Former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica has teamed up with AF Corse to launch an assault on the World Endurance Championship, with the goal of taking the helm of a third Ferrari 499P Le Mans Hypercar.
AF Corse, responsible for the factory 499Ps, disclosed that the Formula 1 race winner and current LMP2 WEC champion is now part of its lineup for 2024, although the specifics of his program with the team remain undisclosed.
It seems probable that he will join the roster in an additional 499P, operating as a customer entry, as outlined by Ferrari’s sportscar head, Antonello Coletta, at the Bahrain WEC finale earlier this month.
WEC regulations stipulate that each manufacturer in the Hypercar division can have only two full-season factory entries, and any additional cars can only accrue points in the FIA World Cup designated for independent teams. Antonello Coletta emphasized a few weeks ago in Bahrain that any supplementary Hypercar entry would likely be managed by AF on a customer-oriented basis.
The statement from AF indicated that additional details about the new collaboration between the team and Kubica will be unveiled in the “coming weeks.” This is expected to align with the release of the lineup for the 2024 WEC grid after the entry deadline on Monday.
AF boss Amato Ferrari added that it was “a great honour to welcome a driver of Robert’s calibre to our family”. He pointed out that Robert Kubica’s “talent and great professionalism will bring new added value to our team”, while the former Formula 1 driver stated: “I’m happy that my path and the path of AF Corse will be the same next season. AF is one of the most successful teams ever in motorsport: I’m sure we’ll do a great job together. What’s more, I’m back in an Italian team, which is no small matter.”
Robert Kubica has been quite vocal about his ambition to step up to the Hypercar category, transitioning from his recent three-season stint in LMP2. It’s been reported that discussions took place between Kubica and the Jota team regarding his potential involvement in one of its Porsche 963 LMDhs, forming part of an extended two-car campaign in the WEC.
Notably, the former Formula 1 driver, who was close to joining Scuderia Ferrari before his crash in the Andorra Rally in 2011, achieved success in his debut P2 season in 2021 with the WRT team, clinching the European Le Mans Series title. His noteworthy performance at the Le Mans 24 Hours, piloting the ORECA-Gibson 07 alongside Louis Deletraz and Yifei Ye, nearly secured a class victory.
In 2022, the Polish driver transitioned to a full WEC program with the Prema team. Returning to WRT for the current year, he, along with Deletraz and Rui Andrade, secured the P2 WEC title.
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