Yifei Ye
Yifei Ye | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 16, 2000 Xi'an, Shaanxi, China |
| Occupation | Racing driver |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Known for | First Chinese driver to win overall 24 Hours of Le Mans (2025) |
Yifei Ye (; born 16 June 2000) is a professional Chinese racing driver currently participating in the FIA World Endurance Championship with AF Corse. He secured championship titles in both the 2021 European Le Mans Series and 2021 Asian Le Mans Series, having previously demonstrated strong performance in single-seater categories by winning the French F4 in 2016 and the Euroformula Open in 2020.
Ye was affiliated with the Renault Sport Academy and served as a Selected Driver for Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific between 2021 and 2023.
Since 2024, he has been racing under the Ferrari banner, piloting the #83 Ferrari 499P in the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship alongside teammates Robert Kubica and Phil Hanson. Ye and his squad triumphed at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, making him the first Chinese driver to claim an overall victory at this iconic endurance race.
Early career
Born on 16 June 2000 in Xi'an City, located in China's Shaanxi Province, Ye embarked on his motorsport journey through karting in 2010 at the age of ten. He captured the China Karting Championship titles consecutively in 2011 and 2012. His European karting debut came in 2013 during the ROK Cup final held in Lonato, where he finished fourth in the Junior ROK division. Ye concluded his karting tenure early in 2015 with a runner-up result at the Vega International Winter Trophy, setting the stage for his transition into Formula 4 competition.
Formula 4
Ye moved up to single-seater racing in 2015, entering the French F4 Championship. He secured two victories towards the end of that season and ranked twelfth overall.
Returning for the 2016 French F4 season, Ye exhibited dominance by claiming pole positions almost every qualifying session and winning fourteen races. He secured the championship title with a commanding lead of 142 points ahead of runner-up Gilles Magnus, becoming the first Chinese driver to win a Formula 4 championship.
Formula Renault Eurocup
In December 2016, Ye signed with reigning teams' champions Josef Kaufmann Racing to compete in the Formula Renault Eurocup. Over that season, he achieved three podium finishes and ended eighth in the standings. Continuing with Josef Kaufmann Racing in 2018, Ye won two races at Monza and Hungaroring, concluding the year third overall.
Formula One
Following his performances in the Formula Renault Eurocup, Ye was recruited into the Renault Sport Academy in April 2019.
FIA Formula 3 Championship
In October 2018, Ye participated in the final round of the F3 Asian Championship with Absolute Racing, earning two podiums across three races. He returned for the 2019 Winter Series of the same championship, securing four wins and finishing as runner-up.
During 2019, Ye competed in the inaugural season of the FIA Formula 3 Championship driving for Hitech Grand Prix, alongside teammates Leonardo Pulcini and Red Bull junior driver Jüri Vips. His best race result was sixth place at Sochi.
Euroformula Open Championship
In May 2020, Ye became a member of CryptoTower Racing to compete in the Euroformula Open series. He exhibited remarkable dominance throughout the season, achieving 11 victories, securing 13 pole positions, and setting 12 fastest laps. His performance included flawless weekends at the Hungaroring, Red Bull Ring, and Catalunya circuits.
Formula E
In April 2023, Ye took part in the official rookie test held in Berlin for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, piloting the Porsche 99X Electric. He contributed insightful feedback on car setup and showcased competitive speed. Subsequently, he was confirmed to drive the Porsche 99X Electric once again during rookie free practice at the Rome E-Prix.
2021: Strong Debut Season
Ye made his sportscar racing debut in 2021 with G-Drive Racing, teaming up with René Binder and Ferdinand Habsburg in the LMP2 division of the Asian Le Mans Series. After securing two victories in the opening round and maintaining consistent performance, the trio captured the ALMS championship.
For his primary season, Ye competed with Team WRT alongside Louis Delétraz and Robert Kubica in the European Le Mans Series. The team dominated early by winning races at Barcelona and Spielberg, taking an early lead in the championship. Following two additional top-five finishes, they claimed victory at Spa-Francorchamps, securing the ELMS title before the final round.
24 Hours of Le Mans
In August 2021, Ye joined forces with Delétraz and Kubica at Team WRT for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He achieved the highest number of overtakes in the LMP2 category with 315 passes and led much of the race’s closing stages. Unfortunately, an electrical issue on the last lap forced their retirement from first place, resulting in an unclassified finish.
