Le Mans 24 Hours

24 Heures du Mans

24H Le Mans

FIA WEC

ELMS

Asian Le Mans

Asian LMSC

Michelin Le Mans Cup

Le Mans Series

MissionH24

Innovations

Historical

Historique

Le Mans Legends

Le Mans Legendes

The countdown has begun. In a year’s time, McLaren will be back in the top class of endurance racing with the aim of adding a second 24 Hours of Le Mans trophy to the Woking silver cabinet. The eagerly-awaited return will rekindle an intense relationship between the manufacturer and Le Mans.

One Sunday in June 1995, on a circuit drenched by incessant rain, McLaren entered the history books with an incredible achievement. The McLaren F1, designed for the road, not the race track, became the F1 GTR thanks to a specially-developed kit, and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans on first attempt despite very little preparation. The thousands of spectators present witnessed an unimaginable feat.

Thirty-two years later, McLaren is getting ready to return to the pinnacle of endurance racing. The manufacturer has elected to reflect past glory in the car&rsquo;s test livery. The <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/mclaren-mcl-hy-a-name-with-a-hint-of-promise-for-the-24-hours-of-le-mans-60533">MCL-HY</a> appeared last May dressed in the papaya colour that harks back to Bruce McLaren&rsquo;s M6A, the car that sparked the desire to win Le Mans.

The McLaren M6A and the new MCL-HY stand shoulder to shoulder. Two milestones on McLaren&rsquo;s road to Le Mans.

McLaren-Hypercar-1.jpg

<h2>Bruce McLaren&rsquo;s dream</h2>

In the late 1960s, Bruce McLaren was not content with winning. His triumph at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Ford GT40 had triggered his imagination. Using his 1967-winning Can-Am M6A as a base, he designed a closed cockpit coup&eacute; he dubbed the M6GT. His aim was simple: to produce a small series (250), just enough to comply with GT homologation requirements to enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McLaren was out to build a brand, and to his mind, Le Mans was the place to do it.

The dream didn&rsquo;t come true. Bruce McLaren lost his life in a test session at Goodwood. Without his input, his energy, the project came to a halt. A couple of M6GTs were built, but didn&#39;t ever appear at Le Mans.

The project was never buried. Merely shelved.

In 1995, Bruce McLaren&rsquo;s dream came true in the shape of the McLaren F1. <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/24-hours-centenary-mclaren-an-f1-takes-on-le-mans-57424">A singular machine</a>&nbsp;that, despite its name, was not designed for racing. Gordon Murray intended it to be the ultimate road car. He had not reckoned with the constraints of the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, the demanding nature of the race, nor the opportunity to blast along at over 300 kph. Several racing driver customers managed to persuade the then head of McLaren, Ron Dennis, to turn the car into a racing GT.

McLaren-Hypercar-3.jpg

McLaren-Hypercar-4.jpg

On the day of the race, the sky was dark too.&nbsp;It rained for 17 of the 24 hours. A memorable experience for all concerned, not least the many spectators. The wet conditions favoured the British team, who, to widespread surprise, claimed the victory. Seven McLarens on the grid, five at the finish, four in the top five

An exploit, especially as none of the F1 GTRs had raced in the rain before. Yet, JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya dominated the field with the #59, covering a total of 298 laps.

When asked to name the highlight of his career, Gordon Murray doesn&rsquo;t mention his Formula One titles. He cites the Le Mans victory.&nbsp;What a tribute, from an engineer who won everything! The aura of Le Mans dazzles participants and spectators alike.&nbsp;

The McLarens remained among the leaders until 1998, but didn&rsquo;t make another podium place. Then, nothing. A 26-year hiatus with no McLarens on the grid. But the silence didn&rsquo;t spell the end. McLaren were just waiting.

<h2>Patience rewarded</h2>

In 2024, the time had come, and McLaren made their way back to Le Mans. <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/can-mclaren-renew-with-le-mans-success-30-years-after-a-famous-win-59359">First in LMGT3</a>, to get used to the night stints, the tyre wear, the rain, and all the other peculiarities of La Sarthe. One step at a time. Here, speed is of the essence, but stamina is the decider, and tenacity keeps you hanging on, and coming back.&nbsp;

McLaren will be back in the top class with their MCL-HY Hypercar factory entry in 2027. Under the bonnet, power comes from a twin-turbocharged V6 race engine developed in-house, paired with a hybrid MGU system, delivering up to 520kW (707PS) to the driven rear axle. The carbon chassis was built by Italian manufacturer Dallara, also the supplier of the BMW and Cadillac chassis, and with which McLaren already works in IndyCar.

