Ferrari wins 2025 Le Mans 24 Hour with Robert Kubica
A fairytale drive by Robert Kubica secured Ferrari's third Le Mans win in as many years.
Kubica, a Polish driver whose F1 career was cut short by a tragic accident, held off a fast-charging Porsche to take a famous victory.
He lifted the winner's trophy with his left hand – because his right arm has little strength after it was partially severed in a 2011 crash.
MORE: Kubica wins 'mental battle' to triumph at Le Mans
Robert Kubica, centre, holds the Le Mans winner's trophy aloft with Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson. Photo: AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez
Kubica had a Ferrari F1 driver's contract in his pocket – metaphorically, at least – when he crashed out of a rally in Andorra. A roadside barrier sliced through his car, destroying the racer's right arm.
British television host Jeremy Clarkson told viewers of The Grand Tour that Kubica 'broke every single bone on the right side of his body, had a 17 hour operation to put his arm back on again, and then 17 more operations after that, and his arm still doesn't work properly'.
MORE: Ferrari's battle for Le Mans
The winning AF Corse Ferrari 499P of Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye, and Philip Hanson. Photo:Kubica made it back to F1 but never got his chance with Ferrari.
Until the brand signed him to drive its third car at Le Mans.
This year, Kubica and co-drivers Philip Hanson and Ye Yifei beat the odds to win the world's most prestigious race in front of more than 300,000 spectators.
MORE: Porsche's Matt Campbell on the drive to win Le Mans
Robert Kubica in 2017, years after his crash. Photo: byAfter winning Le Mans, Kubica told reporters he was 'very lucky' to be able to drive after his near-fatal crash that left his right arm in a withered state.
'It took me quite a few years, not only to recover physically but also mentally,' he said.
'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.'
Motorsport outlets such as The Race described Kubica's crash and subsequent Le Mans victory as 'one of the most remarkable stories in motorsport history'.
AF Corse's Polish driver #83 Robert Kubica crosses the finish line to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025. Photo: Fred TANNEAU / AFP
Fans posted on X that he was 'the ultimate hero', that Hollywood needs to 'make a movie' about Kubica's life story, and that they watched the final minutes of Le Mans through teary eyes.
Kubica was chased to the line by the Porsche of Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Australia's own Matt Campbell.
Matt Campbell's Porsche took the fight to Ferrari. Photo:Campbell passed two Ferraris late in the race to secure second place, handing over to co-driver Kevin Estre who closed the gap to Kubica, but could not get close enough to pass. Campbell told Racer.com that 'we ran a perfect race today, with no mistakes, so we've got to be proud of what we achieved'.
'We gave it everything,' he said.
MORE: Hyundai joins the fight at Le Mans
Le Mans is exploding in popularity for manufacturers looking to take on endurance racing. Ford, McLaren and Genesis have announced plans to join the race in the next couple of years,a dding to a grid that already includes Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Cadillac, Aston Martin, Peugeot and Alpine.
Cameron McLeod won Ford's Mustang Challenge in Le Mans. Picture: Supplied
Australian fans cheered on young racer Cameron McLeod in support races in the lead-up to the race. McLeod won Ford's Mustang Challenge races from pole position, taking the chequered flag ahead of Ford competitors from around the globe.
Originally published as Ferrari wins 2025 Le Mans 24 Hour with Robert Kubica
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