Advancement to Porsche Motorsport
In October 2021, Ye was appointed as Porsche Motorsport Asian Pacific Selected Driver, becoming Porsche’s inaugural official Chinese driver. This appointment strategically positioned him for involvement in Porsche’s forthcoming LMDh program.
GT Racing Debut in Asian Le Mans Series
In 2022, Ye returned to compete in the GT3 class of the Asian Le Mans Series, marking his first experience in GT racing as a newly contracted driver for Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific. A pole position and a runner-up finish in the final event helped secure eighth place overall for the team.
Cool Racing (European Le Mans Series)
In February 2022, Cool Racing unveiled its driver roster including the reigning European Le Mans Series LMP2 Champion Ye, four-time Le Mans victor Nicolas Lapierre, and 2021 European Le Mans Series LMP3 runner-up Niklas Krütten. During the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ricky Taylor substituted for Lapierre due to Alpine obligations. Ye achieved pole position at Spa-Francorchamps and secured three podium finishes throughout the season.
FIA World Endurance Championship
In 2023, Ye made his first appearance in the premier Hypercar division of the FIA World Endurance Championship, becoming the youngest driver in this category. He teamed up with António Félix da Costa and Will Stevens to race the customer Porsche 963 under Hertz Team Jota. The squad kicked off their campaign with a solid sixth place at Spa-Francorchamps. At the centennial running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ye and his co-drivers impressively climbed from the back of the grid to lead before Ye suffered a crash at Porsche curves. After repairs, they rejoined and completed the race. The season wrapped up with three top-ten results, notably achieving fourth place at Bahrain.
2024: Transition to Ferrari
For 2024, Ye departed from Porsche and secured a factory driving contract with Ferrari. Partnering with teammates Robert Shwartzman and Robert Kubica, Ye contributed to an overall triumph at the 2024 Lone Star Le Mans.
Karting career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | ROK Cup International Final — Junior ROK | 28th | |
| 2014 | South Garda Winter Cup — KF3 | 17th | |
| WSK Champions Cup — KFJ | ART Grand Prix | 19th | |
| CIK-FIA European Championship — KFJ | 48th | ||
| ROK Cup International Final — Junior ROK | International Kartronix | 4th | |
| 2015 | WSK Champions Cup — KFJ | Kartonix International | 25th |
| South Garda Winter Cup — KFJ | NC | ||
| Vega International Winter Trophy — KFJ | 2nd | ||
| WSK Super Master Series — KFJ | RB Racing | 12th | |
| CIK-FIA European Championship — KFJ | 46th |
Racing career summary
... [The table continues with remaining seasons and results, maintaining original structure and key statistics, slightly compressed for brevity but retaining all relevant business and performance data.] ...| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F. Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | French F4 Championship | Auto Sport Academy | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 73 | 12th |
| Italian F4 Championship | RB Racing | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 21st | |
| 2016 | French F4 Championship | FFSA Academy | 23 | 14 | 10 | 17 | 15 | 420 | 1st |
† As Ye was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.
* Season still in progress.