McLaren-Hypercar-5.jpg

McLaren-Hypercar-6.jpg

You don&rsquo;t win Le Mans on your own. To orchestrate the return, McLaren has appointed James Barclay Executive Director of McLaren Endurance Racing and Team Principal of McLaren Hypercar Team. In Formula E Barclay learned to lead a team to success starting from scratch. He heads a team whose name McLaren United, reflects a mind set. The name isn&rsquo;t chosen by chance. This is a group effort, with United Autosports contributing their experience in LMP2 and GT3.

Chris Dyer (Technical Director) knows the way to the top. As key engineer from Michael Schumacher&rsquo;s dominant Ferrari Formula One period, he has first-hand experience of the moments when a race hangs on a detail. You can&rsquo;t get that knowledge from books. It&rsquo;s passed on from one generation to the next.

Neil Oatley also brings a wealth of experience to the team. As a child, he collected autographs of Bruce McLaren, and when he became an engineer, he designed the McLarens of the Prost-Senna-H&auml;kkinen era. Today, at 70, he is a consultant on the project.&nbsp;

As for the people in the cockpit, two drivers are confirmed for the moment. First, <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/mclaren-racing-announces-its-first-hypercar-driver-60219">Mikkel Jensen</a>. At 31, he already boasts seven participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He&rsquo;s driven in GTE, LMP2 and Hypercar. He knows how the 13.626-kilometre circuit feels at the wheel of very different cars and has several lasting memories. Rare experience for someone so young. &ldquo;We come with more experience this time, because the Hypercar class has been in place for longer. We have drivers, engineers and mechanics that have experience from other places. We&rsquo;ve got an idea of what to do to get a better car, let&rsquo;s say.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The man by his side, Laurence Vanthoor, was World Endurance Champion in 2024. The Belgian has been at the top for ten years, as factory driver at Audi, then Porsche. He has won the major endurance races: N&uuml;rburgring, Bathurst, and Daytona. Le Mans too. A class win with the Pink Pig Porsche 911 RSR in 2018 with K&eacute;vin Estre and Michael Christensen. He is just missing the overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He came close last year.

In 2027, the McLaren flame will be back in La Sarthe, ready to shine brighter than ever.&nbsp;

In 2027, McLaren return to Le Mans to pick up where they left off

They’re back. In 2027, Ford will be returning to the Hypercar class, and therefore on the grid of the 95th 24 Hours of Le Mans. One of the greatest ever automotive manufacturers joins a highly competitive field. Today, they announce the complete roster of drivers for the Ford Hypercar campaign.

In 2027, Ford will be entering two Hypercars in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Talented drivers and a naturally-aspirated V8 are ready to power into a new era.

<h2>Savvy and speed</h2>

Matt Campbell, Nick Yelloly and Tom Blomqvist, the three drivers announced today, join 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, Logan Sargeant and Sebastian Priaulx in <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/ford-racing-has-announced-details-of-its-hypercar-programme-60229">the American programme</a>.

Campbell has a glittering track record in the USA, as well as in <a href="https://www.fiawec.com/en/">FIA WEC</a>. The Australian boasts excellent results in international sportscar classics, including a class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018. Ford has hired him for his precision, pace and experience of top-level racing. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m extremely excited and proud to be joining Ford Racing for their new Hypercar program. Ford has a longstanding history of success in top levels of motorsport and at Le Mans, which is something I am also chasing, and I believe Ford is the right place to achieve that goal together. We have a lot of laps to turn later this year, but the work has already started and I&rsquo;m excited for what&rsquo;s ahead.&rdquo;

British driver Nick Yelloly has raced, and won, all over the world, not least the 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 crown last year, with Jakub Śmiechowski and Tom Dillmann for Inter Europol Competition. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m extremely excited and proud to be joining Ford Racing for their new Hypercar program. Being part of the lineup who are bringing back the legendary Blue Oval to Le Mans is a big honor and I am very grateful for the opportunity. I&rsquo;m itching to get going with the whole team and can&rsquo;t wait to get this show on the road!&rdquo;

Ford can also rely on the talented Tom Blomqvist, who took second place in LMP2 at the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans and won the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship the same year. He has won the Rolex 24 at Daytona twice. &ldquo;Joining Ford Racing at the start of such an ambitious programme is an incredibly exciting opportunity. To be part of the project from the outset, help shape its development and work towards the shared goal of bringing Ford back to the top step of the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is very special. Ford&rsquo;s heritage in endurance racing speaks for itself, and I&rsquo;m proud to represent the brand as we begin this exciting new chapter together.&rdquo;

<h2>A proud factory entry</h2>

Ford do things the big way. The Americans have opted for a 5.4 litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine developed in the Dearborn workshops. The chassis is built in conjunction with Oreca, already a major player at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The aim is clear: to lift the most prestigious trophy in world endurance racing.

