Ferrari won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third straight year Sunday, but a late surge from Porsche Penske Motorsport denied the Italian manufacturer a podium sweep.

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.

The competitive hype attracted a Le Mans record 350,00 people — one of the biggest motorsports events in the world, rivaling the Indy 500’s attendance – to this small French city.