Ferrari Denies Hypercar Seat for Rising Star Alessio Rovera in 2026

According to the latest news, Ferrari has confirmed that its factory driver Alessio Rovera is currently not under consideration for a move up to the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship with AF Corse in 2026.

Rovera, who has been a member of Ferrari's factory stable since 2022, is seen as one of the hottest prospects in the LMGT3 category. This season, he is competing in the #21 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 alongside Francois Perrodo and Simon Mann.

Recently, Rovera was given the opportunity to drive the Ferrari 499P Hypercar during the Bahrain rookie test, where he completed 74 laps and set a best time of 1m51.297s. This performance has fueled speculation that a graduation to the Hypercar ranks could be a natural next step for the 30-year-old, who already has prototype experience from his 2022 LMP2 programme in the WEC and a title-winning campaign in the European Le Mans Series last year.

However, Ferrari's technical director Ferdinando Cannizzo has ruled out the possibility of Rovera making the step up to Hypercar next year. Cannizzo stated that while the door to a Hypercar seat in the future remains open, this is not on the table for 2026. He acknowledged that Rovera is an important asset for the team and one of the drivers in pole position when the chance arises.

Rovera himself admitted that his goal is to land a Hypercar seat next year, but he is open to spending another season in LMGT3, especially after he and his team-mates missed out on the 2025 title. Ferrari is set to introduce a mid-cycle refresh of the 296 GT3 in 2026, three years after the car's debut.