Twenty years. That’s how long it’s been since a privateer team rolled into Le Mans, looked the factory outfits square in the eye, and said: “Yeah, we’ve got this.”
But that’s exactly what AF Corse’s No. 83 Ferrari did—beating not one, but both factory-backed Ferraris at the biggest endurance race on Earth. In front of a record-breaking 332,000 fans and halfway through the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar, the underdogs came out on top in what can only be described as a 24-hour masterclass in grit, tire management, and not completely imploding under pressure.
It’s no secret that Ferrari’s been on a tear lately. The No. 51 car broke a 58-year dry spell in 2023 by giving Maranello its first overall Le Mans win since 1965. The No. 50 kept the streak going in 2024. But this year, while both red rockets were up front, penalties, a night-time puncture, and a few missteps handed the lead to the privately-entered No. 83—who didn’t hesitate to grab it and run.
Robert Kubica—yes, that Robert Kubica—put in an ironman drive that bordered on ridiculous. The former F1 race winner drove nearly half the race, including five straight stints at the end that should qualify him for sainthood or a very long nap. When the checkered flag finally waved, he’d built a 14-second cushion and made history as the first Polish driver to win overall at Le Mans.
This wasn’t just a redemption arc—it was a downright resurrection. Kubica was robbed of an LMP2 win in 2021 by a last-lap sensor failure. He finished second in class in both ’22 and ’23. Now, finally, he’s got his name in the history books where it belongs.
His teammates? Solid. Will Owen Hanson added an overall win to his 2020 LMP2 trophy. And Yifei Ye became the first Chinese driver to stand atop the overall Le Mans podium. And they did it starting from 13th on the grid—only the third crew in Le Mans history to win from that far back.
“I wasn’t even supposed to do five stints at the end,” Kubica said after the race, sounding equal parts exhausted and euphoric. “But I managed. And we didn’t expect this. It’s emotional. Also, I need sleep.”
Behind them, Porsche pulled off a comeback that even Hollywood would reject for being too unrealistic. The No. 6 Porsche Penske 963 was booted from qualifying and started dead last—21st out of 21 Hypercars. But 23 laps later, Kevin Estre had clawed it back to second. With teammates Laurens Vanthoor and Matt Campbell, they kept the Ferraris honest all race and took a very hard-earned silver medal.
The No. 51 Ferrari still found its way onto the podium despite a spin and engine gremlins. The sister No. 50 car was close behind, and Cadillac’s pole-sitting No. 12 entry rounded out the top five—though the American manufacturer’s pair of V-Series.Rs faded faster than a 1990s Pontiac dashboard in the Florida sun.
If there was one bright spot for Cadillac, it was Sébastien Buemi breaking the Hypercar lap record. Not a bad day at the office, even if there was no trophy to take home. Meanwhile, Toyota—who used to own this race—never looked like a threat. Their best result? Sixth. Which, frankly, they’ll be trying to forget before the luggage hits the tarmac.
LMGT3: Manthey Keeps Winning, Rossi Heartbreaks
In the LMGT3 class, Manthey Racing made it two-for-two, as the No. 92 Porsche driven by Richard Lietz, Riccardo Pera, and Ryan Hardwick kept things clean and stayed out of trouble. Lietz now has six Le Mans wins to his name, which probably means Porsche owes him a statue—or at least a very nice watch.
The No. 21 Ferrari and No. 81 Corvette rounded out the podium. But it was Valentino Rossi—yes, that Rossi—who nearly stole the show, leading laps in the No. 46 BMW before the car cried “enough” and died of electrical failure.
LMP2: A Penalty, a Gift, and a Last-Minute Plot Twist
LMP2 was chaos with a side of heartbreak. Inter Europol looked set to win with their No. 43 car, but a pit lane speeding penalty (rookie mistake, lads) handed the lead to VDS Panis Racing. Done deal, right?
Wrong.
Esteban Masson slowed in the closing minutes, and Nick Yelloly swept by to take the win and give the Polish squad their second LMP2 class victory in three years. Somewhere in Warsaw, someone probably poured vodka into a trophy.
