A fairytale? No, that is the Ferrari that wins. Legendary! For the third yr in a row, the 499P has gained the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Up to now two years with the official “purple” vehicles and this time with the “yellow” one, the shopper automobile from AF Corse. Whoever says it’s unattainable to construct a profitable Italian workforce is totally flawed: Antonello Coletta’s workers have confirmed it. 4 races within the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship, 4 victories.
The Prancing Horse, by way of its dominance at Le Mans, has basically secured the Endurance world title, contemplating its 202 factors versus Toyota’s 91 and Porsche’s 80. Within the 2025 season a double Components 1 title was anticipated, specifically the Drivers and Constructors championships, however as a substitute, the satisfaction is coming from the World Endurance Championship squad, which proves to be sturdy, extremely organized, and united.
President John Elkann and chief govt officer Benedetto Vigna selected to go to Le Mans quite than Canada, the place vice chairman Piero Ferrari was current to characterize the model. A divergence that explains the state of affairs greater than any phrases might. It’s as if there are two Ferrari worlds inside Maranello: the dropping one in Components 1 and the profitable one in World Endurance Championship. And the highest administration has clearly chosen sides, preferring to applaud sports activities vehicles quite than single-seaters.
The Italian press has been accused of launching a harsh assault on workforce principal Frederic Vasseur earlier than the Canadian Grand Prix spherical in Montreal: it’s stated that the continued lack of outcomes, after the hope of championships, might result in a non-renewal of the workforce principal’s contract, which expires on the finish of the 2025 Components 1 season. Frederic Vasseur responded with frustration, blaming these journalists who he claimed want hurt upon Ferrari. The Frenchman requested the drivers to shut ranks, and each Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc made themselves accessible to current a picture of unity.
Frederic Vasseur stated he was not a lot anxious about his personal place , mentioning that there’s loads of time to debate the renewal, however quite concerning the assaults on his workforce members, who’ve households, wives, and kids, and who may very well be destabilized by criticism after all of the onerous work achieved to construct a functioning system. That could be true, however the doubts have arisen as a result of the “Napoleon of Draveil” not enjoys the complete help of the John Elkann-Benedetto Vigna duo.
A single assertion from possession would have been sufficient to revive confidence in a supervisor who, three years in the past, was handed the keys to the Sporting Division and given a clean slate to construct the Racing Division in his personal picture.
“As we speak is a good victory for Ferrari,” stated John Elkann, “for everybody who works right here, for all its aspects. Ferrari has gained by working collectively, displaying how unity results in extraordinary outcomes. Le Mans is a particular second for individuals who love motorsport, and what has been achieved borders on the heroic. Over the previous three years, three completely different vehicles and 9 drivers have proven what teamwork means. I thank everybody at Ferrari: profitable Le Mans 3 times in a row is a historic achievement that makes us proud and honors our founder, Enzo Ferrari.”
Not a single point out of Components 1, solely a deafening silence that fuels rumors and lends weight to the concept that the media protection was not exaggerated, as somebody on TV tried to counsel, however quite the results of well-founded evaluation. The SF-25 is a flawed automobile, and the adjustments wanted to repair this tough season are sluggish in coming. In different phrases, there are few concepts and they’re confused.
All this, whereas on the opposite aspect of the street, success retains arriving. 1,500 persons are not sufficient to construct two profitable single-seaters, however 150 are sufficient to dominate the Hypercar class. In fact, the commitments and budgets are vastly completely different, however the distinction is putting—as a result of the corporate is similar.
Components 1 loses, the World Endurance Championship wins. True, you possibly can’t evaluate apples and oranges, however the firm’s DNA needs to be constant. Now Antonello Coletta is being pulled within the route of reorganizing the Sporting Division. The Italian supervisor sees a transfer to the Components 1 division as a nightmare and desires to stay within the fortress he has expertly constructed, preferring that Frederic Vasseur proceed the work he started.
The solutions, due to this fact, don’t depend upon the Italian media however on Ferrari’s high administration, who for now choose to stay silent.
The fairytale? It’s the story of Robert Kubica, the Polish ace who took Chinese language driver Ye Yifei and British rookie Phil Hanson by the hand to carry them to the highest step at Le Mans. He had seen the purple dream vanish in 2012, when he ought to have raced in Components 1 and by no means grew to become an official Ferrari driver. Now he has challenged the 499Ps “50” and “51,” tormenting the purple vehicles with a race tempo that was merely an excessive amount of for others to deal with, regardless of driving virtually with one hand. A masterclass that erases any handicap with ardour, talent, information, and velocity. The 40-year-old from Krakow has proven what it actually means to #BeFerrari. And a few ought to take be aware.
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