Former System 1 driver Robert Kubica took victory on the Le Mans 24 Hours with a privately entered Ferrari.
The quantity 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, additionally pushed by China’s Yifei Ye and Britain’s Phil Hanson, took the chequered flag 14.084 seconds forward of the quantity six Porsche 963 of France Kevin Estre.
Pole Kubica, as soon as thought of one of many world’s finest F1 drivers as a part of a gaggle of younger drivers which included Lewis Hamilton, received the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix for BMW-Sauber.
However three years later, as a longtime F1 driver for Renault, Kubica suffered life-changing accidents in a rallying crash which severely compromised his proper wrist.
The works quantity 51 Ferrari 499P pushed by Antonio Giovinazzi took third place, with the sister 50 automobile pushed by Antonio Fuoco fourth.
Each manufacturing unit Ferraris, who had been competing for the victory till the ultimate hour, had been nursing issues within the closing levels.
It’s the third victory in a row at Le Mans for the 499P, which received within the prime class for the primary time in 50 years in 2023 – the a centesimal anniversary of the well-known race.
Kubica, 40, who drove a protracted closing stint, stated over crew radio: “It has been a protracted 24 hours however an fulfilling one – grazie mille, grazie a tutti.”
“Successful Le Mans is particular,” he added later to TNT Sports activities. “It has been a demanding week – we made every part potential. We saved our heads down once we needed to push, and when not we took care of the tyres.
“I am completely satisfied for myself, my team-mates, AF Corse and Ferrari successful thrice in row. A greater situation, we couldn’t have.”
The sell-out race, which sees round 300,000 followers collect in north-west France, was a soporific occasion in 2025, with fewer incidents and accidents between the 62 automobiles which started the race than traditional.
The Cadillacs of Hertz Staff Jota, who achieved a front-row lockout in qualifying, completed fifth and eighth – the latter 38 automobile together with 2009 System 1 world champion Jenson Button as one of many drivers.
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