24 HOURS OF LE MANS: FERRARI’S FAIRYTALE CONTINUES — AND INTERTWINES WITH ROBERT KUBICA’S

The Prancing Horse just won’t stop. After clinching victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both 2023 and 2024 with its factory team, Ferrari made it three in a row—this time with a different face: the AF Corse outfit. In one of the cleanest, most straightforward editions of recent years—featuring minimal interruptions and just a single safety car across 24 hours—it was Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, and Phil Hanson who etched their names into the record books.

A victory that, if there was any doubt left, further cements the strength of the 499P project and the powerhouse surrounding the Maranello brand. Three wins, three different lineups, same car: the Ferrari Hypercar is proving not just competitive, but remarkably reliable and versatile. And the dominance isn’t limited to Le Mans—the Scuderia has also led the way in the opening rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The race began under the early command of Julien Andlauer’s Porsche, which led the opening stages. But it didn’t take long for the Ferraris to regain control, setting a relentless pace from the outset. The cooler conditions compared to previous days seemed to hinder some teams—but not the 499Ps, which stood out for their superior tire management. The three Maranello cars took turns at the front through the nightfall.

It was during the nighttime hours that the Porsche driven by Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Matt Campbell came alive, drawing attention after initially being excluded from qualifying due to an underweight car. Thanks to an alternate strategy and perfectly timed attacks, the Stuttgart manufacturer clawed back into contention during the final hours.

But Kubica, Ye, and Hanson held their ground. In fact, it was Kubica who took charge during a grueling final stint—over three and a half hours behind the wheel—and crossed the finish line just 14 seconds ahead of a charging Porsche. A dramatic, nail-biting finish worthy of a thriller, sealing Ferrari’s 12th overall Le Mans victory and moving it into third place on the all-time manufacturers’ win list.

Rounding out the podium were factory drivers Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi, and James Calado, who further extended their lead in the championship standings. Last year’s winners—Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen—finished fourth.

Starting from pole, the Cadillac trio of Alex Lynn, Will Stevens, and Norman Nato brought the American car home in fifth place, ahead of a lackluster Toyota effort. Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway, and Nyck de Vries finished sixth, far from the dominant form that once made them Ferrari’s fiercest rivals.

In the all-French battle, Alpine got the better of Peugeot, placing a car in the top 10 with drivers Charles Milesi, Paul-Loup Chatin, and Ferdinand Habsburg. But for the French manufacturers, Le Mans continues to be an uphill battle.

The LMP2 class saw a familiar outcome: just like in 2024, Inter Europol Competition took the win, thanks to a strong, disciplined drive by Tom Dillmann, Nick Yelloly, and Jakub Smiechowski. Even a late drive-through penalty didn’t threaten their control, as they finished nearly two minutes ahead of the VDS Panis Racing crew.

Third in class—and winners of the ProAm subclass—was the AO by TF trio of Louis Deletraz, PJ Hyett, and Dan Cameron, rounding out a varied and competitive podium.

In LMGT3, Porsche repeated last year’s success with the Manthey team. Riccardo Pera, Richard Lietz, and Ryan Hardwick controlled the race with authority, pulling out a decisive gap after the lone safety car period.

Special mention goes to Alessio Rovera, Simon Mann, and François Heriau: their second-place finish, achieved through a textbook comeback drive, brought even more glory to AF Corse. Third went to the TF Sport Corvette piloted by Tom Van Rompuy, Rui Andrade, and Charlie Eastwood.

Mattia Drudi narrowly missed out on the podium despite an excellent showing in the Heart of Racing Aston Martin. The LMGT3 top five was completed by the Lexus entry driven by José Maria Lopez, Clemens Schmidt, and Petru Umbrarescu.

© Cavalieri Garage & Co.