The excitement of a victory is always special, but it is unparalleled at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For confirmation, ask the AF Corse #83 488 GTE crew after their triumph in the 89th edition of the French marathon. They took the lead towards the end of the eleventh hour of the race and then fended off the Aston Martin’s attacks. Thus, reigning champions François Perrodo and Nicklas Nielsen and rookie Alessio Rovera climbed the top step of the podium.
The Italian driver spoke about his debut on this legendary track. “A crazy race, which started with rain”, commented Rovera. “In my first stint in the dark, the track was very wet, and we were on slicks, so it wasn’t easy to drive and keep everything under control, but, yes, the car always responded very well and in the end, we did it, we won! I am really excited by this victory. It’s my first Le Mans and to win on my debut is fantastic. Nicklas flew, François raced very well in his stints against high-speed opponents, and the team and mechanics did a super job, day and night. Strategically the team was perfect. I have to thank everyone: These are not empty words; I am very, very happy. I will never forget my first 24 Hours of Le Mans and everyone who was part of it”.
François Perrodo was also enthusiastic, even though the Frenchman mounted the podium last year. “The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the ultimate race for a gentleman driver: winning it is a dream come true. It’s incredible!” he said. “I don’t have the words to thank Ferrari and AF Corse, as well as Alessio and Nicklas, who did an excellent job throughout the race and were very fast throughout the night. With this victory, we gained 50 points for the championship and, for this reason, too, today is really unforgettable”.
Finally, Nicklas Nielsen, fresh from his triumph at the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours in the GT World Challenge Europe. “The last few months have been incredible!”, said the Dane. “I’m delighted to have won this race which, in the final hours, was very close with the Aston Martin. Our car is strong, and so is the team. We had a perfect strategy, which allowed us to be competitive towards the finish. I want to thank Ferrari for the opportunity and, of course, François and Alessio for the great teamwork. Thanks also to all the mechanics and engineers at AF Corse, who have done an incredible job”.