The 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans was the centenary edition of the race — the 100th running on the Circuit de la Sarthe — and Ferrari chose that stage to end a 58-year absence from the top step of the Le Mans podium. The winning car was chassis No. 51, entered by AF Corse, and this 1:18 resin model by BBR Models preserves that specific car and livery in precise, hand-crafted detail.
Ferrari's Return to Prototype Racing
The Ferrari 499P is Ferrari's first factory-backed Le Mans Hypercar (LMH), making its race debut in 2023 after a 50-year absence from the top prototype category — the last top-class Ferrari prototype, the 312 PB, raced in 1973. The '499' references Ferrari's naturally-aspirated V12 heritage displacement of approximately 4,994 cc, while 'P' echoes the classic 1960s Ferrari P-series racers. Power comes from a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged 90° V6 petrol unit paired with a front-axle hybrid electric motor, with total system output of approximately 500 kW (around 680 hp). The hybrid system stores energy under braking and deploys it to the front axle, making the 499P effectively four-wheel-drive under hybrid boost.
No. 51, 342 Laps, 58 Years in the Making
On 10–11 June 2023, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi steered the No. 51 Ferrari 499P to first overall, completing 342 laps ahead of the No. 8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid in second. It was Ferrari's first outright Le Mans win since 1965, when the 250 LM driven by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory for the North American Racing Team took the honours. Pier Guidi and Calado were the reigning FIA WEC GTE Pro world champions; Giovinazzi, a former Formula 1 driver, was making his Le Mans debut at the top prototype level. The car carried Ferrari's traditional Scuderia red livery with AF Corse branding and the special centenary Le Mans logo.
A BBR Models Hand-Built Resin 1:18 Scale Model
BBR Models, one of Italy's most respected resin model producers, has reproduced the No. 51 car at 1:18 scale. The construction is hand-built resin — a material that allows sharper surface definition and more faithful aerodynamic bodywork reproduction than diecast. As is standard for BBR resin releases, the body is a sealed one-piece structure; detail is concentrated on the exterior aerodynamic surfaces, including the LMH-specification bodywork, front splitter, diffuser and hybrid system integration points. The model is supplied with a glazed acrylic display showcase, making it shelf-ready directly from the box.
In the Display Cabinet
At 1:18 scale, the model requires a display shelf with adequate depth and width clearance to accommodate the full LMH bodywork. The included showcase handles protection from dust without additional investment. Natural display partners include the Ferrari 250 LM to illustrate the 1965–2023 Le Mans narrative, or the Toyota GR010 Hybrid No. 8 as the direct 2023 rival. Within a broader Ferrari endurance collection, this sits alongside AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE No. 51 releases that share the same historic entry number.
