Kubica: I'm returning to Le Mans even more prepared.

      Today at the racetrack in Le Mans, it is relatively quiet – the first practice sessions held over the weekend are behind us, and teams are preparing for the qualifying races that will begin on Wednesday. Today, fan zones have opened, autograph sessions are taking place, as well as the Pit Stop Challenge – a competition for mechanics for the fastest pit stop.

      Ticket holders of the appropriate status are allowed on the pit lane, where they can closely observe the cars and somewhat familiarize themselves with the preparation process for the upcoming marathon. Last year, the Pit Stop Challenge was won by the factory team Peugeot, which cannot boast of similar successes on the track so far, but it will be interesting to see who will be the quickest this time.

      It is worth noting that in endurance racing, a pit stop is an even more complex procedure than in Formula 1, as it also involves refueling, and last year, the mechanics of hypercar #93 completed the task in 8.83 seconds.

      This year, the "24 Hours of Le Mans" will take place for the 94th time, with a total of 62 cars from three different classes participating in the marathon, and the total number of drivers who will pilot this equipment is 186.

      In the most powerful category, Hypercar, the fight for victory in the overall classification will be led by 18 crews competing in sports prototypes from eight different manufacturers, including Genesis Magma Racing, the factory team of the Korean conglomerate Hyundai, which will debut in Le Mans. In the LMP2 class, 19 cars are registered, while the most numerous remains LMGT3, with 25 crews competing.

      Interestingly, Aston Martin's performance in Formula 1 has been quite poor this year; however, in Le Mans, experienced Briton Harry Tincknell set the best time in practice behind the wheel of the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar with the memorable number 007. He completed a lap in 3:26.293, which is more or less comparable to last year's pole time, although in practice, no one usually pushes too hard.

      A year ago, Alex Lynn, a factory driver for Cadillac, started from pole position at the Sarthe circuit, and his qualifying result then was 3:23.166 – it should be noted that the length of the lap at the Sarthe circuit is 13.626 km.

      One of the main topics being discussed in the Le Mans paddock is what to expect this year from the drivers piloting the Ferrari 499P hypercars. They have won on the legendary French track three times in a row, with last year's success achieved by the Italian team AF Corse, which includes Robert Kubica.

      In 2025, he and his teammates from crew #83 made a genuine sensation by becoming the first private team representatives in 19 years to triumph in Le Mans.

      Last December, the Polish driver turned 41, but he continues to compete in WEC and before the marathon in Le Mans, which will be his sixth in his career, he stated the following:

      “To be honest, I returned here for one reason only. There aren’t many chances in my life to start a race that I won a year ago. The opportunity to compete in Le Mans is a kind of privilege in my racing life, although there was a time when I thought it was time to find something else to do. But I want to race in Le Mans, I want to experience it again, and I would regret not doing it and missing the chance to get behind the wheel of a competitive car that allowed me to win this famous race last year.

      I think everyone feels pressure before Le Mans, but participating in this marathon is not just about striving for victory: here you accept a special challenge, and the goal is to return home happy that you did everything you could. My goal this year is to continue this positive trend. I am returning to Le Mans even more experienced and better prepared than last year.”

      Following the practice sessions, the AF Corse crew showed the 15th fastest time, but, firstly, these were just practice sessions, and secondly, even qualifying in Le Mans doesn’t decide much. In any case, on Thursday we will find out who will start from pole position this year.