2025 Le Mans 24 Hours – Hypercar results
| Pos. (Overall) | Team | Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | #83 AF Corse | Y. Ye, P. Hanson, R. Kubica |
| 2. | #6 Porsche Penske | L. Vanthoor, K. Estre, M. Campbell |
| 3. | #51 Ferrari AF Corse | A. Pier Guidi, J. Calado, A. Giovinazzi |
| 4. | #50 Ferrari AF Corse | A. Fuoco, M. Molina, N. Nielsen |
| 5. | #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota | A. Lynn, N. Nato, W. Stevens |
| 6. | #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing | M. Conway, N. De Vries, K. Kobayashi |
| 7. | #5 Porsche Penske | J. Andlauer, M. Christensen, M. Jaminet |
| 8. | #38 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota | E. Bamber, S. Bourdais, J. Button |
| 9. | #4 Porsche Penske | F. Nasr, N. Tandy, P. Wehrlein |
| 10. | #35 Alpine Endurance Team | P. Chatin, F. Habsburg, C. Milesi |
| 11. | #36 Alpine Endurance Team | J. Gounon, F. Makowiecki, M. Schumacher |
| 12. | #94 Peugeot Totalenergies | S. Vandoorne, M. Jakobsen, L. Duval |
| 13. | #009 Aston Martin Thor Team | A. Riberas, M. Sorensen, R. De Angelis |
| 14. | #99 Proton Competition | N. Jani, N. Pino, N. Varrone |
| 15. | #007 Aston Martin Thor Team | H. Tincknell, T. Gamble, R. Gunn |
| 16. | #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing | S. Buemi, B. Hartley, R. Hirakawa |
| 17. | #93 Peugeot Totalenergies | J. Vergne, P. Di Resta, M. Jensen |
| 18. | #20 BMW M Team WRT | R. Rast, R. Frijns, S. Van der Linde |
| 32. | #15 BMW M Team WRT | D. Vanthoor, K. Magnussen, R. Marciello |
| DNF | #311 Cadillac Whelan | J. Aitken, F. Drugovich, F. Vesti |
| DNF | #101 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing | J. Taylor, R. Taylor, F. Albuquerque |
| LMP2 below |
2025 Le Mans 24 Hours – LMP2 results
| Pos. (Overall) | Team | Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| 19. | #43 Inter Europol Competition | J. Schmiechowski, T. Dillmann, N. Yelloly |
| 20. | #48 VDS Panis Racing | O. Gray, E. Masson, F. Perera |
| 21. | #199 AO BY TF | P. Hyett, D. Cameron, L. Deletraz |
| 22. | #9 Iron Lynx-Proton | J. Reid, M. Capietto, R. de Gerus |
| 23. | #29 TDS Racing | R. Sales, M. Beche, C. Novalak |
| 24. | #11 Proton Competition | G. Roda, R. Binder, B. Viscaal |
| 25. | #22 United Autosports | R. Van der Zande, P. Fittipaldi, D. Heinemeier Hansson |
| 26. | #25 Algarve Pro Racing | M. Kaiser, L. Fluxa, T. Pourchaire |
| 27. | #183 AF Corse | F. Perrodo, M. Vaxiviere, A. da Costa |
| 28. | #34 Inter Europol Competition | N. Boulle, J. Simmenauer, L. Ghiotto |
| 29. | #23 United Autosports | D. Schneider, O. Jarvis, B. Hanley |
| 30. | #16 RLR M Sport | M. Jensen, R. Cullen, P. Pilet |
| 31. | #45 Algarve Pro Racing | G. Kurtz, N. Catsburg, A. Quinn |
| 33. | #37 CLX Pure Racing | A. Malykhin, T. Blomqvist, T. Vautier |
| DNF | #28 IDEC Sport | R. Lafarge, J, Van Uitert, S. Alvarez |
| DNF | #18 IDEC Sport | J. Chadwick, M, Jaubert, A. Lotterer |
| DNF | #24 Nielsen Racing | N. Rao, C. Bolukbasi, C. Braun |
| LMGT3 below |
2025 Le Mans 24 Hours – LMGT3 results
| Pos. (Overall) | Team | Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| 34. | #92 Manthey 1st Phorm | R. Hardwick, R. Pera, R. Lietz |
| 35. | #21 Vista AF Corse | F. Heriau, S. Mann, A. Rovera |
| 36. | #81 TF Sport | T. Van Rompuy, R. Andrade, C. Eastwood |
| 37. | #27 Heart of Racing Team | I. James, Z. Robichon, M. Drudi |
| 38. | #87 Akkodis ASP Team | R. Umbrarescu, C. Schmid, J. Lopez |
| 39. | #90 Manthey | A. Au, L. Hartog, K. Bachler |
| 40. | #33 TF Sport | B. Keating, J. Edgar, D. Juncadella |
| 41. | #57 Kessel Racing | T. Kimura, D. Serra, C. Stevenson |
| 42. | #77 Proton Competition | B. Sousa, B. Tuck, B. Barker |
| 43. | #13 AWA | O. Fidani, L. Kern, M. Bell |
| 44. | #150 Richard Mille AF Corse | C. Toledo, L. Wadoux, R. Agostini |
| 45. | #61 Iron Lynx | M. Berry, L. Hodenius, M. Martin |
| 46. | #10 Racing Spirit of LeMan | D. Deboer, E. Barrichello, V. Hasse-Clot |
| 47. | #193 Ziggo Tempesta Racing | J. Hui, C. Froggatt, E. Cheever III |
| 48. | #63 Iron Lynx | S. Grove, B. Grove, L. Stolz |
| 49. | #85 Iron Dames | C. Martin, R. Frey, S. Bovy |
| 50. | #59 United Autosports | J. Cottingham, S. Baud, G. Saucy |
| DNF | #78 Akkodis ASP Team | A. Robin, F. Gerhsitz, J. Hawksworth |
| DNF | #54 Vista AF Corse | T. Flohr, F. Castellacci, D. Rigon |
| DNF | #31 The Bend Team WRT | Y. Shahin, T. Boguslavskiy, A. Farfus |
| DNF | #46 Team WRT | A. Al Harthy, V. Rossi, K. Van der Linde |
| DNF | #95 United Autosports | D. Leung, S. Gelael, M. Sato |
| DNF | #60 Iron Lynx | A. Gilbert, L. Hanafin, F, Rueda |
| DNF | #88 Proton Competition | S. Gattuso, G. Levorato, D. Olsen |
Greg was a writer for DriveTribe supporting Amazon's The Grand Tour and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek and a regular contributor to Forbes.
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