Latest news with #LeMans24Hours
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Toto Wolff Defends F1 Superiority, Slams Balance of Performance in Le Mans
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. While several F1 teams, such as Alpine and Ferrari, have fielded cars in the World Endurance Championship, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has explained why the German manufacturer has stayed away from the iconic Hypercar class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mercedes parted ways with the Le Mans race after a major accident in 1999, where the car flipped dangerously after taking off at high speed due to aerodynamic problems. Currently, the team's presence is limited to the GT3 class. While Wolff acknowledged the glory of Le Mans, he revealed his bias towards F1, considering it is the top tier of motorsports. Despite declaring that all other forms of racing come second to F1, he addressed the possibility of returning to Le Mans on the Bloomberg Hot Pursuit podcast. He said: Toto Wolff, Executive Director of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team on a scooter prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 20, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Toto Wolff, Executive Director of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team on a scooter prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 20, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia."Le Mans... I'm a racer. The Le Mans 24 Hours is one of the greatest races in the world. "Formula 1, for me - obviously I'm biased - is the best there is. It's the best drivers, the quickest cars, the greatest tracks. But if I had to say what's next? Le Mans 24 Hours and the Indy 500. And then, for insiders, the Nürburgring 24 Hours. That, for me, is the top of the top. "What it is for me today is, we are concentrating on the main platform, and that is Formula 1. It's what we want to do. It captures 99% of the audience. Everything else comes second." Wolff then explained the hurdle that was preventing Mercedes from racing in Le Mans - the Balance of Power (BoP) rule, which prioritizes fairness in competition by ensuring all cars are as equal as possible within a class. He added: "As Mercedes, it's something that we've done in the past, but we weren't particularly... that wasn't our happiest place. "And then there's the little caveat to all this: at Mercedes, we are racing people. We don't like BoPs - we don't like Balance of Performance. We don't like somebody assessing your power, your energy consumption, your weight, your driver skill... "You spend so much time and money and effort developing the quickest car, and then you're being given 10 kilogrammes of ballast. I don't want that. I just want to build the quickest car." Wolff reckoned that a budget cap, like the one in F1, makes more sense to have a level playing field. He explained: "Formula 1 has shown how it should be done. Give us a cost cap. Do more of that - give everybody a cost cap. You cannot spend more than - whatever you said - 30-40 million. And within this 30-40 million, you can do what you want. I mean, there are still regulations, but nobody needs to bluff in pre-season testing or qualifying. It's pure racing. "If that were to happen, then Le Mans would absolutely be something we would look at. But at the moment, with BoP - having some officials judge whether you're too quick, adding 10 kilogrammes to your car or taking it out of someone else's the next day - that's not for us at the moment."
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ferrari contests reasons why #50 car was disqualified from Le Mans 24h
Ferrari has expressed its surprise with the disqualification of its #50 499P Hypercar from fourth position in the 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours. A press release from the Scuderia on Tuesday put into perspective the arguments of the stewards, who argued that not only was the car not compliant with technical regulations but it was unsafe – due to the rear wing lacking four bolts – and had a potential performance advantage. Advertisement 'Given the design of the element, the absence of one or more of these components did not compromise the car's safety in any way,' Ferrari insisted. Performance-wise, stewards pointed out a 'a rear wing deflection of 52mm', which is about three and a half times higher than the regulatory maximal deflection of 15mm, as well as the fact that the #50 machine achieved its highest top speed on lap 380 out of 387 – implying the overly flexible rear wing enjoyed reduced drag and therefore generated more performance. Ferrari has disagreed in clearer terms: 'The subsequent loss of the remaining bolts during the final 37 minutes of the race provided no advantage in terms of performance or the final standings. 'The top speed of the #50 499P reported by the Stewards in their decision was recorded during the car's final seven laps while it was running in the slipstream of its sister car, the #51 499P.' Advertisement In the same release, the Scuderia reiterated its view that 'the incident in question offered no competitive advantage to the crew, nor did it compromise the safety of our drivers or that of other competitors', but steered clear of actually criticising stewardship and stated its 'full confidence' in the World Endurance Championship's regulations. Read Also: #50 Ferrari disqualified from Le Mans 24h over extreme wing deflection To read more articles visit our website.
