Robert Kubica said his triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday, 14 years after a near-fatal rally crash that partially severed his right forearm, should erase any doubts about his capacity to compete in motor racing.

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.

By any normal yardstick, the Le Mans 24 Hours is one of the most difficult and demanding races in motorsport.The concentration levels alone are virtually impossible to uphold, on public roads at more than 200mph,