Giovinazzi cries after Le Mans win: 'A dream came true'

During his Formula 1 career, Antonio Giovinazzi never managed to fully live up to high expectations. After a shaky time with the Alfa Romeo team, a move to Ferrari - for which the Italian was a test and reserve driver for many years - was not in the cards. With his victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Giovinazzi still earned a place in the Ferrari history books.

Would it feel like reparation? A long nose to all the people who doubted Antonio Giovinazzi? Whatever happens the rest of his career: forever Giovinazzi is a winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In a Ferrari, moreover - there is no greater honour imaginable for an Italian.

Great opportunity for Giovinazzi

"When you are a kid and you are a racing driver, you have a few races that you watch all the time," Giovinazzi told the Le Mans mixed zone, just under half an hour after picking up the most important trophy of his career. "It's 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis and then, of course for me it was Monza F1 and so it was one of my dreams. Today the dream came true."

Giovinazzi is not a regular on a race podium. In Formula 1, the Italian was happy with points; a podium finish there was never realistic. A season in Formula E - in which he competed after leaving Alfa Romeo F1 - turned into an outright flop. Driving the hypercar in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) was a great opportunity to revive his career, just as it could just as easily have been a last chance for success with a relevant team.

"I haven't been on the podium since Spa 2016, in the then GP2. I haven't won a race since 2016. So to get back on the podium, especially here at Le Mans, was great. I must confess I cried, because in my life I have made so many sacrifices. After so many years full of disappointments, but in the end I always believed in my talent. What Ferrari has done here today... Last year in July we had this car on the track for the first time, now we have won Le Mans, so as a team we should be proud," Giovinazzi said.

A heart attack due to problems

The race went as hoped for Giovinazzi. There was hardly any technical mishap, although twice the Ferrari only got out of place with the utmost difficulty after a pit stop. The Italian driver now looks back on it with a smile: "I had almost a heart attack, 30 minutes to go and we had an issue. But in the end, you know, it was when Ale [Pier Guidi] was in the car. You know, he's in engineering so I was sure that he will reset and restart the car."

Exactly 100 years after the first 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ferrari won with a factory team, having been absent for half a century itself. "I think winning Le Mans is always special but winning with Ferrari in hypercar and the main category is something special. Then of course it's also a special race, special event. 100 years so it's all special and I'm really proud to be here and speaking with you like a champion of Le Mans."