Ferrari Conquers Le Mans for the Third Consecutive Year
The Ferrari team won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third consecutive year this Sunday, although an impressive comeback by Porsche Penske Motorsport prevented a complete podium sweep for the Italian manufacturer. The Ferrari 499P number 83, driven by Robert Kubica, Ye Yifei and Philip Hanson, secured the victory. This is the 12th time Ferrari triumphs in this prestigious race, in its 93rd edition, which began 102 years ago. The car, in bright yellow and managed by the AF Corse team, surpassed Porsche and the two official factory Ferraris. Kubica crossed the checkered flag after an extensive period at the wheel on Sunday afternoon, securing the victory.The Porsche 963 number 6, operated by Penske and driven by Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Matt Campbell, made a great advance in the final stage of the race, finishing in second place, just 14 seconds behind the winner. For Kubica and Ye, this victory represents redemption after their car, with Robert Shwartzman as the third driver, was a strong contender last year before an accident, a penalty, and a mechanical failure that ended their hopes. This triumph is a milestone in the career of Kubica, the 40-year-old Polish driver, whose promising Formula 1 career was interrupted in 2011 due to a rally accident that caused him serious injuries. Kubica is the first Polish driver to win Le Mans, and Ye is the first from China to achieve this feat.It has been a long 24-hour period. Enjoy.
Robert Kubica
It’s a great story that we’ve finally achieved a perfect ending with Robert. It seems easier from outside than it is in the car. It’s simply incredible.
Ye Yifei
Although Ferrari didn’t have a good start in qualifying, with the two factory cars in seventh and eleventh place on the grid, and the eventual winner in 13th place, their pace in the long runs soon became evident once Roger Federer waved the starting flag on Saturday.
After a close battle with Toyota last year, Ferrari seemed to have almost complete control this time. Early on Sunday, it seemed on track to achieve the first podium sweep in the premier category by the same manufacturer since 2012. However, Ferrari did not have a clear path in the final hours. Alessandro Pier Guidi, in car number 51, went off track entering the pits, losing the lead, while the resurgent Porsche number 6 intensified the pressure. Le Mans is a test of both the drivers’ endurance and the reliability of the cars. Both performed well in an unusually quiet race that avoided much of the usual night drama, with few significant accidents and only one safety car period. The Polish team Inter Europol Competition won the LMP2 class, and Manthey triumphed in the GT3 class with a Porsche 911.
