Motor Racing-Kubica happy to silence doubters with Le Mans win
June 18 (Reuters) - Robert Kubica said his triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday, 14 years after a near-fatal rally crash that partially severed his right forearm, should erase any doubts about his capacity to compete in motor racing.
The 40-year-old former Formula One driver became the first Polish overall winner of the French endurance race in a car shared with Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson.
"I don't think my limitations are limiting behind the wheel. I think if someone had doubts in the past I showed those doubts should not be in place," he told the BBC.
Kubica, the first Polish Formula One driver, won the Canadian Grand Prix and finished fourth overall in 2008. He was linked with a move to Ferrari before the crash sidelined him for nearly a year.
He returned to motor racing in 2012, focusing mostly on endurance races, before making a return to Formula One in 2019.
"There was some very extreme quotes of some people which hurt me because I am the first one who would never like to be back just for marketing or a being a PR muppet," Kubica said.
"People pointing the finger, saying maybe it wasn't safe, and having doubts. They are not doing it anymore."
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Auto Express
17 minutes ago
- Auto Express
Best fast Fords - the greatest high-performance cars ever built by Ford
Few manufacturers have delivered as many truly iconic performance cars as Ford. From the Le Mans-winning GT40 and the rally-bred Escort Mexico, to the raucous Focus RS and playful Fiesta ST hot hatches, fast Fords have always struck a chord with car enthusiasts across the generations. So which are the best fast Fords ever made? With so many icons to choose from, it's a hard question to answer. Everyone has their own favourite depending on era, driving style or personal nostalgia for a particular model. In order to find the standout picks, the team at Auto Express has selected the models that left the biggest mark on them. These cars defined eras, beat the competition, delivered serious thrills to drivers and have earned a place in the fast Ford hall of fame. By Ellis Hyde On sale dates: 1964 to 1969 1964 to 1969 Power/engine size: 485bhp/7.0-litre 485bhp/7.0-litre Engine/gearbox: V8/four-speed manual V8/four-speed manual 0-62/top speed: 4.2 seconds/215mph 4.2 seconds/215mph Price new/price now: N/A/£10,000,000 Advertisement - Article continues below Everyone knows the story: in 1963, Ford tried to buy Ferrari, Enzo regretted the deal at the final hour and this put Henry Ford II on the warpath, determined to prove his company could dominate Ferrari in motorsport. Specifically, at the hallowed 24 Hours of Le Mans. The result was the Ford GT40: the greatest car the company ever made, and one of the most legendary cars ever. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below A mixture of British and American expertise brought the GT40 to life, with the first iteration completed less than a year after Mr Ford issued his decree. It stood just 40 inches tall, hence the name, looked like a missile with a windscreen, and a 4.2-litre V8 allowed it to reach 200mph. Just 31 road-going versions were built alongside the racers. However it wasn't until the heavily revised Mk2 took to the track in 1966 that the GT40 started to win races, including a podium lockout at Le Mans that year. Thanks in part to a new 485bhp 7.0-litre motor, the car broke lap records and hit 213mph. The GT40 went on to secure four consecutive victories for the Blue Oval from 1966 to 1969. By Tom Jervis On sale dates: 1963 to 1966 1963 to 1966 Power/engine size: 105bhp/1.6-litre 105bhp/1.6-litre Engine/gearbox: 4cyl twin-cam in-line/four-speed manual 4cyl twin-cam in-line/four-speed manual 0-60/top speed: 13.6 seconds/108mph 13.6 seconds/108mph Price new/price now: £1,100/£70,000 Advertisement - Article continues below The Ford Cortina Lotus, as it's officially named, was born after Ford noticed Lotus founder Colin Chapman had commissioned a twin-cam version of the Ford Kent engine for use in the Lotus 23 racing car. Ford asked Lotus to fit this revised powertrain to the Cortina for Group 2 touring car racing. It produced just over 100bhp, while the car sat on revised suspension and had lightweight body panels in iconic cream and green paintwork. The original plan was to produce just 1,000 examples, but in fact around 7,500 were produced across two generations. