But on his fifth trip to Le Mans, Kubica took overall victory during the same weekend when F1 hosted its Canadian race – the site of the Pole’s sole grand prix win, which came in 2008 and briefly took him to the top of the drivers’ standings.

It also capped an astonishing racing redemption story for the 40-year-old whose F1 career ended after a near-fatal rally crash in Italy in 2011 that partially severed his right forearm.