Latest news with #LeMans24HourRace
Newsweek
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Ex-F1 Driver Fulfills Le Mans Dream After Shattering 42 Bones in Horrific Crash
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Robert Kubica achieved his championship dream after winning the renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside his teammates Phil Hanson and Yifei Ye in the satellite #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P LMH last weekend. The victory marked his huge comeback from a horrific rally crash that broke 42 bones during his Formula One racing days in 2011. Kubica won the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. However, a championship was what he was aiming for while he raced alongside F1's greatest drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. While he was set to join Ferrari for the 2012 campaign, tragedy struck the year before at the Rally Ronde di Andora, where Kubica suffered serious injuries. A guardrail went right through his Skoda Fabia at high speed, affecting Kubica quite severely and leading to a partial amputation of his right forearm. Surprisingly, his co-driver was unharmed in the incident. The event had a big impact on his racing career. A few years later, in 2019 and 2020, another chance at F1 rekindled hopes of success, but Kubica was unable to beat the competition. Race winners, the #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P of Robert Kubica (driving), Yifei Ye, and Philip Hanson celebrate as they enter parc ferme at the end of the Le Mans 24 Hour Race on June... Race winners, the #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P of Robert Kubica (driving), Yifei Ye, and Philip Hanson celebrate as they enter parc ferme at the end of the Le Mans 24 Hour Race on June 15, 2025 in Le Mans, France. More JamesLife had other plans for the Polish driver, as he managed to win a championship with Ferrari, not in F1, but in the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans, which puts even the best drivers to the test. Kubica and his team won the 2025 race at the Circuit de la Sarthe, marking Ferrari's historic third win in a row. Despite the yellow Ferrari 499P LMH starting the race from 13th place, the team finished with flying colors. Kubica drove for 43% of the race and even managed 59 laps with a non-functioning drinks bottle. Despite the huge roadblock that shattered his F1 dream with Ferrari, he was destined to win with the Maranello outfit several years later. Ferrari released a statement after the race, revealing that the 499P has won every race at the Circuit de La Sarthe since its race debut. It read: "For the third year running, Ferrari has triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, securing the 93rd edition of the French endurance race with the number 83 499P driven by Prancing Horse's official driver Yifei Ye, alongside Phil Hanson and Robert Kubica, who crossed the line in the AF Corse team's Giallo Modena-liveried car. In the fourth round of the 2025 FIA WEC, the number 51 499P of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi took third, ahead of the other official Ferrari – AF Corse car, number 50, driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen. "Thanks to the Italian manufacturer's extraordinary result, Ferrari will now keep the winners' trophy forever – a right granted to those who secure victory in three consecutive editions. "After the wins in 2024 with Fuoco-Molina-Nielsen and the Centenary edition in 2023 with Pier Guidi-Calado-Giovinazzi, the Maranello manufacturer once again climbs to the top step of the podium with a car already etched in motorsport legend – the Ferrari 499P, which has won every race contested at the Circuit de La Sarthe since its competitive debut. "The Maranello manufacturer now boasts 12 overall victories in the world's oldest and most prestigious endurance race between 1949 and 2025. "Ferrari has now secured three consecutive outright victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time since the 1960s, when the Prancing Horse won six editions in a row between 1960 and 1965. The last of those, achieved with the Ferrari 250 LM, was also the final overall triumph in France before its return to the top class of endurance racing starting in 2023."
