Kubica wins 'mental battle' to triumph at Le Mans
The 40-year-old Pole roared to victory in his bright yellow "privateer" Ferrari to give the Italian marque a third consecutive win in the most famous endurance race in the world.
In a thrilling 93rd edition of the race, which saw the top four separated by just over 20 seconds going into the final 15 minutes, Kubica and his AF Corse co-drivers Philip Hanson and Ye Yifei (#83) finished just 14.084sec ahead of a Porsche (#6) driven by Kevin Estre, Matt Campbell and Laurens Vanthoor.
In so doing they knocked the two factory Ferraris, who started the race as favourites, into third and fourth.
"It's been a long 24 hours but an enjoyable one. Grazie mille, grazie a tutti," said Kubica over the team radio as he took the chequered flag.
Kubica was one of Formula One's brightest prospects when he won the 2008 Canada Grand Prix but a harrowing accident in a rally in Andorra in 2011 almost cost him his life.
Trapped upside down in his car before being freed and whisked to hospital, Kubica suffered several serious injuries and underwent a partial amputation of his right forearm.
"What happened was very unfortunate, but I was very lucky," he said after Sunday's victory.
"It took me quite a few years, not only to recover physically but also mentally.
"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."
He returned to racing cars, however, winning the WRC2 championship and taking part in sports car races. In 2017 he moved back into Formula One, testing for Renault before racing for Williams in 2019.
'Greatest achievement'
But Sunday's win which made him the first Pole ever to win Le Mans tops any of his other achievements behind the wheel.
"It was quite difficult to live with, but I'm happy to have achieved my personal goals," he said.
"The best thing I've achieved in my life - it's nothing to do with racing - it's more the battle I won with my mind."
Both of Kubica's co-drivers were also first-time winners with Ye the first Chinese driver to triumph.
"I'm at a loss for words," said Ye who arrived in Le Mans at the age of 14 on an exchange programme to try and become a professional driver.
"It's going to take me some time to realise everything that's happened today. Right now I feel like I'm dreaming. Maybe in two seconds I'll wake up and none of this will exist.
"In China, the car industry has come a long way. When my father was my age, there were no cars on the roads, and we're talking about the 1990s. Becoming a professional driver was impossible."
With three of the top four, it was certainly a good day for Ferrari but there will undoubtedly be some at headquarters in Maranello who might not be so happy.
As the winning car was not entered directly by the manufacturer, but by the AF Corse team, Ferrari will not take the points for victory in the World Endurance Championship.
Cadillac locked out the front row of the grid but #12 of Will Stephens, who had taken pole, had to settle for fifth with the second car (#38), featuring former Formula One world champion Jensen Button, coming home in eighth.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fashion Network
an hour ago
- Fashion Network
Kering stock climbs as de Meo reportedly set to take over as CEO
Shares in Kering rose in early trading on Monday while stocks in Renault fell after reports that the French carmaker's CEO Luca de Meo is poised to become the new chief executive of the luxury goods maker. Kering shares gained around 5% on trading platform Tradegate by 0606 GMT, and Renault shares fell around 3%. Renault said late on Sunday that de Meo will leave the company in mid-July for a new role outside the auto industry. De Meo turned around the troubled French automaker during his five years at the helm, overhauling its two-decade-long strategic alliance with Nissan and doubling down on hybrid motors while shifting towards electric vehicles. The Italian is set to replace Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault, whose family controls the heavily indebted luxury conglomerate and who has led the group for 20 years, Le Figaro first reported. Le Monde reported, without citing sources, that Kering is expected to announce de Meo's appointment after the market closes on Monday. Kering declined to comment on the reports. 'Luca de Meo has expressed his decision to step down in order to take on new challenges outside the automobile sector,' Renault said in a statement late on Sunday. The French state holds a 15% stake in Renault. If confirmed, de Meo's move to Kering—which has lately failed to convince stock market investors of its plans to turn around its Gucci label—would mark a dramatic shift at the group. Pinault would remain Kering's chairman. 'Brand management and marketing are his forte,' Luca Solca, analyst at Bernstein, said of de Meo, 'which dovetails with what the luxury industry does—for which he seems passionate.' 'It is not hard to imagine how intriguing he found the Kering opportunity,' Solca added. De Meo joined Renault from Volkswagen in 2020, a year when the French carmaker reported record losses following a pandemic-induced hit to sales. In the years since, de Meo launched wide-ranging cost cuts that sharply reduced headcount and production capacity worldwide, transforming the company into a smaller but nimbler operation. He also oversaw a major reshaping of Renault's long-standing but often fraught relationship with Japan's Nissan. 'De Meo is perceived to have largely contributed to Renault's turnaround through product newness, technological innovation, EV transition shift, brand elevation, and a return to growth and profit,' Citi analysts wrote.