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The Cortina took touring car racing by storm, with Jim Clark winning the British Saloon Car Championship with Team Lotus and Sir John Whitmore securing the European Touring Car Championship under the banner of Alan Mann Racing – although this is just touching the surface of the Lotus Cortina's success. By Chris Rosamond On sale dates: 1967 1967 Power/engine size: 355bhp/7.0-litre 355bhp/7.0-litre Engine/gearbox: V8 twin-carb/three-speed auto V8 twin-carb/three-speed auto 0-62/top speed: 6.5 seconds/128mph 6.5 seconds/128mph Price new/price now: £3,700/£150,000 There are plenty of fast Ford Mustangs, but one of the most iconic is the 1967 GT 500 produced by racing driver Carroll Shelby's firm, Shelby American. Hired to spice up the Mustang and make it more suited to competition, Shelby first created the 289ci V8-powered GT 350 in 1965, with a relatively modest set of modifications including a bigger carburettor, free-flowing intake/exhaust and better brakes. Advertisement - Article continues below Then, in 1967, Shelby introduced a new variant using Ford's 428ci (7-litre) big block V8 making 355bhp in standard tune, and featuring various fibreglass body panels to help keep weight down, but also to give Shelby's Mustang variant a more aggressive look. Around 2,000 cars were built, and survivors are highly collectable today. There are plenty of replicas around, too, sporting the iconic twin stripes down the full length of the car, and GT500 lettering on the front wings. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Shelby American continues to market variations of hot Mustangs today, but there's nothing quite like the original GT 500 – the archetypal sixties muscle car. By Alastair Crooks On sale dates: 1970 to 1975 Power/engine size: 86bhp/1.6-litre 86bhp/1.6-litre Engine/gearbox: 4cyl in-line/four-speed manual 4cyl in-line/four-speed manual 0-60/top speed: 10.7 seconds/99mph 10.7 seconds/99mph Price new/price now: £1,150/£70,000 In 1970 entrepreneur Wylton Dickson came up with the bright idea of the 16,000-mile London to Mexico Rally, ending just in time for the World Cup in Mexico that year. The winner was the Mk1 Ford Escort, beating the likes of the BMW 2002 Ti, Citroen DS 21 and Mercedes 280 in the process. To celebrate the win, Ford decided to create a special version of the Escort - aptly named Mexico. Ford had conveniently just built a brand-new plant called Advance Vehicle Operations (AVO) in Aveley, Essex that became the home of the Mexico. Up until AVO's demise in 1975, 10,352 Escort Mexicos were built. Advertisement - Article continues below Its popularity wasn't based solely on its fabulous Coke-bottle shape, flared wheelarches and unique decals; there was also plenty to get excited about underneath. The 1.6-litre engine only produced 86bhp but it went to 13-inch rear wheels, while the car's superb balance was made all the more enjoyable by responsive steering and a sensational gearshift. True to its rally roots, the Mexico also received a strengthened body, and a revised suspension set-up. By Paul Barker On sale dates: 1984 to 1986 Power/engine size: 246bhp/1.8-litre Engine/gearbox: 4cyl in-line turbo/five-speed manual 0-62/top speed: 6.1 seconds/150mph Price new/price now: £49,995/£450,000 Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The wild RS200 was built to homologate a rally version that didn't manage to be competitive before the ill-fated Group B cars were banned. Just 200 road cars were built in the mid-eighties, with 246bhp from a mid-mounted turbocharged 1.8-litre Cosworth engine. In line with the car's slightly bizarre history, the road-going models were actually built by Reliant, famous for its fibreglass expertise with the not-so-legendary Robin three-wheeler. Around a third of the car, including most obviously the Sierra tail lights, was from Ford parts bins, but more than 40 years later it can still turn heads at a level massively out of proportion with its success or driving experience. Which is why I love it. Advertisement - Article continues below I was fortunate enough to get behind the wheel of Ford's own heritage RS200, and it's a heavy and uncompromised beast that you wouldn't fancy rolling down the high street in. But once you get over the fact that you're driving a piece of Ford history, and get used to having to be a bit brutal with the controls, it's a lot more lightweight and excitable than it feels. Clunky and clumsy at low speed, build the confidence to get faster and it dispels any notions of not wanting to meet your heroes. By Dean Gibson On sale dates: 1986 to 1987 Power/engine size: 224bhp/2.0-litre 224bhp/2.0-litre Engine/gearbox: 4cyl in-line turbo/five-speed manual 4cyl in-line turbo/five-speed manual 0-60/top