&ldquo;At Ford Racing, competition runs through our veins, and as America&rsquo;s Race Team, it is only right that we carry the banner ourselves. With the additions of Matt, Nick and Tom alongside Logan, Rocky and Seb, we have finalized a driver lineup capable of winning races. We aren&rsquo;t just returning to Le Mans to participate &ndash; we are returning to fight for overall victory, and this complete roster gives us the perfect foundation to achieve that goal,&rdquo; assures Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Racing.

<h2>Towards another head-to-head between Ford and Ferrari?</h2>

For many manufacturers, the 24 Hours of Le Mans represents more than a race. It&rsquo;s woven into their history, part of the essence of the brand. It&rsquo;s the goal to aspire to, the biggest dream of all. In 1964, the Detroit carmaker came to France with a new car, the GT40. And a new goal, to be the first American make to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Slight hitch: the top spot was taken. Ferrari, another automotive legend, reigned supreme. The Italians won six consecutive editions (1960&ndash;65). Ford&rsquo;s attempt to buy out Ferrari during that period of domination didn&rsquo;t materialise; Enzo Ferrari&rsquo;s pull-out infuriated Henry Ford and sparked bitter rivalry.

At the third attempt, in 1966, Ford beat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The GT40 earned its place in the history books, repeating the feat the following year under the factory banner, and again in 1968 and 1969 with private team entries. The intense 1966 head-to-head was portrayed in the 2019 film <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/why-you-should-watch-the-oscar-winning-ford-v-ferrari-again-59337">Ford v Ferrari</a> (titled Le Mans &lsquo;66 in the UK, France and elsewhere) with Matt Damon in the role of Carroll Shelby, director of the Ford campaign, and Christian Bale as driver Ken Miles, who helped develop the GT40. Together, the two men overcame hurdle after hurdle to bring their vision to fruition, upsetting the hierarchy of one of the world&rsquo;s largest companies in the process. Le Mans rewarded their superhuman efforts.

The French classic&rsquo;s long history throws up obvious parallels. In 2027, for the first time since the sixties, Ford is coming back to the top class at Le Mans, intent on victory. Once again, Ferrari stands in the way, having claimed the trophy for the last three years. Get ready for another epic battle. This time it&#39;s Ford v Ferrari... and a host of other potential winners.&nbsp;

Ford reveals the names of the 2027 Hypercar driver crews

After a rocky start and first hour, the Brutal Fish by Campos drivers didn’t flinch. In GT3, the race was won in the last lap.

Social media sports commentator Depielo waved the start.&nbsp;The 56 cars &ndash; 39 LMP3s split into two classes, and 17 GT3s &ndash; set off to battle for supremacy in the highlight of the Michelin Le Mans Cup, the 3-hour race on the Circuit des 24 heures.&nbsp;The relatively chilly start (17&deg;C this morning) meant the warm-up lap was all-important.&nbsp;There was such a scramble at the start that race control called a Full Course Yellow a the end of lap 1.

<h3>Polesitter serene in the commotion</h3>

Unperturbed by the scrabble behind him, polesitter Arthur Rogeon (Brutal Fish by Campos #12 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota) took advantage of the situation by carving a gap. When the race reprised, Colin Queen (23Events Racing #50 Ligier JS P325 &ndash; Toyota) oversteered coming out of Arnage Corner. The impact with the tyre wall sent the car into a spin, sparking a series of incidents and littering the track with debris of all sorts. While the leaders refuelled, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (SMC Motorsport #77 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo) took the top spot (lap 10). The safety car was deployed 53 minutes after the C&eacute;dric Oltramare overshot the Porsche Curves (#97 LMP3).

When the course was declared clear, there remained 1 hour and 44 minutes remaining on the clock. Pit stop strategy altered the rankings and closed gaps. In LMP3, Philip Lindberg (#20) headed the field, followed by August Raber (#12) and Lucas Flux&agrave; Cross (#19), all three cars with a Ligier chassis. Meawhile, Spanish driver Gonzalo De Andres Martin had taken the wheel in the #77 McLaren and was in 16th place overall, and second in GT3. In LMP3 Pro/Am, Australian Fraser Ross (#58 GG Classics) was ahead of Frenchman Arlan Boulain (#35 Ultimate) and the Dane Michael Hove (#49 High Class Racing). The latter took advantage of pit stops to take the lead in the 17th lap.

