The 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans will go down in historical past as one of many races with probably the most distinctive and sudden final result—but additionally one of the vital romantic—which noticed Ferrari triumph for the third consecutive time, because of the non-public AF Corse staff.
The 499P continues to dominate the Circuit de la Sarthe and, after its victories in 2023 and 2024, accomplished the hat-trick with the Giallo Modena #83 automotive pushed by Robert Kubica, Phil Hanson, and Yifei Ye. The trio made only a few errors, maintained a powerful tempo, and secured the lead within the morning after an error by the official #51 Ferrari.
The fourth spherical of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship confirms that the Maranello automobiles are those to beat within the Hypercar class, however few would have guess on the third entry taking the highlight in France.
The newest addition to the Piacenza-based staff was Phil Hanson, a younger driver with immense potential who instantly demonstrated distinctive high quality in endurance racing—a lot in order that he has already taken residence a Le Mans win.
“I’m overwhelmed with feelings proper now, and I do know that right here, till the final lap, you may’t loosen up as a result of something can occur. That’s why I didn’t have fun till Robert crossed the end line—then I exploded,” mentioned a visibly moved Hanson in the course of the press convention.
One other nice story is that of Ye, a Ferrari works driver since final yr and already a winner with the 499P at Austin in 2024, however with a traumatic Le Mans expertise in 2021 that solely a Hypercar victory may lastly put behind him.
“My first Le Mans was in 2021 with Robert, and everyone knows the way it ended; this week he joked with me, saying that the 2 occasions we’d raced collectively on the 24h, we by no means completed. So I hoped for a distinct final result this time,” laughed the Chinese language driver, the primary to win the 24h general in a Ferrari.
“We all know our automotive may be very robust on this monitor; the #51 gained in 2023 and the #50 in 2024. Profitable ourselves is a superb supply of delight, even when it wasn’t straightforward as a result of the Security Automotive disrupted the rhythm and introduced everybody again into the race.”
“In the long run, it was a really tight contest, and one mistake may have been extraordinarily expensive. That’s why we needed to preserve most focus till the tip. Additionally, with just one Security Automotive, we needed to push like in qualifying each lap to realize on the competitors.”
“For me, it’s particular as a result of I moved to France once I was 11 to try to grow to be an expert driver. The final time I acquired on the rostrum right here was in 2016 in French F4, so my dream was to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, particularly since I used to stay in an condominium close to Tertre Rouge. I did it with Ferrari—I’ve no phrases. It’s a dream come true as a result of that is probably the most well-known race on this planet together with the Monaco GP and the Indy500.”
After which there’s Robert Kubica, one of the vital gifted, decided, and beneficiant drivers, who hasn’t at all times obtained what he deserved. Profitable the yr’s most essential race in a automotive from probably the most prestigious model provides a candy chapter to a real fairy story.
“It’s positively a special occasion. I believe again to my first Le Mans in 2021 once I misplaced the LMP2 class on the final lap, within the worst potential approach. I already knew that in racing, you must await the end line, however the consciousness that solely a technical concern may take the victory away from us had been with me for some time as I used to be driving.”
“After I first got here right here, I used to be 35 years outdated, had raced in lots of classes, and all the things had grow to be form of routine, let’s say. However Le Mans, with its uniqueness and particular challenges, gave me emotions and sensations as if I have been going through one thing fully new, one thing I didn’t understand how I’d react to or what to anticipate. It introduced me again to my karting days, when all the things was a primary.”
“I liked that feeling, and I fell in love with Le Mans. In 2021 I instructed my teammate Louis Deletraz that if I ever gained, I wouldn’t come again. And really, I discussed it two days in the past to a pal of mine—somebody who works at Ferrari and can also be a rally driver. He instructed me, ‘I heard should you win, you’ll retire.’ And I replied, ‘If I win, I’ll return to rallying.’ I often maintain my phrase. We’ll see what the long run holds.”
As for the race, the Polish driver drove for over 10 hours and by no means held again—in any case, who higher than him to deal with tough conditions?
“As we speak’s race was lengthy, however I managed the ultimate half as a result of we have been conscious of what we have been racing for, what was at stake, and what we’d been working in the direction of for therefore many hours. We lastly managed to finish that closing lap that I couldn’t in 2021 with Yifei, who was additionally my teammate again then.”
“The tire change close to the tip was a precaution. We may’ve completed with a triple stint, however we had a superb lead and I attempted to increase it as a lot as potential. A 3rd stint on the identical tires is at all times dangerous—put on will increase, and even a small minimize can deflate a tire. So a contemporary tire, apart from providing higher efficiency, additionally provides you extra confidence and security to complete with out points. We did all the things to keep away from issues.”
“However to be sincere, I wasn’t frightened in regards to the chasers. We had tempo, and when wanted, I confirmed it—particularly within the early a part of the race. Within the closing hours I simply managed the lead, figuring out I needed to keep forward with out taking dangers, as a result of only one Security Automotive and it might all restart from zero. So I attempted to protect the tires and maintain a security margin, as a result of at Le Mans, you by no means know.”
“After I acquired within the automotive, I didn’t count on to complete the race. However I do no matter I’m instructed. I’m joyful to have contributed—although I believe the largest contribution got here initially, once we climbed from tenth to the entrance. We had nice battles, overtakes, and I knew I needed to take some dangers to deliver the automotive again the place it belonged. It labored, then the Security Automotive got here out—on the worst time for us.”
“We had an enormous benefit over a lot of the discipline, and that erased all the things. Issues have been comparatively underneath management, however in a 24-hour race, you by no means know what to anticipate. You at all times attempt to construct a niche, create a margin. However on the identical time, while you’re within the lead, it’s by no means straightforward. You want frequent sense and steadiness between danger and reward. And it’s really easy to make a mistake right here and lose all the things. So I’m joyful I managed to drive these final 5 hours with none errors. In the long run, I solely slept a few hours—and for a 40-year-old man, I’d say that’s not dangerous.”
As we talked about, the Robert Kubica fairy story takes on actually stunning and romantic tones, and Robert himself provides a touching interpretation, in his usually sincere and considerate approach.
“I don’t assume that is crucial success of my profession. A very powerful one has nothing to do with racing, to be sincere. It was the victory I earned—the battle I fought—when my thoughts or mind wouldn’t settle for my limitations after the accident. Throughout restoration, I fought for months, labored laborious to simply accept issues, to restart, to search out peace of thoughts, to cease residing with the ‘what if it hadn’t occurred’ mindset, and as a substitute to deal with targets and milestones. Accepting your limits could appear straightforward, however for me, it was something however.”
“Let’s say that right this moment destiny gave me one thing again, a minimum of in sporting phrases. It’s an enormous end result. I’m the type of one who didn’t even get pleasure from my Formulation 1 win on the time—perhaps tomorrow I’ll handle to get pleasure from this another. Proper now, I’m additionally drained—we’ve gone many hours with out sleep, a minimum of the previous 38. I solely slept two hours, however perhaps as soon as I get some sugar into my system, my mind will change on and I’ll get pleasure from it extra.”
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