24 Hours of Le Mans

24 Hours of Le Mans
Name	24 Hours of Le Mans
Caption	The Circuit de la Sarthe
First	1923
Most wins driver	Tom Kristensen (9)
Most wins team	Porsche (19)
Most wins manufacturer	Porsche (19)

24 Hours of Le Mans. It is the world's oldest active sports car endurance race, held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, France. Organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), the event tests the durability, efficiency, and speed of both cars and drivers over a grueling day-long period on a circuit combining closed public roads and a permanent race track. Widely considered one of the three legs of the prestigious Triple Crown of Motorsport, alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix, it is a cornerstone event in global motorsport.

History

The race was first proposed in 1922 by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and Charles Faroux as a test of automotive reliability and innovation for production-based cars. The inaugural event in 1923 was won by the French duo André Lagache and René Léonard driving a Chenard & Walcker. The interwar period saw fierce competition between manufacturers like Bentley, Alfa Romeo, and Bugatti, with Bentley securing five victories, including four consecutively from 1927 to 1930. After the hiatus of World War II, the race resumed in 1949, entering an era dominated by legendary figures such as Briggs Cunningham and the factory teams of Ferrari, Jaguar, and later Porsche, which began its record-setting legacy in 1970. The late 20th century was marked by epic battles between groups like Porsche, Audi, and Toyota, shaping the modern prototype era.

The circuit

The competition takes place on the Circuit de la Sarthe, a 13.626-kilometer course situated in the Pays de la Loire region. The track is a unique blend of permanent racing sections, like the Bugatti Circuit complex, and temporarily closed public roads, including the famed Mulsanne Straight. This straight was historically notorious for its extreme length, where cars like the Porsche 917 and Jaguar XJR-9 reached their highest speeds, until the addition of two chicanes in 1990 for safety. Other iconic sections include the high-speed Tertre Rouge corner, the technical Ford Chicane, and the challenging Porsche Curves. The circuit's character demands a versatile car setup and immense courage from drivers.

Race format and regulations

The event is a time-based endurance competition where the car covering the greatest distance in 24 hours is declared the winner. It operates under a complex class structure, currently featuring the top-tier Hypercar (LMH) and Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) prototypes, and the production-based LM GTE categories, though GTE is being phased out. Key technical regulations have historically emphasized fuel efficiency, leading to innovations like turbocharging, diesel technology, and hybrid powertrains. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, in conjunction with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), sets the rules, which also mandate strict driver rotation, minimum driving times, and safety standards including the HANS device.

Notable races and incidents

The 1955 edition was marred by the 1955 Le Mans disaster, one of motorsport's darkest moments, when Pierre Levegh's Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR crashed into the crowd, killing over 80 spectators and leading to safety reforms worldwide. In 1966, Ford achieved a historic 1-2-3 finish with the Ford GT40 against the dominant Ferrari team, a story immortalized in the film Ford v Ferrari. The 1969 race saw Jacky Ickx protest the traditional Le Mans start by walking to his car, a year before the dangerous practice was abolished. More recently, the 2016 finish saw a dramatic last-lap failure for the leading Toyota TS050 Hybrid, handing victory to the Porsche 919 Hybrid in a heartbreaking turn of events.

Winners and records

Porsche holds the record for most overall victories by a manufacturer with 19, followed by Audi with 13. The most successful driver is Danish legend Tom Kristensen, who won nine times between 1997 and 2013, often driving for Audi Sport Team Joest. Other notable multiple winners include Jacky Ickx, Derek Bell, and Frank Biela. The greatest distance record was set in 2010 by the Audi R15 TDI plus driven by Mike Rockenfeller, Timo Bernhard, and Romain Dumas, covering 5,410 kilometers. The race has also seen iconic winning cars like the Jaguar D-Type, Ferrari 250 TR, and Mazda 787B, the only rotary-powered victor.

Cultural impact

The event is deeply embedded in global culture, famously depicted in the 1971 film Le Mans starring Steve McQueen. It has inspired numerous video games, most notably the Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport franchises. The race is a key marketing and technological proving ground for major automakers like Toyota, Ferrari, and Cadillac, with innovations often trickling down to road cars. Its prestige attracts celebrities and hundreds of thousands of spectators annually, creating a festival-like atmosphere in the Sarthe region and solidifying its status as a monumental test of human and machine endurance.

Category:Sports car races Category:Endurance races Category:Recurring events established in 1923