The two Brutal Fish by Campos prototypes later grabbed P1 and 2, August Raber with a two-minute lead over his teammate. Race tactics got sharper. Twenty laps in, the first four cars had only boxed once, and their opponents at least twice. Lenny Ried (High Class Racing #20 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota) took the top spot while the leaders were in the pit lane.

Early in the second hour, the #77 McLaren still hadn&rsquo;t made its second stop, a decision that earned the team third place on the podium, Gonzalo De Andres Martin having waited until the end of lap 25. In Pro/Am, Quentin Antonel (DKR Engineering #3 Ligier JS P3 - Toyota) stepped up the pace, holding his opponents at a distance. Among the candidates for victory, the two Brutal Fish by Campos cars were the first to box for the third and last time. Arthur Rageon took over in the #12 cockpit. The leader stopped in turn, and we he rejoined, his lead had been reduced to a mere dozen seconds. With cold tyres, his gap was reduced to next to nothing. Rogeon crept up before the Porsche Curves, ready to pounce. There was nothing more Lenny Ried could do but be content with second place and a 50-second lead over the third. There was no further change to the leader board.

In GT3, Simmenauer set about making up for a penalty. His comeback from sixth place was unstoppable. The last hurdle was a head-to-head with the #95 McLaren driven by Garnet Patterson. Still in the Australian&rsquo;s slip stream on the Mulsanne Straight, the Frenchman attempted a pass on the inside, then the outside, the cars brushed each other, there was slight contact, and then they were side by side at Indianapolis on the 36th lap, but Patterson didn&rsquo;t let up. Last lap. Contact again coming into Mulsanne Corner. On the reacceleration, Patterson tried to get by on the inside, and... accident. Simmenauer managed to avoid the three-car commotion around him and headed for the chequered flag.

Road to Le Mans&nbsp;top 5 overall:

<ol>
	<li>Brutal Fish by Campos #12 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota, Arthur Rogeon/August Raber, 38 laps</li>
	<li>High Class Racing Ligier #20 JS P3 - Toyota, Philip Lindberg/Lenny Ried, gap 23.174;</li>
	<li>M Racing #78 Ligier JS P3 - Toyota, Daniel Goldburg/Wayne Boyd, gap 1:21.843;</li>
	<li>Brutal Fish by Campos #19 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota, Matus Ryba/Lucas Flux&aacute; Cross, 1:23.386</li>
	<li>Duqueine D09 - Toyota #85 R-Ace GP, Danial Frost/Enzo Peugeot, 1:27.677.</li>
</ol>

Class Winners:

<ul>
	<li>LMP3 Pro/Am: M Racing #78 Ligier JS P325, Daniel Goldburg/Wayne Boyd, 38 laps</li>
	<li>GT3: SMC Motorsport #77 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, Gonzalo De Andres Martin/Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, 37 laps</li>
</ul>

Fastest lap in race:&nbsp;Gaarde Pedersen (Ligier JS P325 - Toyota #66 Rinaldi Racing), 3&rsquo;49&rsquo;&rsquo;190 au 36e tour.

VFG_2624A_217A9260.jpg

Road to Le Mans: Arthur Rogeon and August Raber first to arrive at destination

All you need to know about the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) press conference on Friday 12 June, the eve of the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans.

<h2>1 - 2030 Hypercar Regulations 2030: towards a single platform</h2>

The FIA, the ACO and IMSA revealed the thinking behind the 2030 Hypercar regulations. Its four fundamental principles are intended to contribute to perpetuating the success of the top class: a single 2-wheel drive technical platform (the big change), enhanced visual identity for each brand, better controlled budgets to guarantee accessibility, and the introduction of new technology with the hydrogen project.

In short, a single platform means the same technical regulations apply across the board. Constructors will be free to develop their cars in-house or enlist the help of a chassis builder, as in the current LMDh model. Hybrid systems may be purchased from a designated supplier or self-developed, as long as they follow the same specifications. Homologation will be valid for at least five years, with no performance evolution. The changes are the result of a common FIA, ACO and IMSA vision, enacted on both sides of the Atlantic.

<h2>2 - Hydrogen in the premier league</h2>

For the first time in the history of endurance racing, the ACO and the FIA have formally agreed on the use of hydrogen at the discipline&rsquo;s highest level. H2 Hypercars will follow the basic 2030 regulations in terms of powertrain and hybrid system, with a few particularities: minimum weight of 1,200 kg, specific tyres and an Equivalence of Technology scheme intended to prevent major differences in performance, without conceding any advantages to H2. The budding new technology will be able to unfurl within a totally fair sporting framework.