Fashion Network
an hour ago
- Fashion Network
Kering stock climbs as de Meo reportedly set to take over as CEO
Shares in Kering rose in early trading on Monday while stocks in Renault fell after reports that the French carmaker's CEO Luca de Meo is poised to become the new chief executive of the luxury goods maker. Kering shares gained around 5% on trading platform Tradegate by 0606 GMT, and Renault shares fell around 3%. Renault said late on Sunday that de Meo will leave the company in mid-July for a new role outside the auto industry. De Meo turned around the troubled French automaker during his five years at the helm, overhauling its two-decade-long strategic alliance with Nissan and doubling down on hybrid motors while shifting towards electric vehicles. The Italian is set to replace Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault, whose family controls the heavily indebted luxury conglomerate and who has led the group for 20 years, Le Figaro first reported. Le Monde reported, without citing sources, that Kering is expected to announce de Meo's appointment after the market closes on Monday. Kering declined to comment on the reports. 'Luca de Meo has expressed his decision to step down in order to take on new challenges outside the automobile sector,' Renault said in a statement late on Sunday. The French state holds a 15% stake in Renault. If confirmed, de Meo's move to Kering—which has lately failed to convince stock market investors of its plans to turn around its Gucci label—would mark a dramatic shift at the group. Pinault would remain Kering's chairman. 'Brand management and marketing are his forte,' Luca Solca, analyst at Bernstein, said of de Meo, 'which dovetails with what the luxury industry does—for which he seems passionate.' 'It is not hard to imagine how intriguing he found the Kering opportunity,' Solca added. De Meo joined Renault from Volkswagen in 2020, a year when the French carmaker reported record losses following a pandemic-induced hit to sales. In the years since, de Meo launched wide-ranging cost cuts that sharply reduced headcount and production capacity worldwide, transforming the company into a smaller but nimbler operation. He also oversaw a major reshaping of Renault's long-standing but often fraught relationship with Japan's Nissan. 'De Meo is perceived to have largely contributed to Renault's turnaround through product newness, technological innovation, EV transition shift, brand elevation, and a return to growth and profit,' Citi analysts wrote.
Fashion Network
2 hours ago
- Fashion Network
Kering stock climbs as de Meo reportedly set to take over as CEO
Shares in Kering rose in early trading on Monday while stocks in Renault fell after reports that the French carmaker's CEO Luca de Meo is poised to become the new chief executive of the luxury goods maker. Kering shares gained around 5% on trading platform Tradegate by 0606 GMT, and Renault shares fell around 3%. Renault said late on Sunday that de Meo will leave the company in mid-July for a new role outside the auto industry. De Meo turned around the troubled French automaker during his five years at the helm, overhauling its two-decade-long strategic alliance with Nissan and doubling down on hybrid motors while shifting towards electric vehicles. The Italian is set to replace Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault, whose family controls the heavily indebted luxury conglomerate and who has led the group for 20 years, Le Figaro first reported. Le Monde reported, without citing sources, that Kering is expected to announce de Meo's appointment after the market closes on Monday. Kering declined to comment on the reports. 'Luca de Meo has expressed his decision to step down in order to take on new challenges outside the automobile sector,' Renault said in a statement late on Sunday. The French state holds a 15% stake in Renault. If confirmed, de Meo's move to Kering—which has lately failed to convince stock market investors of its plans to turn around its Gucci label—would mark a dramatic shift at the group. Pinault would remain Kering's chairman. 'Brand management and marketing are his forte,' Luca Solca, analyst at Bernstein, said of de Meo, 'which dovetails with what the luxury industry does—for which he seems passionate.' 'It is not hard to imagine how intriguing he found the Kering opportunity,' Solca added. De Meo joined Renault from Volkswagen in 2020, a year when the French carmaker reported record losses following a pandemic-induced hit to sales. In the years since, de Meo launched wide-ranging cost cuts that sharply reduced headcount and production capacity worldwide, transforming the company into a smaller but nimbler operation. He also oversaw a major reshaping of Renault's long-standing but often fraught relationship with Japan's Nissan. 'De Meo is perceived to have largely contributed to Renault's turnaround through product newness, technological innovation, EV transition shift, brand elevation, and a return to growth and profit,' Citi analysts wrote.