Qatar Tribune
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- Qatar Tribune
Former F1 driver Kubica leads Ferrari to Le Mans 24 Hours win
DPA Berlin Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica has achieved the biggest success of his motorsport career as he led Ferrari to their third consecutive win at the traditional Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race. With the #83 Ferrari crew, Kubica crossed the finish line on Sunday to celebrate the win with team-mates Phil Hanson and Yifei Ye. 'It has been a long one. Le Mans has always been close. First three years I raced LMP2 but the amount of laps I have done in the top three positions in five Le Mans is like 70%. But I have finally won it and in a Hypercar,' the Polish driver said. 'We deserve it. Happy for Ferrari. Three years in a row with three different crews, it is amazing.' There was just one safety car during the entire race. Ferrari crew #51 were third, as Porsche prevented a podium sweep for the Italian team with second place. Kubica was active in F1 between 2006 and 2010, but suffered a life-threatening rallying accident in 2011. He was trapped in the car for more than an hour before rescue workers were able to remove him. The accident left him with a partially severed right arm and multiple fractures. But he made one of the most remarkable comebacks in motorsport history once he got a full-time racing seat with Williams in 2019, before ending his F1 stint as a reserve driver for Alfa Romeo 2020-2022. Since 2021, he has been competing in the World Endurance Championship.
Scottish Sun
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
F1 icon wins Le Mans 24 Hours race more than a decade on from horror crash that almost killed him and broke 42 bones
Kubica and a team-mate both made history for their nations with the win Man of the hour F1 icon wins Le Mans 24 Hours race more than a decade on from horror crash that almost killed him and broke 42 bones Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FORMULA ONE cult hero Robert Kubica enjoyed a fairytale race win at the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours. The 40-year-old took the chequered flag driving the Ferrari number 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, also driven by China's Yifei Ye and Britain's Phil Hanson. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶!🏆 The #83 499P seals the 𝗵𝗮𝘁-𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗿. With 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗞𝘂𝗯𝗶𝗰𝗮, 𝗬𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗶 𝗬𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻, Ferrari has shone… — 24 Hours of Le Mans (@24hoursoflemans) June 15, 2025 7 Robert Kubica crossed the line to win the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours race Credit: AFP 7 It comes more than a decade after he was involved in a nearly fatal crash Credit: Reuters 7 A huge rally car wreck in 2011 left Kubica fighting for his life Credit: AFP 7 He suffered 42 broken bones and a partially severed arm, while it also robbed him of the chance to race for Ferrari in F1 Credit: AP:Associated Press 7 But Kubica completed a fairytale comeback to win one of the most prestigious prizes in motorsport Credit: EPA 7 Kubica raced to victory alongside China's Yifei Ye and Britain's Phil Hanson. Credit: AFP Kubica was once considered to be in an elite crop of F1 talent alongside Lewis Hamilton as he took his maiden win at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. In 2011 the Pole had agreed to sign for the Ferrari F1 team for the 2012 season before disaster struck as he was involved in a devastating rally crash that almost killed him. Kubica was left with 42 broken bones, a partially severed wrist and lost three quarters of his blood volume after being trapped in his car for more than an hour before rescue workers managed to free him. He underwent a seven-hour operation by seven doctors before having two further operations to repair fractures in his leg, shoulder and arm. READ MORE IN MOTORSPORT GEOR DROPPING Russell's X-rated message after Canada pole tees up big Verstappen battle As a result he spent months recovering from his injuries and was robbed of the chance to race for the Scuderia in F1. Kubica returned to motorsport in the World Rally Championship in 2013 and went on to win 14 Stages before he made a stunning return to F1 to drive for Williams. Initially he started out as the team's reserve driver in 2018 before he was given a full seat in 2019 to partner then F2 champion George Russell. He then left his role in 2020 after managing just a single point, but did remain as a reserve driver for Alfa Romeo. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK In 2023 he was crowned champion of the World Endurance Championship, while he also won two Le Mans series in 2021 and 2024. However, top spot in the iconic 24-hour race eluded him as he twice finished as a runner-up and was forced to retire from the 2024 edition. Fernando Alonso drives to victory at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2018 But this year Kubica finally added the iconic motorsport event to his lucrative racing CV in front of a sell-out crowd - which sees around 300,000 fans gather for the showpiece. Kubica drove a long final stint to achieve the prestigious victory for Ferrari, which is their third year in a row winning the race. Speaking over his team radio, he said: "It's been a long 24 hours but an enjoyable one - grazie mille, grazie a tutti." He later said to TNT Sports: "Winning Le Mans is special. "It's been a demanding week - we made everything possible. We kept our heads down when we had to push, and when not we took care of the tyres. "I'm happy for myself, my team-mates, AF Corse and Ferrari winning three times in row. A better scenario, we could not have." Kubica joins two-time Le Mans and two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso as the only drivers to have won an F1 race and Le Mans this century. He is also the first Polish driver to win the iconic race. Team-mate Yifei Ye also became the first ever Chinese driver to take an overall win at Le Mans 24 Hours. Motorsport fans will also have the chance to sink their teeth into the F1 Canadian Grand Prix, where Russell took pole ahead of Max Verstappen.