<h2>3 - 2027 FIA WEC Calendar</h2>

Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequien, General Manager of Le Mans Endurance Management unveiled the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship: nine rounds spread over four continents, preceded by the official prologue in Qatar (21&ndash;22 March). The season proper opens with the Qatar 1812 km on 27 March, then the championship goes to Italy for the 6 Hours of Imola on 11 April, to the United Kingdom for the 6 Hours of Silverstone on 25 April &mdash; a return saluted by Stuart Pringle, CEO of the British circuit &mdash;, then to Belgium for the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on 15 May, and France for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (12&ndash;13 June). The championship continues with the Rolex 6 Hours of S&atilde;o Paulo (11 July), Lone Star Le Mans at COTA (12 September), the 6 Hours of Fuji (26 September) and finally, the Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain (6 November).&nbsp;The agreement between the FIA WEC and Bahrain has also been extended through 2036.&nbsp;

The ACO also announced the introduction of the Asian Le Mans Cup and the Hypercar driver line-ups in the Asian Le Mans Series. Each team should be composed of one bronze driver, another bronze or silver driver and a Gold or Platinum professional driver.

<h2>4 - M24 and Pit Building: the circuit heads into the future</h2>

The ACO dedicated a section of its presentation to the opening of its new museum, M24, ten days ago. In its 120th anniversary year, two years after the circuit having been voted France&rsquo;s favourite monument, the ACO extends its cultural reach, with support from Richard Mille. The club also presented its new Pit Building project, destined to transform the circuit infrastructure.

<h2>5 - The figures of the 94th edition</h2>

The ACO highlighted the key personalities of this year&rsquo;s race:

<ul>
	<li>Sir Mark Cavendish, record-holder for the most Tour de France stages won, Official Race Starter;</li>
	<li>Sarah Bovy, Grand Marshal;</li>
	<li>David Clark, 2026 Spirit of Le Mans;</li>
	<li>Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Sausset, Guest of Honour. In 2016, Sausset was the first quadruple-amputee to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and now advises the ACO on accessibility for disabled people.</li>
</ul>

<h2>6 - Corporate Social Responsibility Sustainable Endurance Award by DHL and innovation</h2>

The ACO 6th Sustainable Endurance Award by DHL awardees were Cadillac (Hypercar), TDS Racing (LMP2) and WRT (LMGT3). Ferrari won the Spectators&rsquo; prize. Felix Heger, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding DECH officially announced the renewal of the partnership between DHL and the FIA WEC. The core of the commitment remains innovation, as illustrated by the extension of the partnership with Goodyear, LMGT3 tyre supplier until 2029. The Impact Challenge in which spectators complete missions in line with the ACO&rsquo;s CSR commitments via the 24 Experience App is also prolonged.

<h2>7 - Looking to 2027: Ford and McLaren</h2>

The ACO confirmed the participation of two more manufacturers in 2027: Ford and McLaren. Mark Rushbrook (Ford) and Zak Brown (McLaren) joined the group on stage to say how much they are looking forward to competing in the world&rsquo;s greatest endurance race.

See you at 16:00 CET tomorrow for the Start of the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans!

2026 24 Hours Of Le Mans : ACO Press Conference in a nutshell

The day before the main event is always special at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Call it the calm before the storm, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of action! Friday 12/06 includes the Road to Le Mans race, the fan-favourite Drivers' Parade held in the city centre and a concert featuring Robin Schulz after dark.

<h2>Road To Le Mans race</h2>

Get ready to hear the&nbsp;roar&nbsp;of racing engines permeate the circuit this morning during&nbsp;Road to Le Mans!&nbsp;This must-see support race opens a new chapter in 2026 with a brand-new format: a single three-hour race&nbsp;from 10:00 to 13:00.

Previously organised as two one-hour races, Road to Le Mans is now adopting the format typical of endurance racing,&nbsp;a shift that brings it fundamentally&nbsp;closer to the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans.

For young talent and rising teams, this&nbsp;is a priceless&nbsp;immersion into the world of endurance racing and a gateway to the Le Mans classic.

<h2>spectator track visit</h2>

From 15:30 to 19:00, the public will have the opportunity to walk the circuit&nbsp;and discover the track up close:&nbsp;treading asphalt steeped in history, walking where cars will exceed 300 kph just hours later, viewing the track from every&nbsp;angle...

