The 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans will go down in historical past as one of many races with probably the most distinctive and surprising end result—but additionally one of the romantic—which noticed Ferrari triumph for the third consecutive time, due to 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 wager 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 house a Le Mans win.
“I’m overwhelmed with feelings proper now, and I do know that right here, till the final lap, you’ll be able to’t chill out as a result of something can occur. That’s why I didn’t have a good time till Robert crossed the end line—then I exploded,” mentioned a visibly moved Hanson through the press convention.
One other nice story is that of Ye, a Ferrari works driver since final 12 months 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 might 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 special end 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 sturdy on this observe; the #51 received in 2023 and the #50 in 2024. Profitable ourselves is a good supply of delight, even when it wasn’t simple as a result of the Security Automotive disrupted the rhythm and introduced everybody again into the race.”
“Ultimately, it was a really tight contest, and one mistake might have been extraordinarily pricey. 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 achieve on the competitors.”
“For me, it’s particular as a result of I moved to France after I was 11 to attempt to develop into knowledgeable 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 residence 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 the earth together with the Monaco GP and the Indy500.”
After which there’s Robert Kubica, one of the proficient, decided, and beneficiant drivers, who hasn’t at all times acquired what he deserved. Profitable the 12 months’s most necessary 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 feel again to my first Le Mans in 2021 after I misplaced the LMP2 class on the final lap, within the worst attainable means. I already knew that in racing, it’s important to look forward to the end line, however the consciousness that solely a technical difficulty might take the victory away from us had been with me for some time as I used to be driving.”
“Once I first got here right here, I used to be 35 years previous, had raced in lots of classes, and every thing had develop into type of routine, let’s say. However Le Mans, with its uniqueness and particular challenges, gave me emotions and sensations as if I had been going through one thing utterly new, one thing I didn’t know the way I’d react to or what to anticipate. It introduced me again to my karting days, when every thing was a primary.”
“I cherished that feeling, and I fell in love with Le Mans. In 2021 I informed my teammate Louis Deletraz that if I ever received, I wouldn’t come again. And truly, I discussed it two days in the past to a buddy of mine—somebody who works at Ferrari and can also be a rally driver. He informed me, ‘I heard when you win, you’ll retire.’ And I replied, ‘If I win, I’ll return to rallying.’ I normally hold my phrase. We’ll see what the longer term holds.”
As for the race, the Polish driver drove for over 10 hours and by no means held again—in spite of everything, who higher than him to deal with tough conditions?
“In the present day’s race was lengthy, however I managed the ultimate half as a result of we had been conscious of what we had been racing for, what was at stake, and what we’d been working in the direction of for thus many hours. We lastly managed to finish that ultimate 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 might’ve completed with a triple stint, however we had a superb lead and I attempted to increase it as a lot as attainable. A 3rd stint on the identical tires is at all times dangerous—put on will increase, and even a small lower can deflate a tire. So a contemporary tire, in addition to providing higher efficiency, additionally offers you extra confidence and security to complete with out points. We did every thing to keep away from issues.”
“However to be sincere, I wasn’t apprehensive 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 ultimate hours I simply managed the lead, realizing I needed to keep forward with out taking dangers, as a result of only one Security Automotive and it could all restart from zero. So I attempted to protect the tires and hold a security margin, as a result of at Le Mans, you by no means know.”
“Once I acquired within the automotive, I didn’t count on to complete the race. However I do no matter I’m informed. I’m glad to have contributed—although I feel the most important contribution got here firstly, 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 a giant benefit over many of the subject, and that erased every thing. Issues had 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, once you’re within the lead, it’s by no means simple. You want widespread sense and stability between danger and reward. And it’s really easy to make a mistake right here and lose every thing. So I’m glad I managed to drive these final 5 hours with none errors. Ultimately, I solely slept a few hours—and for a 40-year-old man, I’d say that’s not unhealthy.”
As we talked about, the Robert Kubica fairy story takes on actually stunning and romantic tones, and Robert himself offers a touching interpretation, in his sometimes sincere and considerate means.
“I don’t assume that is a very powerful 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 exhausting to simply accept issues, to restart, to seek out peace of thoughts, to cease dwelling with the ‘what if it hadn’t occurred’ mindset, and as a substitute to give attention to objectives and milestones. Accepting your limits could appear simple, however for me, it was something however.”
“Let’s say that as we speak destiny gave me one thing again, a minimum of in sporting phrases. It’s an enormous consequence. I’m the sort of one who didn’t even take pleasure in my Method 1 win on the time—perhaps tomorrow I’ll handle to take pleasure in 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 take pleasure in it extra.”
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