Daily Tribune
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Ferrari targets Le Mans hat-trick
AFP | Le Mans Ferrari's Formula One fortunes may be flagging but the Italian constructor start this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hour Race as favourites targeting a third consecutive triumph in motorsport's fabled endurance classic. Roger Federer is acting as celebrity starter with the tennis icon getting the 93rd edition of the jewel in four-wheeled endurance racing's crown underway at 1600 local time (1400GMT) on Saturday. Twenty-four hours later, through daylight, darkness and dawn, the 21 elite Hypercars will battle it out over 300 laps (4,000 kilometres plus) in front of a sell-out 320,000 crowd burning the midnight oil with copious quantities of coffee and beer. Ferrari made a triumphant return after a 50 year absence to land Le Mans' centenary race in 2023, repeating the feat last year. The Prancing Horse stable ended Toyota's run of five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2022 with the Japanese manufacturer out to reclaim their crown 40 years after their first Le Mans appearance. A shake-up in the regulations for 2023 sparked fresh interest in the premier class and this year Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche face challenges from Aston Martin, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, and Peugeot. Ferrari's position as the team to beat is bolstered by their bright start to the season, reeling off wins in the first three world endurance races in Qatar, Imola and Belgium. But Antonio Fuoco, who took the chequered flag 12 months ago along with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, is taking nothing for granted. 'Compared to last year, everyone is closer to the other, it's going to be a tough battle,' forecast the 29-year-old Italian driver. Ferrari team manager Batti Pregliasco is wary of the threat posed by Toyota. 'The idea of winning a third Le Mans in a row would be magnificent,' he said. 'But the Toyotas are very strong here because they have the experience, the ability, and the means to win.' 'Bitter-sweet' Nyck De Vries was sharing driving duties in the Toyota that came off second best in 2024, and the 30-year-old Dutchman is hungry for revenge. 'Finishing second last year was a great result but after such a long race, with so many different emotions, it felt bitter-sweet, so we want to put that right this year,' said De Vries, summarily sacked by Red Bull's then Alpha Tauri sister team midway through the 2023 F1 season. De Vries is one of a cluster of former F1 drivers including former world champion Jenson Button seduced by the lure of adding their name on the hallowed Le Mans roll of honour - just as Fernando Alonso did in 2018-19 for Toyota, the veteran Spaniard emulating the likes of F1 greats from yesteryear like Graham Hill, Phil Hill and Jochen Rindt. Joining the 21 Hypercars are 17 entries in the LMP2 class and 24 in the LMGT3 category in an event that has been visited by tragedy over the years, with 22 drivers perishing. Le Mans, where eye-watering speeds of up to 400kmh have been reached on the Sarthe circuit's Mulsanne straight, marks the 70th anniversary of the 1955 disaster this weekend when pieces of debris from Pierre Levegh's car rained down on the crowd, killing 81 spectators, although a definitive death toll was never established. A sombre reminder then of the dangers faced by the 186 drivers taking part -- including the all women 'Iron Dames' LMGT3 team of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Fry and Celia Martin. The encouraging news for this brave bunch is that the French met office forecast looks benign, with no rain or storms predicted over the weekend which kicks off with qualifying for pole on Thursday night.
NDTV
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Ferrari Target 'Magnificent' Third Straight Le Mans 24 Hour Triumph
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed Ferrari aims for a third consecutive victory at the Le Mans 24 Hour Race this weekend. Roger Federer will officially start the 93rd Le Mans event, beginning at 1600 local time. Twenty-four elite Hypercars will compete over 300 laps, watched by a sell-out crowd of 320,000. Ferrari's Formula One fortunes may be flagging but the Italian constructor start this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hour Race as favourites targeting a third consecutive triumph in motorsport's fabled endurance classic. Roger Federer is acting as celebrity starter with the tennis icon getting the 93rd edition of the jewel in four-wheeled endurance racing's crown underway at 1600 local time (1400GMT) on Saturday. Twenty-four hours later, through daylight, darkness and dawn, the 21 elite Hypercars will battle it out over 300 laps (4,000 kilometres plus) in front of a sell-out 320,000 crowd burning the midnight oil with copious quantities of coffee and beer. Ferrari made a triumphant return after a 50 year absence to land Le Mans' centenary race in 2023, repeating the feat last year. The Prancing Horse stable ended Toyota's run of five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2022 with the Japanese manufacturer out