Robert Kubica’s remarkable journey from a career-threatening crash has reached a triumphant peak with a victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday, as Ferrari secured their third consecutive win at the historic race.
A late charge from Porsche Penske Motorsport prevented Ferrari from claiming all three podium spots.
The No. 83 Ferrari 499P, driven by Robert Kubica, Ye Yifei, and Philip Hanson, crossed the finish line first. This victory marked Ferrari’s 12th win in the 93rd edition of the race, which has been held for over a century. The bright yellow car, entered privately by the AF Corse team, outpaced the factory-entered Porsches and two other Ferraris.
Kubica took the wheel for a long stint on Sunday afternoon, holding on to the lead until the checkered flag.
“It has been a long 24 hours,” Kubica said over the radio to his team, expressing his thanks in Italian. “Enjoy.”
The Penske-operated No. 6 Porsche 963, driven by Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Matt Campbell, mounted a late charge to finish second, just 14 seconds behind the winning Ferrari and ahead of the two other Ferraris.
Kubica’s Long Comeback
For Kubica and Ye, the win served as redemption after last year’s race ended in disappointment. Their car, which included Robert Shwartzman as the third driver, was considered a strong contender before a crash, penalty, and mechanical failure forced them out.
This victory is a career highlight for Kubica, now 40 years old, whose promising Formula 1 career was abruptly halted by a severe rally crash in 2011. The accident partially severed his right arm and hand and caused multiple fractures.
Following extensive surgery and rehabilitation, Kubica returned to rally racing in 2013 and eventually made a comeback to Formula 1 with Williams in 2019, an achievement he once thought nearly impossible. He last competed in F1 in 2021.
Kubica is now the first Polish driver to win Le Mans outright, while Ye is the first Chinese driver to claim the victory.
“It’s a great story that we finally put a perfect ending with Robert,” Ye said. “It looks easier from the outside than it is in the car. It’s just unbelievable.”
Winning from 13th on the Grid
Ferrari had a slow qualifying session, with the two factory cars starting 7th and 11th, and the winning car starting 13th on the grid. But once tennis legend Roger Federer waved the starting flag on Saturday, Ferrari’s endurance pace quickly became apparent.
After a close battle with Toyota in last year’s event, Ferrari appeared to dominate this time. Early Sunday morning, it seemed set to achieve the first podium sweep by a single manufacturer in the top class since 2012.
However, the final hours brought challenges. Alessandro Pier Guidi in the No. 51 Ferrari spun while heading into the pits, losing the lead, and the No. 6 Porsche mounted increasing pressure.
Le Mans tests both driver stamina and vehicle durability. This year’s race was unusually smooth, avoiding much of the usual nighttime chaos, with few crashes and only one safety-car period.
In other classes, Polish team Inter Europol Competition won the LMP2 category, while Manthey Racing claimed the GT3 class with a Porsche 911.
