There is no event bigger than the 24 Hours of Le Mans in endurance racing. Every June, the eyes of the world turn to the small town of Le Mans in northern France to witness one of the most prestigious and grueling motorsport events on the planet.
Origins
The 24 Hours of Le Mans first took place in 1923, introduced by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) when Grand Prix racing was dominant in Europe. With Le Mans, the idea was to make cars that are not just fast, but also reliable. Le Mans was the most ideal test track, the long race needed fuel efficiency, long straights like the Mulsanne required enhanced aerodynamics, and unlike meticulously maintained circuits, the public roads used for Le Mans demanded robust parts to handle the additional strain.
What does the race week look like?
During the 24 Hours of Le Mans, race week starts almost a week before the actual race begins with Le Mans Pesage (Scrutineering). For example, this year, the race is set to start on June 15th, but scrutineering began on June 7th. Since the inception of the championship in 2012, scrutineering and administrative checks have taken place at the Place de la République in the heart of the town. The scrutineering takes place over two days because the number of entries is large and divided between different classes with varying sets of rules and regulations.
A special Hypercar parade in the city center follows scrutineering. The parade happens along a 2.1-kilometer loop through the city. They are joined by the Safety Car and the Bentley 3 Litre Sport, which claimed victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924.
After scrutineering, track action begins the next day with official test sessions to help teams acclimate to the circuit and its conditions.
On Wednesday, the race weekend officially kicks off with the first practice session, followed by qualifying. Qualifying determines the grid for the main race, except for the top 10 spots. The top 10 qualifiers advance to Hyperpole.
The next day features two additional practice sessions followed by Hyperpole. Each category has its own qualifying and Hyperpole sessions, determining the top 10 grid positions, including the coveted pole position for the prestigious race.
Friday features the fourth and final practice session before the race on Saturday.
Car Classes
When the World Endurance Championship (WEC) was first run in 2012, there were four classes: LMP1, LMP2, and GTE grand tourers, which were further divided into GTE Pro for teams with professional driver line-ups and GTE Am for teams featuring a mix of amateur drivers.
Currently, WEC runs two classes: the Hypercar class and the LMGT3 class. Due to the expansion of the Hypercar class, the championship has discontinued the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class for the 2024 season. The Hypercar class’s success led to this change, as it gained significant interest from manufacturers.
The Hypercar class debuted in the 2021 season with entries from Alpine, Glickenhaus, and Toyota. Starting from the 2023 season, LMDh cars from IMSA were also permitted to compete alongside LMH cars. This integration has brought entries from BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, and Lamborghini, showcasing the collaborative success between WEC and IMSA regulations.
The LMGT3 class debuted this year, replacing the LMGTE cars which have been a part of the championship since its inception. This new GT category focuses on amateur drivers and private teams. Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, and Porsche will compete through private teams.
The LMP2 class, even though has been discontinued from WEC will still be a part of the 24 Hour race.
Apart from the WEC, which is the pinnacle of endurance racing, there are also the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), the Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS), and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), which take place in Europe, Asia, and America respectively. In both ELMS and ALMS, the top class is still LMP2. In IMSA, below the LMDh class, the LMP2 class continues to exist.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans this year allocated 16 grid spots to the top-performing LMP2 teams from ELMS, ALMS, and IMSA. This ensures that teams from these series have the opportunity to compete on one of the most prestigious stages in endurance racing.
The Circuit
The 13.626km Circuit de la Sarthe hosts the 24 Hours of Le Mans annually. The track combines public roads and dedicated racing sections, including four long straights where drivers can exceed 340km/h (210mph). The most famous section is the 6km Mulsanne Straight, a regular road when not used for the race. Known locally as the Ligne Droite des Hunaudières, it has featured two chicanes since 1990, lowering the top speed from 405km/h (252mph) achieved in 1988 but enhancing safety.
Notable Moments
Le Mans has seen numerous unforgettable moments in motorsport history. Perhaps the most iconic is the intense Ford vs. Ferrari rivalry of the 1960s, which later got turned into a film.
Another dramatic highlight came in 2016 when the #5 Toyota suffered a heartbreaking failure just three minutes before the race’s conclusion, underscoring the unpredictable nature of endurance racing where victory is never assured until the checkered flag is waved.
Who’s driving in the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans?
If you’re a long-term motorsports fan, you’ll find quite a lot of familiar faces in the WEC. Renowned F1 drivers like 2009 World Champion Jenson Button, Kamui Kobayashi, Robert Kubica, and Daniil Kvyat, to name a few, will be on the grid this year.
MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi will also be present on the grid, racing in GT3 for Team WRT. While there are no points for guessing the number on his BMW, he’ll be sporting his iconic #46 here as well.
You can find the full spotters guide here which tells you who’s driving what at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
How to Watch
You can watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans in India live on fiawec.tv.
