BREAKING: Ferrari Disqualified after FIA Discovered… Read more
Ferrari Disqualified from 2025 Le Mans After Rear Wing Violation as Kubica Claims Emotional Victory
Ferrari’s works entry at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans has been disqualified following a technical infringement involving a flexi-wing breach. The car in question, driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen, initially crossed the line in fourth place but has since been stripped of its result due to non-compliance with the event’s technical regulations.
The ruling was made after post-race scrutineering revealed irregularities in the rear wing support structure of the Ferrari 499P. Specifically, officials discovered that four bolts were missing from the component compared to the car’s homologation form. This structural difference led to an excessive rear-wing deflection, recorded at 52 millimetres under load—significantly above the allowed 15mm threshold. The violation was deemed serious enough to warrant immediate disqualification from the prestigious endurance race.
The breach brought a sudden end to what had been a competitive but challenging race for the Ferrari AF Corse squad. The trio of Fuoco, Molina, and Nielsen were unable to match their victory at last year’s edition of Le Mans, finishing off the podium in fourth place prior to their exclusion. The ruling not only nullifies their 2025 result but also casts a shadow over Ferrari’s recent run of success at the event, which included overall wins in 2023 and 2024.
While Ferrari’s factory team dealt with the bitter disappointment, the spotlight turned to former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, who enjoyed a highly emotional and historic triumph. Kubica, partnering with Phil Hanson and Yifei Ye, piloted a customer-run Ferrari 499P hypercar to overall victory. The win was delivered by the AF Corse-supplied customer team, making it an especially poignant moment for both the team and the Polish driver.
Kubica’s achievement at Le Mans is made even more significant by his personal journey. Once a rising star in Formula 1 with stints at BMW Sauber, Renault, and Williams, Kubica saw his career derailed by a life-threatening rally crash in 2011 that left him with severe arm injuries. His remarkable return to F1 with Williams in 2019 was already a feat of resilience, but his Le Mans triumph now adds another extraordinary chapter to his comeback story.
Kubica’s victory also marks Ferrari’s third consecutive win at Le Mans since returning to the top tier of endurance racing in 2023. However, unlike the previous two wins which came courtesy of the factory Ferrari AF Corse squad, this year’s success was achieved by a privateer effort—highlighting both the competitiveness and reliability of the Ferrari 499P platform across different teams.
The disqualification of the official Ferrari car has stirred discussions within the motorsport community regarding technical oversight and the fine margins in endurance racing. The breach serves as a reminder of the strict regulatory environment governing events like Le Mans, where even minor deviations from homologated specifications can lead to severe penalties.
As it stands, the 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours will be remembered not only for Robert Kubica’s emotional and inspirational win but also for the dramatic exclusion of a top contender due to a technical oversight. While Ferrari still has cause for celebration through its customer team, the factory outfit leaves Le Mans with difficult lessons and technical scrutiny heading into the remainder of the World Endurance Championship season.
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