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 end result—but additionally some of the romantic—which noticed Ferrari triumph for the third consecutive time, due to the non-public AF Corse group.
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 vehicles 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 group 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 dwelling a Le Mans win.
“I’m overwhelmed with feelings proper now, and I do know that right here, till the final lap, you possibly can’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 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 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 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 monitor; the #51 gained in 2023 and the #50 in 2024. Successful ourselves is a superb supply of satisfaction, even when it wasn’t straightforward 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 may 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 achieve 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 an expert 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 dwell 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 this planet together with the Monaco GP and the Indy500.”
After which there’s Robert Kubica, some of the proficient, decided, and beneficiant drivers, who hasn’t at all times obtained what he deserved. Successful the 12 months’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 attainable manner. I already knew that in racing, it’s important to watch for the end line, however the consciousness that solely a technical problem may 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 outdated, had raced in lots of classes, and the whole lot had turn out 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 had been dealing with one thing utterly 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 the whole lot was a primary.”
“I liked that feeling, and I fell in love with Le Mans. In 2021 I informed 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 good friend of mine—somebody who works at Ferrari and can be a rally driver. He informed me, ‘I heard in case 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 spite of everything, who higher than him to deal with difficult conditions?
“Immediately’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 top was a precaution. We may’ve completed with a triple stint, however we had a very good 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 reduce can deflate a tire. So a recent tire, moreover providing higher efficiency, additionally provides you extra confidence and security to complete with out points. We did the whole lot to keep away from issues.”
“However to be trustworthy, I wasn’t fearful 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, figuring out I needed to keep forward with out taking dangers, as a result of only one Security Automotive and it will 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.”
“Once I obtained within the automotive, I didn’t count on to complete the race. However I do no matter I’m informed. I’m joyful to have contributed—regardless that I believe the largest contribution got here at first, 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 a lot of the area, and that erased the whole lot. 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 straightforward. You want frequent sense and stability between danger and reward. And it’s really easy to make a mistake right here and lose the whole lot. So I’m joyful 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 lovely and romantic tones, and Robert himself provides a touching interpretation, in his sometimes trustworthy and considerate manner.
“I don’t assume that is crucial success of my profession. An important one has nothing to do with racing, to be trustworthy. 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 arduous to just 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 concentrate on targets and milestones. Accepting your limits could seem straightforward, however for me, it was something however.”
“Let’s say that at this time destiny gave me one thing again, no less than in sporting phrases. It’s an enormous outcome. I’m the sort of one that didn’t even take pleasure in my System 1 win on the time—perhaps 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, no less than 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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