the grandstands, with our tifosi cheering us on, and we’ll do our best to put on a great show!”
No. 51 Ferrari suffers difficult Barcelona race
While the No. 50 crew secured a podium, the sister No. 51 Ferrari of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi endured a considerably more difficult race.
The reigning Hypercar Drivers’ champions started 14th but initially made progress through the field. Calado recovered to fourth before excessive tyre wear and a penalty for a Safety Car infringement compromised the crew’s chances.
The No. 51 eventually finished 15th, three laps behind the winning Toyota, leaving the team without points and ending its remaining Drivers’ Championship ambitions.
Ferrari’s Head of Endurance Race Cars, Ferdinando Cannizzo, acknowledged the contrasting results while highlighting the difficulties affecting the No. 51.
“I believe the team maximised the result in the conditions we faced,” Cannizzo explained. “With car #50, we managed to secure an important podium finish, but the race for #51 was severely affected by a tyre-related issue that arose after a strong comeback had allowed us to climb to fourth. That problem compromised the end result.
“We are now looking ahead to the final race of the season with determination and the aim of being more competitive. We will work towards this goal together with the entire team.”
The result also allowed the No. 50 crew to move ahead of its teammates in the Drivers’ standings, completing a contrasting afternoon for Ferrari’s two factory entries.
Ferrari targets BMW in Manufacturers’ Championship
Although Toyota has already secured the Manufacturers’ Championship, Ferrari still has an opportunity to finish second.
BMW enters Monza with 154 points, while Ferrari follows on 130, leaving the Italian manufacturer 24 points behind. With a maximum of 44 available during the final round, Ferrari remains mathematically capable of overturning the deficit.
However, achieving that result will require both 499Ps to deliver competitive performances, particularly after the No. 51’s difficulties in Barcelona.
Ferrari’s Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti, Antonello Coletta, welcomed the No. 50’s return to the podium while acknowledging the work required ahead of Monza.
“We were pleased to be back on the podium with the #50 499P, achieving a very positive result that made up for the difficult trip to Japan,” Coletta explained. “Unfortunately, the #51 encountered some issues and was forced off-strategy, leaving it well outside of the points. Now, we’re focusing on Monza, with the aim of putting together the best possible race and achieving a great result in front of the Italian tifosi.”
Ferrari will therefore aim to build on its Barcelona performance while improving the consistency of both entries during the final weekend.
Monza offers Ferrari opportunity to finish season strongly
The 6 Hours of Monza will provide Ferrari with another opportunity to compete on home soil, following the season-opening race at Imola.
The Italian manufacturer has previous experience with the 499P at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, having secured a podium finish during the car’s first appearance at the circuit in 2023.
Furthermore, five of Ferrari’s six factory Hypercar drivers have previously achieved podium finishes at Monza in GT competition, providing valuable experience ahead of the six-hour contest.
However, the manufacturer faces a considerable challenge against Toyota, which has won every WEC season finale since 2017 and arrives following consecutive victories at Fuji and Barcelona.
For Ferrari, the immediate objectives remain securing its second victory of 2026 and reducing BMW’s advantage in the Manufacturers’ standings.
With the championship already decided, the Italian outfit will focus on maximising its performance across both cars as it looks to conclude a difficult season with a competitive result in front of its home supporters.
