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 vital romantic—which noticed Ferrari triumph for the third consecutive time, because of the non-public AF Corse workforce.
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 automobile 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 vehicles 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 workforce 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 loosen up as a result of something can occur. That’s why I didn’t rejoice 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 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 instances we’d raced collectively on the 24h, we by no means completed. So I hoped for a distinct end result this time,” laughed the Chinese language driver, the primary to win the 24h total in a Ferrari.
“We all know our automobile could be very sturdy on this observe; the #51 gained in 2023 and the #50 in 2024. Successful ourselves is a superb supply of pleasure, 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 expensive. That’s why we needed to preserve most focus till the top. 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 turn out to be knowledgeable driver. The final time I obtained 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 reside in an house 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 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 acquired what he deserved. Successful the 12 months’s most necessary race in a automobile from probably the most prestigious model provides a candy chapter to a real fairy story.
“It’s undoubtedly a big day. 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, it’s a must to anticipate 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.”
“After I first got here right here, I used to be 35 years previous, had raced in lots of classes, and every thing had turn out to be 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 dealing with 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 every thing was a primary.”
“I liked that feeling, and I fell in love with Le Mans. In 2021 I advised 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 advised me, ‘I heard for those who 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 spite of everything, who higher than him to deal with difficult conditions?
“At this time’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 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 top 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 potential. A 3rd stint on the identical tires is at all times dangerous—put on will increase, and even a small reduce can deflate a tire. So a recent 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 concerning 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 obtained within the automobile, I didn’t anticipate to complete the race. However I do no matter I’m advised. I’m blissful to have contributed—despite the fact that I believe the most important contribution got here at first, after we climbed from tenth to the entrance. We had nice battles, overtakes, and I knew I needed to take some dangers to carry the automobile 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 many of the subject, and that erased every thing. Issues had been comparatively beneath management, however in a 24-hour race, you by no means know what to anticipate. You at all times attempt to construct a spot, create a margin. However on the similar time, whenever you’re within the lead, it’s by no means simple. You want frequent sense and steadiness between threat and reward. And it’s really easy to make a mistake right here and lose every thing. So I’m blissful 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 usually sincere and considerate approach.
“I don’t suppose that is an important 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 onerous 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 an alternative to concentrate on objectives and milestones. Accepting your limits could seem simple, however for me, it was something however.”
“Let’s say that in the present day destiny gave me one thing again, a minimum of in sporting phrases. It’s an enormous end result. I’m the form of one who didn’t even take pleasure in my Formulation 1 win on the time—possibly tomorrow I’ll handle to take pleasure in this yet 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 possibly 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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