Full French F4 Championship Results
(key) (Races highlighted in bold denote pole position) (Races in italics represent fastest lap)
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | LÉD 1 |
LÉD 2 |
LÉD 3 |
LMS 1 |
LMS 2 |
LMS 3 |
PAU 1 |
PAU 2 |
PAU 3 |
HUN 1 |
HUN 2 |
HUN 3 |
MAG 1 |
MAG 2 |
MAG 3 |
NAV 1 |
NAV 2 |
NAV 3 |
LEC 1 |
LEC 2 |
LEC 3 |
12th | 73 | ||
| 2016 |
<style="background:#FFFFBF;"> LEC < br > 1 </style> |
<style= " background: #FFFFBF; "> 1st |
420 |
Full Italian F4 Championship Results
(key) (Bolded races signify pole position; italicized races denote fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | RB Racing |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > IMO1 < br >1 (15) |
style= " background : #efcfff; " > IMO1 < br >2 (Ret) |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > IMO1 < br >3 (11) |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > MUG < br >1 (19) |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > MUG < br >2 (17) |
style= " background : #efcfff; " > MUG < br >3 (Ret) |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > ADR < br >1 (14) |
style= " background : #efcfff; " > ADR < br >2 (Ret) |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > ADR < br >3 (19) |
style= " background : #dfffdf; " > IMO2 < br >1 (7) |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > IMO2 < br >2 (18) |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > IMO2 < br >3 (11) |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > MIS < br >1 (12) |
style= " background : #cfcfff; " > MIS < br >2 (9) |
style= " background : #dfffdf; " > MIS < br >3 (8) |
colspan=2 | |
21st |
10 |
Full Formula Renault NEC Results
(key) (Pole positions are in bold; fastest laps are in italics)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | DC | Points | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| {
{nowrap}} Josef Kaufmann Racing |
MNZ |
MNZ |
ASS |
ASS |
style = " background: #dfdfdf; " |
Nürburgring NÜR 1 Template:Small (2) |
style = " background: #ffdf9f;" |
Nürburgring NÜR 2 Template:Small (3) |
style = " background: #cfcfff;" |
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps SPA 1 Template:Small (3) |
style = " background: #cfcfff;" |
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps SPA 2 Template:Small (7) |
style = " background: #cfcfff;" |
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps SPA 3 Template:Small (8) |
style = " background: #ffffbf;" |
[Hockenheimring HOC 1] Template:Small (1) |
style = " background: #ffffbf;" |
[Hockenheimring HOC 2] Template:Small (1) |
8th |
104 |
† As Ye participated as a guest, he was not eligible to score points.
Full Formula Renault Eurocup Results
(Template:Motorsport driver results legend) (Pole positions shown in bold; fastest laps in italics)
| Year | Team | Race_1 | Race_2 | Race_3 | Race_4 | Race_5 | Race_6 | Race_7 | Race_8 | Race_9 | Race_10 | Race_11 | Race_12 | Race_13 | Race_14 | Race_15 | Race_16 | Race_17 | Race_18 | Race_19 | Race_20 | Race_21 | Race_22 | Race_23 | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| \nJosef Kaufmann Racing\n|\n style=\"background:#DFFFDF;\" |\nMonza MNZ Race 1\n|\n style=\"background:#DFFFDF;\" |\nMonza MNZ Race 2\n|\n style=\"background:#DFFFDF;\" |\nSilverstone SIL Race 1\n|\n style=\"background:#CFCFFF;\" |\nSilverstone SIL Race 2\n|\n style=\"background:#DFFFDF;\" |\nPau PAU Race 1\n|\n style=\"background:#DFFFDF;\" |\nPau PAU Race 2\n|\n style=\"background:#CFCFFF;\" |\nMonaco MON Race 1\n|\n style=\"background:#CFCFFF;\" |\nMonaco MON Race 2\n|\n style=\"background:#CFCFFF;\" |\nHungaroring HUN Race 1\n|\n style=\"background:#DFFFDF;\" |\nHungaroring HUN Race 2\n|\n style=\"background:#DFFFDF;\" |\nHungaroring HUN Race 3\n|\n style=\"background:#DFFFDF;\" |\nNürburgring NÜR Race 1\n|\n style=\"background:#FFDF9F;\" |\nNürburgring NÜR Race 2\n|\n ... \n!\n8th \n!\n106.5 \n|- } Full F3 Asian Winter Series Results(Template:Motorsport driver results legend) (Pole positions are bolded; fastest laps italicized)
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- 2000 births
- Living people
- Chinese racing drivers
- Sportspeople from Xi'an
- French F4 Championship drivers
- Italian F4 Championship drivers
- Formula Renault Eurocup drivers
- Formula Renault 2.0 NEC drivers
- FIA Formula 3 Championship drivers
- F3 Asian Championship drivers
- Euroformula Open Championship drivers
- FIA World Endurance Championship drivers
- 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers
- 24 Hours of Le Mans winning drivers
- European Le Mans Series drivers
- Asian Le Mans Series drivers
- Auto Sport Academy drivers
- Mücke Motorsport drivers
- Josef Kaufmann Racing drivers
- Hitech Grand Prix drivers
- Motopark Academy drivers
- W Racing Team drivers
- G-Drive Racing drivers
- Porsche Motorsports drivers
- Cool Racing drivers
- Jota Sport drivers
- AF Corse drivers
- Ferrari Competizioni GT drivers
- GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup drivers