Following an exhilarating late charge by Antonio Giovinazzi, the Ferrari AF Corse 499P, which he shares with teammates James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi, initially crossed the finish line in second place at the Bahrain International Circuit. This strong performance marked the crew’s best result of the season, showcasing their prowess and competitive spirit in the challenging race environment. However, their joy was short-lived as the team faced a significant setback.
After a thorough review during a stewards’ meeting, it was determined that the Ferrari had exceeded its maximum authorized tyre allocation during the race. Specifically, the car was found to have utilized two additional tyres beyond the permitted limit of 26. This infringement violated Article 6.5.4 of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) Sporting Regulations, which strictly governs tyre usage to ensure fair competition and safety.
As a consequence of this violation, the officials imposed a hefty penalty on the Ferrari team, adding a total of 4 minutes and 55 seconds to their overall race time. This penalty translates to the equivalent of two stop-and-go penalties, each lasting two minutes, significantly impacting their final standing.
As a result of this decision, the #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport vehicle was elevated to second place in the classification, while the #93 Team Peugeot TotalEnergies entry moved up to secure third place. This is Peugeot’s first podium in the FIA WEC at the end of their second season of their return.
