In the Hall of Fame of Miguel Molina 33 starts in the FIA WEC and two successes with cars derived from the Maranello series stand out, including the one conquered in Bahrain in November 2022 on the occasion of the race that closed the era of the LMGTE Pro class. The Catalan driver at the age of 34 he looked out onto the Hypercar stage as he climbed aboard the 499P number 50which he shares with Antonio Fuoco and Nicklas Nielsen. On their debut in the 2023 World Championship, in Sebring, the crew took pole position and a third place, results that fuel confidence ahead of the demanding 6 Hours of Portimao,second round of the world championship scheduled for 16 April.
The beginnings
“Sport has always been part of my family – says Molina, official driver of the Prancing Horse since 2017 -. My father was a pilot and passed on his passion for engines and racing to me, my mother played handball”. The fascination for competitions has its roots in childhood and is linked in particular to some images and places full of memories. “I won my first race at the age of eight. Thus began a beautiful and intense journey – goes on – characterized by many renunciations and various difficult moments: this, however, is part of professional life, even if it is difficult for a 14-15 year old boy to be away from home so much. In the end, however, the satisfactions obtained repaid me for every renunciation and every sacrifice”.
Passion
For a young Catalan, the Barcelona circuit, which has hosted the Formula 1 GP and many national and international championships since the early 1990s, represents a facility capable of arousing strong attraction. “When did I find out that Fernando Alonso had started to get noticed in motorsport my interest in motoring became more lively. I went to the Circuit de Catalunya to see Formula Nissan, they invited me to the Campos Racing box for which Antonio Garcia and Fernando raced – continues Molina -. It was the first race I saw from inside a garage. Years later I happened to race with Antonio both at Le Mans and in other races: meeting him as an opponent was very pleasant”.
Endurance
From karts to single-seaters to “covered” wheels, the sporting career led Molina to join Ferrari to compete in the World Endurance Championship with the 488 GTE (stringing 32 races, 2 victories and 14 class podiums), then from the 2023 season to debut in the Hypercar class with the 499P. “At first I didn’t know much about endurance – admits the pilot –, but as soon as I entered this world I learned so much. The biggest surprises? The fact that the races are very long, from 6 to 24 hours, but require maximum concentration from the first to the last lap. Today endurance racing resembles ‘sprint’ trials because if you don’t express yourself 100% in every situation you lose the chance to win”. The new dimension of the official Ferrari is closely linked to the Hypercar which sanctioned the return of the Prancing Horse to the top class half a century after its last appearance. A challenge that is linked to the concept of team. “Within our group, relations are splendid, and I think this is perceived well. I think I’m at the peak of my career at a competitive level with this project – analyze –. I have achieved a great goal, but now we need to set new ones. The work done is paying off”.
Emotions
Adrenaline, passion, sacrifice, joy are concepts that belong to the daily vocabulary of a professional driver. “The moment of greatest tension is when you prepare to get into the cockpit: in that moment you realize that within a few minutes you will have to give your all on the track – Molina explains -. At that stage I try to imagine all the situations that could arise to be ready to face them. When I get out of the car, on the other hand, and I only have two or three hours of break before a new driving shift, I try to optimize my time. It’s not easy because I have to rest, eat, sleep. It is essential to have clear ideas on what to do and know how to adapt to situations”.
“My” Hypercar
To describe the Ferrari 499P, the driver born in Girona chooses three nouns: speed, technology and passion. “Speed is a sensation that we experience from an early age so much so that we get to the point of no longer realizing how fast we are on the track”. This feeling reaches its peak at the wheel of the Maranello Hypercar. “The first time I rode the 499P in July 2022 – tells – I realized that I should have made a greater effort physically. I realized that I should have trained more because the car is much more challenging than the GTs. It was a radical change, on a physical level in particular for the stresses related to the neck, subjected to so much pressure”. A new sporting era for Miguel Molina which will continue in the 2023 season with commitments, after Portugal, scheduled for Spa-Francorchamps, Le Mans, Monza, Fuji and Bahrain.
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