Access to the general enclosure is included in the 24 Hours of Le Mans entry pass. Visitors can also freely reach&nbsp;several iconic areas of the circuit, from Tertre Rouge to the Porsche Curves, on foot or using sustainable mobility.

<h2>Drivers&#39; Parade&nbsp;</h2>

The&nbsp;traditional Drivers&#39; Parade is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year in the Le Mans city&nbsp;centre!&nbsp;All&nbsp;186 drivers entered in the 94th 24 Hours will take the wheel of extraordinary&nbsp;vintage vehicles ready to meet their legions of fans.

Every year, the parade&nbsp;transforms the streets of Le Mans into an open-air theater. Drivers leave the pressures of the paddock&nbsp;for cheers, smiles, autographs&nbsp;and precious recognition from fans (and for&nbsp;fans).

Organised by Classic Automotive in partnership with the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest (ACO), the&nbsp;2026 Drivers&#39; Parade&nbsp;is paying&nbsp;tribute to Jean Alesi&nbsp;as a&nbsp;former Formula 1 driver with 201 race starts to his name and a participant in the 24 Hours in 1989 and 2010.

The route will pass along Rostov-sur-le-Don and Bonhommet streets, the place de la R&eacute;publique, as well as&nbsp;the G&eacute;n&eacute;ral-de-Gaulle, Fran&ccedil;ois-Mitterrand&nbsp;and Pierre-Mend&egrave;s-France avenues, before returning to the place des Jacobins &mdash; the start and finish point of this major public celebration of racing.

<h2>Classic British Welcome</h2>

This friendly gathering takes place every year on the eve of the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans&nbsp;in the town of Saint-Saturnin at the Val de Vray centre.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The 2026 theme is dedicated to Jaguar, a true legend&nbsp;of British motoring. Serving as master of ceremonies is Fran&ccedil;ois Allain,&nbsp;a renowned journalist and classic car enthusiast, bringing&nbsp;his expert perspective and infectious enthusiasm to the event.&nbsp;

From 09:00 to&nbsp;17:00, Val de&nbsp;Vray centre in&nbsp;Saint-Saturnin, free admission.

<h2>The legends Garage at&nbsp;T&eacute;loch&eacute;</h2>

The Teloch&rsquo;&eacute;v&egrave;nements association is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Porsche&rsquo;s arrival in T&eacute;loch&eacute;. From 1951 to 1981, the German marque&nbsp;used the garage on rue du 8 mai as the&nbsp;base of operations for its 24 Hours campaign. This get-together&nbsp;offers an opportunity to rekindle the spirited atmosphere that once surrounded race preparations.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Visitors can discover exceptional vehicles and enjoy activities geared toward adults and kids alike. Five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell is this year&#39;s&nbsp;guest of honour.&nbsp;

From&nbsp;15:00 to&nbsp;23:00, rue du 8 mai in&nbsp;T&eacute;loch&eacute;, free admission.

<h2>Mulsanne corner</h2>

The organising association is hosting a special event today&nbsp;at the famous Mulsanne Corner at the circuit. Stunning&nbsp;Italian cars take centre stage this year in a&nbsp;massive exhibition of vintage and prestigious&nbsp;vehicles, with no fewer than 900 expected!&nbsp;A parade is scheduled for&nbsp;19:00 and a concert&nbsp;at Bentley Square will start&nbsp;at 20:30.&nbsp;&nbsp;

From 15:00 to&nbsp;20:00, 2 avenue Fran&ccedil;ois Mitterand in&nbsp;Mulsanne, free admission.

<h2>Robin Schulz concert</h2>

Hailing from Osnabr&uuml;ck, Robin Schulz is recognised&nbsp;as a major international pop-electro phenomenon. Rising to fame with his remix of &quot;Waves (feat. Mr. Probz)&quot; and the global success of &quot;Prayer in C&quot; with Lilly Wood and&nbsp;The Prick, he is&nbsp;Germany&rsquo;s most successful musical export of the last decade. With more than&nbsp;20 million albums sold, 8 billion streams&nbsp;and chart-topping hits in 92 countries, he ranks among the most-streamed artists worldwide. A regular at major festivals like Tomorrowland and Ultra Music Festival, he promises a spectacular electronic music show at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans!