speed: 6.5 seconds /149mph (RS500) 6.5 seconds /149mph (RS500) Price new/price now: £20,000/£150,000 Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Ford shook up the repmobile market with the jellymould Sierra, but it gained a lukewarm reception from conservative car buyers. To help inject some life into the car, Ford Motorsport joined forces with old sparring partner Cosworth to produce a car that would dominate Group A touring car racing. The road car's whale tail spoiler and deep front bumper were functional, while the flared arches were designed to accommodate racing slicks. Under the bonnet, Ford's tried-and-tested 2.0-litre Pinto four-cylinder received a makeover, with the turbocharged YB version making 224bhp in RS500 guise, while racing versions have been tuned to make a reliable 550bhp. Advertisement - Article continues below I've driven a Sierra RS Cosworth, and it's the epitome of a turbocharged sports car – it's very humdrum at lower revs, but there's instant surge once the turbo spools up. There's a fine line to tread, too, because too much power will quickly overcome the relatively skinny rear tyres. The rest of the driving experience is great, with decent steering and a nimble chassis that still delivers a relatively comfortable ride. By Richard Ingram On sale dates: Power/engine size: 224bhp/2.0-litre 224bhp/2.0-litre Engine/gearbox: 4cyl in-line turbo/five-speed manual 4cyl in-line turbo/five-speed manual 0-62/top speed: 5.7 seconds/150mph 5.7 seconds/150mph Price new/price now: £21,380/£75,000-plus A manufacturer only needs to mutter the words 'homologation special' and you know the result will be something a little out of the ordinary. And that was exactly the case with the iconic Escort RS Cosworth – a poster car (alongside the Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari F50!) of my youth. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Built to allow Ford to go rallying in the nineties, the RS Cosworth was so much more than an Escort with a bodykit and big wing. Fitted with a bespoke, longitudinally mounted Cosworth YBT 2.0-litre engine and a massive turbo, a five-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel drive, cars left the factory with around 225bhp. Few stayed that way due to the highly tunable nature of the powertrain, however. Finding an unfettled example these days is nigh-on impossible. Advertisement - Article continues below Do so, and you'll be knocking on the door of £100,000; it seems some of those who coveted them as a child (me) can now afford (not me) the vastly inflated price it takes to secure one. By Alex Ingram On sale dates: 1997 to 2002 1997 to 2002 Power/engine size: 123bhp/1.7-litre 123bhp/1.7-litre Engine/gearbox: 4cyl in-line petrol/five-speed manual 4cyl in-line petrol/five-speed manual 0-60/top speed: 8.8 seconds/126mph 8.8 seconds/126mph Price new/price now: £14,550/£1,000 Any reader of our sister title evo magazine will know The Knowledge; the back pages where every evo-worthy car's stats are stated along with the verdict on the car. For a time, two cars stood out for their identical summary, 'Pros: Everything. Cons: Nothing.' One of those cars was the Ferrari 550 Maranello. The other was the Ford Puma 1.7. It might be hard to believe that a little Fiesta-based coupe could be held in the same regard as a Ferrari, but it doesn't take long behind the wheel of one to appreciate why Evo's verdict was so on the money. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Firstly, there's the engine. The Yamaha-developed 1.7-litre is to this day one of the smoothest four cylinder units around, and its appetite for revs let you wring all 123bhp out of it - all of the time. That it's matched to a sublime manual gearbox is merely a bonus - Mk2 Escort aside, no other Fast Ford shifts as sweetly. Advertisement - Article continues below But it's the chassis that's the real star. The Mk4 Fiesta was a fine handling supermini in its own right, but the Puma gained a sportier suspension setup and a wider track to make it among the most playful, approachable, communicative and agile cars of its era - and any other. It's the way that the chassis and powertrain feedback gel so perfectly in the Puma that make it such a delight to drive. While the Racing Puma is more exclusive and slightly quicker, it's no more fun to drive and becoming hugely expensive now, so the fact that a 1.7 can still be picked up for less than a grand makes it seem like the bargain to topple all Fast Ford bargains. By Ryan Birch On sale dates: 2009 to 2011 Power/engine size: 300bhp/2.5-litre 300bhp/2.5-litre Engine/gearbox: 5cyl in-line turbo/six-speed