F1 World Champion and Race Winner Shine at Le Mans

The 2025 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans features a strong contingent of drivers with Formula 1 experience, including a former world champion and a Grand Prix winner. Jenson Button, the 2009 F1 World Champion, leads a group of 19 drivers with F1 backgrounds set to compete in the famous endurance race.

Button, who has 15 Grand Prix wins and 306 F1 starts, will drive for Cadillac Hertz Team Jota in the Hypercar category. This marks his fourth Le Mans appearance after racing in 2018 and 2023. He aims to complete the second leg of motorsport’s triple crown following his 2009 Monaco GP victory, although a slow start to his season presents a challenge this year.

Another notable name is Robert Kubica, who won the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. Kubica returns to race for AF Corse in the Hypercar class, adding experience with his 99 F1 starts.

The lineup also includes former members of the 2022 Haas F1 team: Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher. Magnussen, with 175 Grand Prix starts and previous F1 pole and podium finishes, has transitioned to sports cars. Schumacher, who raced for Haas from 2021 to 2022 and has 43 F1 starts, drives for Alpine in the Hypercar category.

Sebastien Buemi adds significant star power to the field. The Swiss driver, a former F1 competitor with 55 starts, is also a four-time Le Mans winner. He races for Toyota alongside Kamui Kobayashi, Brendon Hartley, and Nyck de Vries, all of whom have F1 experience.

Kobayashi scored one F1 podium in 75 starts and leads Toyota’s Hypercar entry. Hartley and de Vries have 25 and 11 F1 starts respectively, making Toyota’s lineup one of the most experienced at the event.

The Hypercar category is packed with talent formerly seen on F1 grids. Pascal Wehrlein (37 F1 starts) and Felipe Nasr (39 starts) race for Porsche Penske, while Antonio Giovinazzi brings 62 F1 starts to Ferrari AF Corse’s challenge. Fans can read more about Ferrari’s racing prospects in recent coverage.

Peugeot’s team features Paul di Resta (57 F1 starts), Stoffel Vandoorne (42 starts), and Jean-Eric Vergne (58 starts), demonstrating the strong interest among ex-F1 drivers to claim Le Mans glory. Other Hypercar competitors with F1 experience include Will Stevens, Sebastian Bourdais, and Jack Aitken.

The lower categories also include drivers with F1 backgrounds. Andre Lotterer, who made a single start for Caterham in 2014, races for IDEC Sport in LMP2. Pietro Fittipaldi, with two F1 starts, competes with United Autosports.

The Le Mans starting grid highlights the enduring connection between Formula 1 and endurance racing. It offers a mix of youth and experience as drivers pursue a coveted place in racing history. The season has also seen some notable incidents involving top F1 drivers, reflecting the high stakes across motorsport disciplines.

Fans can look forward to seeing familiar F1 faces battle alongside seasoned sports car veterans and emerging talents. The challenge lies in translating single-seater speed and skill into success in endurance racing on one of the world’s toughest tracks.

As the 24-hour race approaches, all eyes will be on whether a former Formula 1 driver can secure a memorable victory at Le Mans in 2025. Such a win would add another remarkable achievement to their racing careers. Recent analysis highlights the impact of key driver performances as the motorsport season builds momentum.