Drivers’ comments after 24 Hours of Le Mans

Five Ferrari 296 LMGT3s lined up for the most iconic event in endurance racing, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which this year celebrated its 93rd edition at the Circuit de la Sarthe. It was a demanding race, contested at full throttle from start to finish, with the Prancing Horse entries among the leading contenders throughout. We heard from the drivers of the number 21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari, which finished second, as well as from Ferrari’s official drivers competing in the other cars. 

Alessio Rovera – Vista AF Corse #21 “When you’re that close to victory, you can’t be completely happy, but I’m still satisfied with second place. Today was the best possible result because our opponents were very quick, right from the prologue. These are important championship points, and a podium at Le Mans is always special.”

Simon Mann - Vista AF Corse #21 “It was a very long race and, incredibly, it ran almost entirely under green flag conditions, without the usual Safety Car interruptions. François and Alessio did a fantastic job, as did the entire team. I’m delighted to be on the podium here at Le Mans.”

François Heriau - Vista AF Corse #21 "I’m absolutely delighted to have made it onto the podium and to have taken second place at Le Mans. It was my first time here. The team did an extraordinary job; the car was flying, and we didn't make a single mistake. I’m really proud of what we achieved, and I want to congratulate our rivals – they were truly impressive. We tried everything to close the gap, but I don’t think we could have done any more.”

Davide Rigon, Vista AF Corse #54: “I’m delighted with my performance in the race – the start, the way we managed all aspects with the engineers, the team, and Ferrari. We handled the strategy, fuel consumption, and tyres as well as possible. Everything was perfectly set up for the final stages, and our preparation had been excellent. In the early hours of the morning, a Safety Car helped us close the gap, and in my view, we were genuinely in contention for a podium finish. Unfortunately, a technical problem stopped us. That operation cost us nearly 30 minutes and six laps. At that point, Thomas Flohr and the engineers decided to retire the car. With so many entries, it wouldn’t have been easy to finish in the top ten. Of course, it would have been lovely to see the chequered flag because Le Mans is always a fantastic experience. Along with the entire team, with Francesco and Thomas, we did our best, and that’s the beauty of this sport: it’s what gives us real hope for the future. Let's turn the page and move on.”

Lilou Wadoux – Richard Mille AF Corse #150 “It was a good race. We had a few issues in the first five hours and lost a lap, which we all tried to recover. We didn’t manage it, but we finished the race, and that’s very important, especially with two rookies in the crew.”

 Daniel Serra - Kessel Racing #57  “I am happy to be here and to have finished another 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was a great experience and a valuable opportunity for our team to learn in many ways.”