Ferrari celebrated its appearance (and subsequent win) at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans by unveiling a special finish option for the 296 Speciale, inspired by the company's famous racing liveries.
The 296 Speciale 'Piloti Ferrari' configuration, available through the manufacturer's Tailor Made customisation programme, honours various cars, including the #51 499P which won at the 2023 event to secure Ferrari's first overall victory at the Circuit de la Sarthe since 1965.
Was the Piloti Ferrari revealed at Le Mans itself, then?
It was indeed. The specification, which is reserved for clients involved with Ferrari's official sporting activities, will be offered in four racing colours - Rosso Scuderia, Bue Tour de France, Nero Daytona and Argento Nürburgring - but the car used was resplendent in red and Giallo Modena, complete with a hand-painted WEC (World Endurance Championship, the series of which the Le Mans race is a part) logo, the Italian flag on its front bumper and a customisable number which can be chosen by the client.
In the show car's case, this was #51, to honour that victory two years ago by Italian drivers Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonion Giovinazzi, along with Brit James Calado, who brought the 499P home first.
The same three-man crew has since picked up two third-placed finishes at Le Mans, being beaten last year by the #50 factory car - and then at the 2025 edition, coming in behind a Porsche 963 in second… and yet another 599P taking the overall victory, this time the #83 customer-racing entry from AF Corse, driven by Phil Hanson, Robert Kubica and Yifei Ye.
That proved to be a popular win, given ex-F1 ace Kubica had a terrible accident while rallying in 2011 which resulted in a partial amputation of his arm.
Has anything changed inside the car?
For this racing-inspired 296 Speciale, the seats are made from thermoformed black Alcantara with inserts made from the fireproof fabric used for the official drivers' race suits.
Whichever number has been chosen outside is reproduced on the interior carbon fibre, while a technical metal footwell can be customised on request. Final flourishes include a carbon identification plaque for the special model, as well as a bespoke carbon-fibre door sills which can be tailored to each customer's personal preference.
Any changes to the power output of the 296 Speciale?
No, although when you've got a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that couples a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined figure of 880hp, you probably don't need any more grunt than that.