to reclaim their crown 40 years after their first Le Mans appearance. A shake-up in the regulations for 2023 sparked fresh interest in the premier class and this year Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche face challenges from Aston Martin, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, and Peugeot. Ferrari's position as the team to beat is bolstered by their bright start to the season, reeling off wins in the first three world endurance races in Qatar, Imola and Belgium. But Antonio Fuoco, who took the chequered flag 12 months ago along with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, is taking nothing for granted. "Compared to last year, everyone is closer to the other, it's going to be a tough battle," forecast the 29-year-old Italian driver. Ferrari team manager Batti Pregliasco is wary of the threat posed by Toyota. "The idea of winning a third Le Mans in a row would be magnificent," he said. "But the Toyotas are very strong here because they have the experience, the ability, and the means to win." 'Bitter-sweet' Nyck De Vries was sharing driving duties in the Toyota that came off second best in 2024, and the 30-year-old Dutchman is hungry for revenge. "Finishing second last year was a great result but after such a long race, with so many different emotions, it felt bitter-sweet, so we want to put that right this year," said De Vries, summarily sacked by Red Bull's then Alpha Tauri sister team midway through the 2023 F1 season. De Vries is one of a cluster of former F1 drivers including former world champion Jenson Button seduced by the lure of adding their name on the hallowed Le Mans roll of honour - just as Fernando Alonso did in 2018-19 for Toyota, the veteran Spaniard emulating the likes of F1 greats from yesteryear like Graham Hill, Phil Hill and Jochen Rindt. Joining the 21 Hypercars are 17 entries in the LMP2 class and 24 in the LMGT3 category in an event that has been visited by tragedy over the years, with 22 drivers perishing. Le Mans, where eye-watering speeds of up to 400kmh have been reached on the Sarthe circuit's Mulsanne straight, marks the 70th anniversary of the 1955 disaster this weekend when pieces of debris from Pierre Levegh's car rained down on the crowd, killing 81 spectators, although a definitive death toll was never established. A sombre reminder then of the dangers faced by the 186 drivers taking part -- including the all women 'Iron Dames' LMGT3 team of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Fry and Celia Martin. The encouraging news for this brave bunch is that the French met office forecast looks benign, with no rain or storms predicted over the weekend which kicks off with qualifying for pole on Thursday night.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ferrari target 'magnificent' third straight Le Mans 24 Hour triumph
Ferrari's Formula One fortunes may be flagging but the Italian constructor start this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hour Race as favourites targeting a third consecutive triumph in motorsport's fabled endurance classic. Roger Federer is acting as celebrity starter with the tennis icon getting the 93rd edition of the jewel in four-wheeled endurance racing's crown underway at 1600 local time (1400GMT) on Saturday. Advertisement Twenty-four hours later, through daylight, darkness and dawn, the 21 elite Hypercars will battle it out over 300 laps (4,000 kilometres plus) in front of a sell-out 320,000 crowd burning the midnight oil with copious quantities of coffee and beer. Ferrari made a triumphant return after a 50 year absence to land Le Mans' centenary race in 2023, repeating the feat last year. The Prancing Horse stable ended Toyota's run of five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2022 with the Japanese manufacturer out to reclaim their crown 40 years after their first Le Mans appearance. A shake-up in the regulations for 2023 sparked fresh interest in the premier class and this year Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche face challenges from Aston Martin, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, and Peugeot. Advertisement Ferrari's position as the team to beat is bolstered by their bright start to the season, reeling off wins in the first three world endurance races in Qatar, Imola and Belgium. But Antonio Fuoco, who took the chequered flag 12 months ago along with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, is taking nothing for granted. "Compared to last year, everyone is closer to the other, it's going to be a tough battle," forecast the 29-year-old Italian driver. Ferrari team manager Batti Pregliasco is wary of the threat posed by Toyota. "The idea of winning a third Le Mans in a row would be magnificent," he said. Advertisement "But the Toyotas are very strong here because they have the experience, the ability, and the means to win." - 'Bitter-sweet' - Nyck De Vries was sharing driving duties in the Toyota that came off second best in 2024, and the 30-year-old Dutchman is hungry for revenge. "Finishing second last year was a great result but after such a long race, with so many different emotions, it felt bitter-sweet, so we want to put that