Yifei Ye is immediately smiling and very kind when we meet in the Trophy Room at the Ferrari Endurance e Corse Clienti headquarters in Maranello.
His eyes shine when we talk about the world of the Prancing Horse: he, the first Chinese to have signed an official contract with the Emilian team, for the first time at the wheel of a car from Enzo Ferrari’s company.
Native of Xi’an, on Sunday of the 24h of Le Mans he will have the privilege of celebrating his 24th birthday aboard the 499P #83 prepared by AF Corse and shared with Robert Kubica and Robert Shwartzman in his new adventure in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Yifei is very kind, but also self-confident, explaining to us that the correct pronunciation of his name is ‘ifèi’ and showing interest in the conversations we exchange with the Ferrari press officers and the video operators (because there is a background to everything that you then we will tell) before starting the chat about his brand new challenge in Red.
#83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, Yifei Ye
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
“Last year I was in the WEC as an opponent of Ferrari and during the season we started to get to know each other and talk; they showed particular interest in wanting me in the team and I myself was able to see the competitiveness of the 499P, the car that won Le Mans “, Ye begins to tell us, who at the end of 2023 first began to approach Ferrari, and then finalized the agreement once the one with Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific was concluded.
“In the end we managed to reach an agreement and now I am dressed in Red, I can race with the most successful, most prestigious and well-known brand in motorsport and I am the first Chinese to do so, which is exceptional because I know it is the dream of many drivers. I’m having a lot of fun working with all the people at Maranello, the results are going well so far and we’re ready for the most important race of the year, Le Mans.”
When did you first try the 499P?
“On January 29th on the Fiorano circuit, it was the first time I got into a Ferrari, a great emotion. Entering the structure and reading the writing ‘Pista di Fiorano’ at the entrance made me understand that a new chapter in my life was beginning career with a new team. Lapping on Ferrari’s home track was very nice, it has several corners and few escape routes, which forces you to always remain very focused. Doing these first laps with the 499P was very useful. I loved it straight away and it gave me the opportunity to understand some things before starting the championship in Qatar.”
What is it like to drive the Ferrari model that won Le Mans, but with a private team?
“Even if we are the third Ferrari, I believe that there is potential and possibilities to win equal to the others. If we manage to impose ourselves it will certainly be wonderful, but in the end the objective is still to have a Ferrari on the top step of the podium and the dream for Le Mans it would be a hat-trick, as in the championship. The assistance from the official team helps us fight for the top, also thanks to the information we can exchange with the other official drivers. It’s great that Ferrari has three cars involved in a class as competitive as the Hypercar, there is a greater chance of trying to win.”
#83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, Yifei Ye
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
How do you find working with a highly experienced driver like Robert Kubica?
“I had already shared an LMP2 with him in 2021 in my first year in endurance racing, where I didn’t know much about the environment. We spent great moments together and we managed to immediately achieve good successes in ELMS, winning the title. At Le Mans we came close the triumph, but unfortunately we stopped on the last lap due to a problem. I have a great relationship with Robert, he has a lot of experience from his years in F1, but also from rallies and some of the ideas he brings to us are really interesting. He’s also a nice person and having him on board is excellent.”
And then there’s Robert Shwartzman…
“Yes, he is also an official Ferrari driver and has had the opportunity to try F1 cars; this is very useful because a Hypercar has a rather complicated cockpit and some systems are very reminiscent of F1, so being able to work with someone like him, and some engineers, who know that world was very useful to quickly learn several things.”
How do you rate your crew?
“I think our lineup is very strong and we showed it by immediately getting good performances and going fast. We need to stay focused and think about doing our job well, but I really think we are ready for Le Mans.”
#83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, Yifei Ye
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
This year at Le Mans there will be no way to pre-heat the tyres; How does the approach change?
“In the end it’s the same rule for everyone and we just have to try to manage the situation, even if it will be difficult. Obviously it’s not the best, especially when you race at night or find yourself in wet conditions after the rain, it could be very It’s dangerous to go on track with cold tires. A rule is a rule, and it must be addressed for what it is, trying to warm up the tires better than the others on the outgoing lap in order to maximize performance in such difficult conditions.”
Are you worried?
“For us drivers it is a great challenge, especially at night when visibility is reduced, or when there are neutralizations with Safety Car and Full Course Yellow, and the tires cool down, with the risk of getting punctures because the pressure drops. If you hit a curb badly or hit a stone, the risk of breaking the tread is higher; let’s say that this makes everything more unpredictable, we simply have to try to do the best we can, keeping these things in mind and preparing as best we can.”
Where and how can you, or do you feel you need to improve your riding style with the 499P?
“With the limitation of the tests there is little possibility of doing km and it is more difficult to learn quickly, especially for me who is in the first year on this car, which is very complicated with the hybrid system at the front, while last year I was driving the Porsche that had it in the rear. This changes a lot in braking and how energy is recovered. Personally I’m trying to understand how to maximize the exploitation of these driving details, but in the end a car is a car, and you have to drive by managing the brakes and. I think it’s getting better every time I get on it and I feel more and more confident with all its features. I find it more and more beautiful to drive the 499P.”
At the end of the year what would make you happy?
“My goal as a Ferrari driver is to achieve good performances, I simply do what is asked of me, whether it is running a race or carrying out tests. When we started talking last year, I was presented with a long-term plan to me and I felt that they really wanted me with them. That’s why I’m not worried about what will happen in the next few years, but I want to focus on myself and what I have to do now to do well.”
#83 AF Corse, Ferrari 499P: Yifei Ye, Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman
Photo by: Francesco Corghi
Before saying goodbye, however, a surprise could not be missed (so we reveal the aforementioned background): Yifei is a great lover of languages and as soon as he learned that he would become a Ferrari driver he immediately tried his hand at Italian too, taking online courses every time. once he gets the chance.
Having only been in our area for a handful of months, it is already very clear that he is well suited to these studies and his very personal greeting for Ferrari fans and Motorsport.com enthusiasts will soon be published on our social channels: don’t miss it!
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