Phil Hanson has etched his name into motorsport history as the 35th British driver to win the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, further cementing the UK’s unmatched legacy in the world’s most prestigious endurance race.

Driving the AF Corse-entered Ferrari 499P, the 25-year-old from Berkshire shared the cockpit with Robert Kubica and Yifei Ye. Together, they fended off fierce late-race pressure from the factory-backed Porsche 963, both works Ferraris, and six other manufacturers, making their triumph all the more remarkable. It marks the first victory for a customer entry at Le Mans in two decades.

In one of the most tightly contested editions in the race’s 102-year history, the top four cars were separated by less than 30 seconds at the chequered flag.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Hanson chose the sportscar route over single-seaters early in his career, following early success in British karting. He first caught the racing bug during a family holiday in Ibiza at age 10, and went on to win the Whilton Mill Club Championship at 15. A year later, he captured the Super One British X30 Junior Karting title.

Hanson made his sportscar debut in 2016, winning the Britcar Endurance Championship in his first season. His first appearance at Le Mans came in 2017, and by 2020 he had already claimed top LMP2 class honours, finishing an impressive fifth overall. That same year, he became the youngest ever FIA World Endurance Champion, piloting the United Autosports-run Oreca 07-Gibson alongside Paul di Resta and Felipe Albuquerque.

Remarkably, 2025 marked Hanson’s ninth start at Le Mans and his second in the elite Hypercar category.

“The emotions probably haven’t really hit yet,” Hanson told reporters after the podium ceremony. “Right now, it’s just a huge sense of relief from those final moments. Le Mans can break your heart at the very last second, so I didn’t let myself celebrate or even react until the car physically crossed the line.”

Adding to British celebrations, Nick Yelloly delivered a standout performance in the LMP2 class, securing victory for the Inter Europol Competition team despite a late drive-through penalty.

“I’m super happy for the team,” said the 34-year-old Motorsport UK Academy graduate from Stafford. “To add this to my wins at the Nürburgring 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours is pretty awesome. It wasn’t quite the overall victory – maybe next time!”