Robert Kubica wins ‘mental battle' to triumph at Le Mans
AF Corse driver Robert Kubica of Poland celebrating on the podium after winning the 93rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in Le Mans in France with a Ferrari 499P on June 15. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
– Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica has long since tackled the demons of a near-fatal accident 14 years ago, but his June 15 victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is arguably his greatest achievement yet.
The 40-year-old Pole roared to victory in his bright yellow 'privateer' Ferrari to give the Italian marque a third consecutive win in the most famous endurance race in the world.
In a thrilling 93rd edition of the race, which saw the top four separated by just over 20 seconds going into the final 15 minutes, Kubica and his AF Corse co-drivers Philip Hanson and Ye Yifei finished just 14.084sec ahead of a Porsche driven by Kevin Estre, Matt Campbell and Laurens Vanthoor.
In so doing they knocked the two factory Ferraris, who started the race as favourites, into third and fourth.
'It's been a long 24 hours but an enjoyable one. Grazie mille, grazie a tutti ('Thank you very much, thank you everyone' in Italian),' said Kubica over the team radio as he took the chequered flag.
He was one of F1's brightest prospects when he won the 2008 Canada Grand Prix but a harrowing accident in a rally in Andorra in 2011 almost cost him his life.
Trapped upside down in his car before being freed and whisked to hospital, Kubica suffered several serious injuries and had to partially amputate his right forearm.
'What happened was very unfortunate, but I was very lucky,' he said on June 15. 'It took me quite a few years, not only to recover physically but also mentally.
'What happened, happened and I have to accept it. One of the worst periods of my life was when my mind wouldn't accept the fact that my arm was failing.'
He returned to racing cars, however, winning the WRC2 championship and taking part in sports car races. In 2017, he moved back into Formula One, testing for Renault before racing for Williams in 2019.
But his June 15 win, which made him the first Pole ever to win Le Mans, tops any of his other achievements behind the wheel.
'It was quite difficult to live with, but I'm happy to have achieved my personal goals,' he said. 'The best thing I've achieved in my life – it's nothing to do with racing – it's more the battle I won with my mind.'
Both of Kubica's co-drivers were also first-time winners with Ye the first Chinese driver to triumph.
'I'm at a loss for words,' said the 25-year-old Ye, who arrived in Le Mans at the age of 14 on an exchange programme to try and become a professional driver.
'It's going to take me some time to realise everything that's happened today. Right now, I feel like I'm dreaming. Maybe in two seconds I'll wake up and none of this will exist.' AFP
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