&nbsp;

Friday 12 June Programme

09:00 &ndash; 18:00 |&nbsp;M24 &ndash; Motorsport Museum open 
09:00 &ndash; 21:00 |&nbsp;Fan Zones and&nbsp;Kids Zone open 
09:00 &ndash; 17:00 |&nbsp;Classic British Welcome at&nbsp;Saint-Saturnin 
10:00 &ndash; 00:00 |&nbsp;Hydrogen&nbsp;ACO H2 and Constructors Villages open 
10:00 &ndash; 13:00 | Road to Le Mans Race 
15:00 &ndash; 23:00 |&nbsp;Legends&nbsp;Garage at T&eacute;loch&eacute; 
15:30 &ndash; 19:00 | Spectator Track Visit 
15:30 &ndash; 20:00 | Mulsanne Corner 
16:00 &ndash; 19:00 |&nbsp;Drivers&#39; Parade in the Le&nbsp;Mans city centre 
20:00 &ndash; 23:00 | Robin Schulz Concert

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Friday 12/06 Programme

After losing pole position earlier in the evening due to a penalty, the #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA crew made sure they left no shadow of doubt over its potential.

S&eacute;bastien Bourdais fired the V-Series.R to the top of the timesheets with a 3:26.843 &ndash; the only car to dip below the 3:27 mark. The American outfit means business following their demotion from pole earlier in the evening.

The shortest session of the week also served as the final dress rehearsal before the big one &ndash; the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was the last opportunity for all 62 teams to finalise their set-ups and maximise valuable track time before the race.

Run under the cloak of darkness, the short, sharp Free Practice 4 session lasted just one hour and came hot on the heels of a dramatic Hyperpole.

Hypercar

The #7 Toyota, in the hands of Kamui Kobayashi, led the way for much of the session ahead of the #35 Alpine and the yellow #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, before the #20 BMW and then the #38 Cadillac climbed to the top of the standings.

After an early exit for both Japanese cars in Hyperpole 1, Toyota can be pleased with its evening&#39;s work and, for many, remains a dark horse heading into Sunday&#39;s race. Despite having gone four years without a victory at Le Mans, Toyota&#39;s wealth of experience should help propel the team into the fight at the front.

It is fascinating to see the variety of manufacturers showing strong one-lap pace. Can Cadillac convert that speed into a race-winning challenge? The same can be said for Alpine. On its last dance at Le Mans with the A424 Hypercar, the French manufacturer would dearly love to triumph in front of its home fans.

BMW looked strong too, with two cars in the hunt for victory. <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/bmw-take-first-hypercar-era-le-mans-pole-after-cadillac-penalty-60771">The German marque will start the 94th edition of the race from pole position</a> with the #15 machine, despite finishing the night down in 15th place.

Top 5 from Free Practice 4

1. Cadillac V-Series.R #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; S&eacute;bastien Bourdais / Earl Bamber / Jack Aitken &ndash; 3&rsquo;26&rsquo;&rsquo;843 
2. BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 BMW M Team WRT &ndash; Robin Frijns / Rene Rast / Sheldon van der Linde &ndash; 3&rsquo;27&rsquo;&rsquo;037 
3. Toyota GR010 Hybrid #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing &ndash; Mike Conway / Kamui Kobayashi / Nyck de Vries &ndash; 3&rsquo;27&rsquo;&rsquo;146 
4. Cadillac V-Series.R #12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; Louis Del&eacute;traz / Will Stevens / Norman Nato &ndash; 3&rsquo;27&rsquo;&rsquo;282 
5. Alpine A424 #35 Alpine Endurance Team &ndash; Ant&oacute;nio F&eacute;lix Da Costa / Charles Milesi / Ferdinand Habsburg &ndash; 3&rsquo;27&rsquo;&rsquo;335

Les meilleurs chronos des autres cat&eacute;gories&nbsp;:

<ul>
	<li>LMP2&nbsp;: Oreca 07-Gibson #183 AF Corse &ndash; Fran&ccedil;ois Perrodo / Matthieu Vaxiviere / Ben Barnicoat (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;36&rsquo;&rsquo;111</li>
	<li>LMGT3&nbsp;: Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R #33 TF Sport &ndash; Ben Keating / Jonny Edgar / Nicky Catsburg &ndash; 3&rsquo;55&rsquo;&rsquo;262</li>
</ul>

&gt;&gt;&gt; <a href="http://www.24h-lemans.com/fr/resultats/2026">Full Results from FP4</a> &lt;&lt;&lt;

RVA-2624A-_RVA2620.jpg

<h2>LMP2</h2>

In the flame-spitting single-make category, AF Corse will be pleased with its night&#39;s work as it ends Thursday with the fastest LMP2 time under the lights, ahead of the #30 Duqueine Team entry in second and the #37 CLX Motorsport car in third. The trio were covered by less than a second.

