The 93rd running of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans once again proved that endurance, strategy, and grit matter far more than qualifying pace. In a dramatic race that ran nearly uninterrupted and at full intensity, Ferrari clinched its third consecutive victory—this time courtesy of the private (yet highly competitive) AF Corse team, with drivers Robert Kubica, Louis Delétraz Hanson, and Ye Yifei piloting the #83 499P Hypercar to glory.
Starting far from the front, the trio methodically climbed the ranks, ultimately completing 387 laps of the grueling Circuit de la Sarthe. Former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, who spent nearly 10 hours behind the wheel, finally claimed a long-coveted Le Mans win after years of near-misses and heartbreaks.
In a race where pole position quickly became irrelevant, Porsche delivered one of the most impressive performances of the weekend. The #6 963 Hypercar, driven by Vanthoor, Estre, and Campbell, started dead last in the Hypercar class due to a disqualification in qualifying. But after a relentless charge through the field and a fierce duel in the closing hours, they finished just 14 seconds behind the leading Ferrari—a remarkable result and a testament to Porsche’s resilience.
A factory-entered Ferrari secured the final step on the podium, continuing the Scuderia’s dominance in the current FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season, in which they’ve already collected three wins before arriving in France.
Meanwhile, Cadillac, BMW, and Toyota endured a frustrating race. Despite Cadillac’s strong qualifying form and high hopes, none of their entries were able to challenge for podium positions. BMW also struggled with pace and reliability. Toyota, once the benchmark of endurance racing, faced multiple setbacks, finishing well outside the top tier. Aston Martin, making its debut in the Hypercar class this year, showed potential but will need more time to contend for top honors.
In the LMGT3 class, Porsche found redemption as the #92 911 GT3 R of Manthey EMA (1st Phorm team), driven by Hardwick, Pera, and Lietz, secured a hard-fought victory after completing 341 laps. Ferrari’s 296 GT3, campaigned by the Vista AF Corse team, took second place, while the vibrant yellow Corvette Z06 GT3.R from TF Sport, piloted by Rompuy, Andrade, and Eastwood, claimed third.
This latest victory brings Ferrari to 12 total Le Mans wins, inching them closer to Audi’s 13. But the king of Le Mans remains Porsche, still holding the all-time record with 19 victories. After falling just short this year, the Stuttgart marque will undoubtedly return in 2026 eager to chase its historic 20th win.
As the sun sets on another thrilling edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the message remains clear: endurance racing is as much about persistence and teamwork as it is about speed—and in 2025, no one embodied that better than Ferrari and its #83 crew.
Source: Ferrari; Photo: Reuters
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