The reigning champions of the FIA World Endurance Championship took the Ferrari 499P number 51 to the Rivolto air base in Friuli for an encounter with the Frecce Tricolori. The six drivers of the Ferrari – AF Corse Hypercar program shared activities with the aviators who operate the Aermacchi MB-339 Pan aircraft, ahead of the start of the 2026 season at Imola.

The 499P on the Rivolto runway

James Calado drove the prototype on the base's asphalt with Miguel Molina coordinating ground operations, a necessary task to synchronize the car's passage with the flyover of the aerobatic formation. Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and Antonio Giovinazzi took turns in the cockpits of the military aircraft, accompanied by Aeronautica Militare pilots on flights that allowed them to experience the maneuvers from the co-pilot's seat.

Photo By Ferrari

The Frecce Tricolori operate with ten aircraft in simultaneous formation, a number higher than almost any aerobatic team in the world. Founded in 1961, they are permanently based at Rivolto, the same facility where Ferrari organized this activity. Their displays include close-formation flying at high speed, synchronized crossovers, and trails of smoke in the Italian tricolor (green, white, and red), with a level of precision that demands absolute coordination between each aircraft.

Two symbols of Italy

Ferrari and the Frecce Tricolori share a flag, colors, and a work culture where precision is everything, whether on the track or in the air. The Italian Air Force's aerobatic teams have flown over circuits on special occasions, such as the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where Ferrari races as the home team, and these joint appearances reflect their stature as national icons.

Photo By Ferrari

Imola, first round of the 2026 WEC

The first points-paying race of the calendar was scheduled for Qatar, but the 1812 km of Lusail were postponed due to the situation in the Middle East and rescheduled for October. With that change, the 6 Hours of Imola on April 19th became the season opener, preceded by the prologue on April 14th at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

For Ferrari, starting the defense of their world titles less than 100 kilometers from Maranello is a favorable circumstance that the team capitalized on by organizing the event at Rivolto just a few weeks earlier. The 2026 calendar features eight rounds with stops at Spa, Le Mans, São Paulo, Austin, Fuji, Qatar, and Bahrain, a schedule spanning four continents between April and November.

Photo By Ferrari

Calado, Molina, Fuoco, Nielsen, Pier Guidi, and Giovinazzi are the six drivers who will defend the titles with the 499P across those eight rounds, the same lineup that gave Ferrari – AF Corse the manufacturers' and drivers' championships last season.