manual 5cyl in-line turbo/six-speed manual 0-62/top speed: 5.9 seconds/163mph 5.9 seconds/163mph Price new/price now: £27,575/from £22,000 Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Fast Fords have always been popular with enthusiasts, but fewer cars from the Blue Oval had a bigger impact on the world than when the Mk2 Ford Focus RS was launched. The car's deep front splitter, side skirts, vents and rear spoiler added the visual clout which made the RS stand out against the Mk2 Focus ST. More importantly, while the RS might have borrowed the same 2.5-litre in-line five cylinder engine from the ST, Ford gave it some serious steroids. With bespoke pistons and camshafts, a larger Borg Warner K16 turbo, a special exhaust system and a bigger intercooler, the Focus RS produced a stonking 300bhp and 324lb ft of torque. This was more than enough to put some of the best sports cars around at the time to shame. Advertisement - Article continues below At low speeds, the Mk2 RS wasn't that different from the regular Focus hatch, just a bit on the firm side. But open the taps up and the car will be tugging from side to side due to the prodigious amount of torque steer it produces. Ford developed the RevoKnuckle front suspension and heavily modified the Quaife limited-slip differential from the first-gen RS, but even that wasn't enough to eliminate the effect. That's all part of the charm, though, because the overall driving experience is spot on. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The car had plenty of power and was huge fun to drive. Plus it could do all the practical things the regular Focus could do. By Jordan Katsianis On sale dates: 2012-2017 Power/engine size: 180bhp/1.6-litre 180bhp/1.6-litre Engine/gearbox: 4cyl in-line turbo/six-speed manual 4cyl in-line turbo/six-speed manual 0-62/top speed: 7.0 seconds/142mph 7.0 seconds/142mph Price new/price now: £18,950/£6,000-£10,000 Ford's best drift car ever may well be the Mk7 ST – even though it's front-wheel drive. This relatively unassuming supermini, with its 1.6-litre engine and tiny wheels changed the hot hatchback genre when it arrived in 2012, with a balance that didn't just kill fun-sapping understeer, but actively promoted oversteer when off-throttle in a corner. Many supermini-sized hatches have had a sweet chassis, but here, it's not at the expense of usability. The ride, while very firm on earlier models, wasn't a bar to daily driving, while the excellent seats and practicality only helped matters. A sweet chassis balance wasn't this car's only ace card, as the turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder 'VCT' engine and six-speed manual transmission were just as finely honed and brilliantly executed as the rest of the car. Sure, some of the interior plastics were a little low-rent; the glovebox lid doubled as a parmesan cheese grater, so rough was its finish, and the infotainment system was more like a child's game than a grown-up user interface. But this really was a highlight in Ford's already illustrious career in designing and engineering hot hatchbacks. Shame it'll never be repeated. Now you can buy a car through our network of top dealers around the UK. Search for the latest deals… Car Deal of the Day: Grab a Ford Focus while you can for less than £250 per month The Ford Focus may be on its way out, but it's still great value. 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BBC News
22 minutes ago
- BBC News
'A joy to watch' - acclaim, controversy & more in season review
BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English casts his expert eye over the recently-ended Scottish rugby season to pick out some favourite moments and of the season: Final match of the Under-20 Six Nations. The champions France 45, the fifth-place Scots 40. At various points, France were 13, 14, 15 and 16 points ahead but couldn't shake off a brilliant Scotland effort with some outstanding individual performances to gladden the heart. Five tries for the visitors in a of the season: Darcy Graham responding to his omission from the Lions - an injustice - by scoring a hat-trick against Ulster in his next game. For club and country he's scored 39 tries in his past 50 games - and he's not a Lion?Try of the season: Freddy Douglas putting two French defenders on their backside and eluding two more as he scored up the left wing in the dying moments of that epic U20 game. A remarkable player of the year: Torn between Graham (constant game-breaking class), Huw Jones (an incredible attacker), Finn Russell (controlled and inspired as Bath's Premiership and Challenge Cup winning architect), Zander Fagerson (force of nature). The big man went the full 80 in Paris and was still hammering away at the end. Cruelly denied the Lions tour that he richly deserved. Going with Russell. He's just a joy to player of the year: The fact Evie Gallagher was picked on the Six Nations team of the championship just shows you how good she was. There were so many contenders but she was picked as the leading openside. A turnover machine. She topped the stats charts with most steals, with twice as many as anybody else. Averaged 3.2 turnovers per 80 minutes. Edinburgh player: You can't keep a good man down for long. Hamish Watson roared back into form, bounced defenders like he used to do in the Test arena and was a total menace over ball. He's 33 but the emerging Edinburgh back-rows are going to have to rip the jersey off his back if they want to get in ahead of Glasgow player: He played 20 games for his club and scored 14 tries, but there's more to George Horne than his outrageous try-scoring record. He's the tempo of the team, the heartbeat, the guy who gets bums off seats. He embodies the best of the Scotland women beating a fancied Ireland in the final round of the Six Nations. A reminder that it is possible for blue to beat green in Test Scotland losing limply again to Ireland in the Six Nations. They were 17-0 down after 40 minutes then went another 27 minutes without scoring. Ireland did a physical and psychological number on them once controversial moment: Tommy Freeman's 'try' at Twickenham? Russell being moved closer to the touchline to an incorrect position for the potentially match-winning conversion? Franco Smith's apparent come-and-get-me interview when asked about the rumours linking him to the Wales job? We'll pick Franco, because it was so out of character. Odd then and still odd now. Everybody loves you Franco, but are you staying or going?
The Independent
39 minutes ago
- The Independent
A lot of players helping family with Euro 2025 travel costs
England midfielder Georgia Stanway has revealed some players are reaching into their own pockets to help ensure friends and family can watch them defend their European title in one of the world's most expensive countries. The Lionesses kick off their campaign in Zurich against France on July 5 before facing the Netherlands and Wales in the group stage. Euro 2025 host nation Switzerland may be a much shorter trip for supporters than the 2023 World Cup in Australia, but the cost of attending the tournament may prove prohibitive for some. 'I think it's all subjective, isn't it?' said Stanway when asked whether the friendlier time difference, compared to Australia, would make the Euros more accessible. 'My families can (attend), but I'm also aware that Switzerland is a very expensive country. 'Even just for flights, hotels, the cost of living there is extremely high, so we understand the demand it is on fans. 'And I think that's difficult for us as well, because we want to help and support as much as possible, even with our own families. 'A lot of us are putting our hands in our pockets to make sure that our families can get over there. We would love to see as many fans as possible and we want to thank them in advance because we know it's not cheap.' The PA news agency understands all 23 players are given an identical sum to put towards travel plans for loved ones, which can be used for transport and accommodation. The undisclosed figure is no less than England's men receive for the same purpose and comparable to what the Lionesses were allotted for the World Cup. Players are also granted a small allocation of tickets free of charge. England and Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone added: 'I've heard it's quite expensive. It's one of the most expensive countries in the world, that's what I heard. 'I think it will be a bit difficult for families who are staying out for the whole tournament, but I know that I'll always help my family be out there and make memories and make sure they're eating.' Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy was grateful for any fans who were able and willing to make their way to Switzerland. She said: 'I think it speaks a lot to the fans that we have in general here in England. A lot of people are willing to go above and beyond to be able to watch us and that's quite inspiring for us. 'It creates an energy that we not only felt during the Euros, but we still felt it in Australia regardless of the time difference. 'It's something that we see as our cliche of the 12th woman out there. I think us as a country, historically, but also for the next years, we'll lean on our fans as much as we can.'