The Irish Sun
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
F1 icon wins Le Mans 24 Hours race more than a decade on from horror crash that almost killed him and broke 42 bones
FORMULA ONE cult hero Robert Kubica enjoyed a fairytale race win at the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours. The 40-year-old took the chequered flag driving the Ferrari number 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, also driven by China's Yifei Ye and Britain's Phil Hanson. 7 Robert Kubica crossed the line to win the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours race Credit: AFP 7 It comes more than a decade after he was involved in a nearly fatal crash Credit: Reuters 7 A huge rally car wreck in 2011 left Kubica fighting for his life Credit: AFP 7 He suffered 42 broken bones and a partially severed arm, while it also robbed him of the chance to race for Ferrari in F1 Credit: AP:Associated Press 7 But Kubica completed a fairytale comeback to win one of the most prestigious prizes in motorsport Credit: EPA 7 Kubica raced to victory alongside China's Yifei Ye and Britain's Phil Hanson. Credit: AFP Kubica was once considered to be in an elite crop of F1 talent alongside Lewis Hamilton as he took his maiden win at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. In 2011 the Pole had agreed to sign for the Ferrari F1 team for the 2012 season before disaster struck as he was involved in a devastating rally crash that almost killed him. Kubica was left with 42 broken bones, a partially severed wrist and lost three quarters of his blood volume after being trapped in his car for more than an hour before rescue workers managed to free him. He underwent a seven-hour operation by seven doctors before having two further operations to repair fractures in his leg, shoulder and arm. READ MORE IN MOTORSPORT As a result he spent months recovering from his injuries and was robbed of the chance to race for the Scuderia in F1. Kubica returned to motorsport in the World Rally Championship in 2013 and went on to win 14 Stages before he made a stunning return to F1 to drive for Williams. Initially he started out as the team's reserve driver in 2018 before he was given a full seat in 2019 to partner then F2 champion George Russell. He then left his role in 2020 after managing just a single point, but did remain as a reserve driver for Alfa Romeo. Most read in Motorsport BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK In 2023 he was crowned champion of the World Endurance Championship, while he also won two Le Mans series in 2021 and 2024. However, top spot in the iconic 24-hour race eluded him as he twice finished as a runner-up and was forced to retire from the 2024 edition. Fernando Alonso drives to victory at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2018 But this year Kubica finally added the iconic motorsport event to his lucrative racing CV in front of a sell-out crowd - which sees around 300,000 fans gather for the showpiece. Kubica drove a long final stint to achieve the prestigious victory for Ferrari, which is their third year in a row winning the race. Speaking over his team radio, he said: "It's been a long 24 hours but an enjoyable one - grazie mille, grazie a tutti." He later said to TNT Sports: "Winning Le Mans is special. "It's been a demanding week - we made everything possible. We kept our heads down when we had to push, and when not we took care of the tyres. "I'm happy for myself, my team-mates, AF Corse and Ferrari winning three times in row. A better scenario, we could not have." Kubica joins two-time Le Mans and two-time F1 champion He is also the first Polish driver to win the iconic race. Team-mate Yifei Ye also became the first ever Chinese driver to take an overall win at Le Mans 24 Hours. Motorsport fans will also have the chance to sink their teeth into the F1 Canadian Grand Prix, where 7
