Phil Hanson Revealed as Ferrari Factory Driver

Ferrari has announced that Phil Hanson—2025 24 Hours of Le Mans Hypercar winner alongside Robert Kubica and Yifei Ye—will become a factory driver for the Maranello manufacturer. Hanson has signed a multi-year deal and will be ‘competing in major international endurance competitions.’

The Road to Maranello

The 26-year-old from Berkshire, UK, made his sportscar debut in the Britcar Endurance Championship in 2016, winning the overall title alongside teammate Nigel Moore in the #19 Tockwith Motorsport Audi R8 LMS. Hanson immediately graduated to prototypes and won the 2016-17 Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 title with Tockwith before taking on selected rounds of the FIA WEC, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the European Le Mans Series in the LMP2 class.

A Legacy of Success in Prototypes

Hanson then embarked on a six-year partnership with United Autosports, a relationship which resulted in the WEC LMP2 title in 2019-20, the ELMS title in 2020, and the LMP2 class win at Le Mans in that same season.

Moving up to the Hypercar class in the WEC for the 2024 season with Hertz Team Jota, Hanson combined his WEC schedule with a season at JDC-Miller Motorsports in the Porsche 963. However, Hanson’s true Hypercar breakthrough came in 2025 when he stood on the top step of the podium at the French endurance classic.

Building on the Prancing Horse Success

Phil Hanson is looking forward to continuing his Ferrari journey in his official factory capacity.

“I am immensely proud to join Ferrari as an official factory driver and to continue my journey in the FIA WEC,” he said. “I have admired Ferrari since I was a kid, but it wasn’t until working alongside Ferrari in 2025 that I came to appreciate the team’s relentless pursuit of winning.

“I am honoured to be able to continue to build on the success achieved last season, but above all, to become part of the Prancing Horse family.”

Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Ferrari Endurance and Corse Clienti, said: “After a successful season with the AF Corse team, during which he not only won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the number 83 499P but also showed consistency and excellent performance throughout the championship, finishing second in the Drivers’ World Championship standings with his teammates, Phil has earned Ferrari’s full confidence.

“We are therefore delighted to welcome him into our family as part of the group of official drivers, convinced that the journey we are about to undertake will continue to be successful, just like the 2025 season.”

Editor’s Comment: A Meritocratic Masterstroke

The confirmation of Phil Hanson as a Ferrari factory driver is more than just a well-deserved promotion; it is a significant statement of intent from Maranello. In an era where “factory status” is often the result of long-term manufacturer coddling, Hanson has effectively battered down the doors of the Ferrari headquarters with raw, undeniable results.

His 2025 season was nothing short of historic. By anchoring the #83 AF Corse crew to an overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Hanson didn’t just win the world’s greatest race—he became a key architect of the first customer victory at La Sarthe in two decades. That he did so while under the intense pressure of fending off factory-backed titans from Porsche and Toyota proved he was a “Ferrari driver” in everything but title. Today, that title is official.

For British fans, seeing a 26-year-old from Berkshire join the most storied brand in racing history is a proud moment. Hanson’s trajectory—from a Britcar debut in 2016 to a Ferrari factory contract in 2026—serves as a blueprint for the modern endurance racer. He bypassed the traditional single-seater ladder, choosing instead to master the nuances of prototype racing. With a multi-year deal now secured, Ferrari hasn’t just rewarded past performance; they have secured one of the brightest talents in the paddock for the long-term future of the 499P program.

Hanson and Ferrari feel like a natural fit. Both are relentless, both are proven winners, and both now have their sights firmly set on a 2026 world title.