right this year," said De Vries, summarily sacked by Red Bull's then Alpha Tauri sister team midway through the 2023 F1 season. De Vries is one of a cluster of former F1 drivers including former world champion Jenson Button seduced by the lure of adding their name on the hallowed Le Mans roll of honour - just as Fernando Alonso did in 2018-19 for Toyota, the veteran Spaniard emulating the likes of F1 greats from yesteryear like Graham Hill, Phil Hill and Jochen Rindt. Advertisement Joining the 21 Hypercars are 17 entries in the LMP2 class and 24 in the LMGT3 category in an event that has been visited by tragedy over the years, with 22 drivers perishing. Le Mans, where eye-watering speeds of up to 400kmh have been reached on the Sarthe circuit's Mulsanne straight, marks the 70th anniversary of the 1955 disaster this weekend when pieces of debris from Pierre Levegh's car rained down on the crowd, killing 81 spectators, although a definitive death toll was never established. A sombre reminder then of the dangers faced by the 186 drivers taking part -- including the all women 'Iron Dames' LMGT3 team of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Fry and Celia Martin. The encouraging news for this brave bunch is that the French met office forecast looks benign, with no rain or storms predicted over the weekend which kicks off with qualifying for pole on Thursday night. nr/pi
The Sun
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Ferrari target 'magnificent' third straight Le Mans 24 Hour triumph
FERRARI'S FORMULA One fortunes may be flagging but the Italian constructor start this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hour Race as favourites targeting a third consecutive triumph in motorsport's fabled endurance classic. Roger Federer is acting as celebrity starter with the tennis icon getting the 93rd edition of the jewel in four-wheeled endurance racing's crown underway at 1600 local time (1400GMT) on Saturday. Twenty-four hours later, through daylight, darkness and dawn, the 21 elite Hypercars will battle it out over 300 laps (4,000 kilometres plus) in front of a sell-out 320,000 crowd burning the midnight oil with copious quantities of coffee and beer. Ferrari made a triumphant return after a 50 year absence to land Le Mans' centenary race in 2023, repeating the feat last year. The Prancing Horse stable ended Toyota's run of five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2022 with the Japanese manufacturer out to reclaim their crown 40 years after their first Le Mans appearance. A shake-up in the regulations for 2023 sparked fresh interest in the premier class and this year Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche face challenges from Aston Martin, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, and Peugeot. Ferrari's position as the team to beat is bolstered by their bright start to the season, reeling off wins in the first three world endurance races in Qatar, Imola and Belgium. But Antonio Fuoco, who took the chequered flag 12 months ago along with Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, is taking nothing for granted. 'Compared to last year, everyone is closer to the other, it's going to be a tough battle,' forecast the 29-year-old Italian driver. Ferrari team manager Batti Pregliasco is wary of the threat posed by Toyota. 'The idea of winning a third Le Mans in a row would be magnificent,' he said. 'But the Toyotas are very strong here because they have the experience, the ability, and the means to win.' 'Bitter-sweet' Nyck De Vries was sharing driving duties in the Toyota that came off second best in 2024, and the 30-year-old Dutchman is hungry for revenge. 'Finishing second last year was a great result but after such a long race, with so many different emotions, it felt bitter-sweet, so we want to put that right this year,' said De Vries, summarily sacked by Red Bull's then Alpha Tauri sister team midway through the 2023 F1 season. De Vries is one of a cluster of former F1 drivers including former world champion Jenson Button seduced by the lure of adding their name on the hallowed Le Mans roll of honour - just as Fernando Alonso did in 2018-19 for Toyota, the veteran Spaniard emulating the likes of F1 greats from yesteryear like Graham Hill, Phil Hill and Jochen Rindt. Joining the 21 Hypercars are 17 entries in the LMP2 class and 24 in the LMGT3 category in an event that has been visited by tragedy over the years, with 22 drivers perishing. Le Mans, where eye-watering speeds of up to 400kmh have been reached on the Sarthe circuit's Mulsanne straight, marks the 70th anniversary of the 1955 disaster this weekend when pieces of debris from Pierre Levegh's car rained down on the crowd, killing 81 spectators, although a definitive death toll was never established. A sombre reminder then of the dangers faced by the 186 drivers taking part -- including the all women 'Iron Dames' LMGT3 team of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Fry and Celia Martin. The encouraging news for this brave bunch is that the French met office forecast looks benign, with no rain or storms predicted over the weekend which kicks off with qualifying for pole on Thursday night.