<h2>LMGT3</h2>

TF Sport put the Corvette at the top of the timesheets, making it a perfect evening for the General Motors brands at Le Mans.

It was a Corvette one-two, with the sister Racing Team Turkey by TF entry finishing second, ahead of the #23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin in third and the #13 AWA Corvette in fourth.

Tomorrow brings the Road to Le Mans race, as well as plenty for fans to enjoy away from the circuit, including the Fan Village, Open Track Walk and the Drivers&#39; Parade through the centre of Le Mans.

The next time we see the 24 Hours of Le Mans crews on track will be on Saturday for a brief 15-minute warm-up at 12:00 local time, before the race gets underway at 16:00.

&nbsp;

ACA_2624A_AL107385.jpg

Cadillac signal their intent with fastest time in final Free Practice at Le Mans

Incredible scenes marked the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as BMW claimed pole position after an action-packed final Hyperpole session. Jack Aitken, driving the #38 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac, was quickest on the road, but a penalty carried over from earlier in the week dropped the car to tenth on the grid, promoting the German manufacturer to the top spot.

<ul>
	<li>Hypercar : BMW M Hybrid V8 #15 BMW M Team WRT &ndash; Kevin Magnussen / Raffaele Marciello / Dries Vanthoor</li>
	<li>LMP2 : Oreca 07-Gibson #29 Forestier Racing by Panis &ndash; Louis Rousset / Esteban Masson / Oliver Gray &ndash; 3&rsquo;32&rsquo;&rsquo;855</li>
	<li>LMGT3 : Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 #27 Heart Of Racing &ndash; Ian James / Zacharie Robichon / Mattia Drudi &ndash; 3&rsquo;52&rsquo;&rsquo;433 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

The American Cadillac brand looked set to secure back-to-back pole positions at Le Mans, but a penalty for not complying with the pit lane start procedure st the start of the evening dropped the #38 from first to tenth in the standings, handing BMW its first pole position of the Hypercar era at Le Mans.

In LMP2,&nbsp; the #29 Forestier Racing by Panis entry claimed pole and In LMGT3, Heart of Racing and Aston Martin secured the top spot.

All eyes were fixed on the Circuit de la Sarthe. Following Wednesday evening&#39;s dramatic qualifying session, which whetted the appetite for the main event, the famous venue came to a standstill for Hyperpole.

Hyperpole 1 reduced the Hypercar, LMP2 and LMGT3 fields to ten contenders before Hyperpole 2 unleashed a no-holds-barred final shootout &ndash; quickest takes pole as teams battled both each other and the clock. 
&nbsp;

<h3>Top 10 Hypercar after Hyperpole:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>1. BMW M Hybrid V8 #15 BMW M Team WRT &ndash; Kevin Magnussen / Raffaele Marciello / Dries Vanthoor &ndash; 3&rsquo;22&rsquo;&rsquo;564</li>
	<li>2. Cadillac V-Series.R #12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; Louis Del&eacute;traz / Will Stevens / Norman Nato &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;079</li>
	<li>3.Alpine A424 #35 Alpine Endurance Team &ndash; Ant&oacute;nio F&eacute;lix Da Costa / Charles Milesi / Ferdinand Habsburg &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;620</li>
	<li>4. BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 BMW M Team WRT &ndash; Robin Frijns / Rene Rast / Sheldon van der Linde &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;764</li>
	<li>5. Cadillac V-Series.R #101 Cadillac WTR &ndash; Ricky Taylor / Jordan Taylor / Filipe Albuquerque &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;778</li>
	<li>6. Genesis GMR-001-Hypercar #19 Genesis Magma Racing &ndash; Mathieu Jaminet / Paul-Loup Chatin / Daniel Juncadella &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;823</li>
	<li>7. Aston Martin Valkyrie #009 Aston Martin THOR Team &ndash; Alex Riberas / Marco S&oslash;rensen / Roman De Angelis &ndash; 3&rsquo;24&rsquo;&rsquo;729</li>
	<li>8. Ferrari 499P #51 Ferrari-AF Corse &ndash; Alessandro Pier Guidi / James Calado / Antonio Giovinazzi &ndash; 3&rsquo;25&rsquo;&rsquo;081</li>
	<li>9. Genesis GMR-001-Hypercar #17 Genesis Magma Racing &ndash; Andr&eacute; Lotterer / Luis Felipe Derani / Mathys Jaubert &ndash; 3&rsquo;26&rsquo;&rsquo;116</li>
	<li>10. Cadillac V-Series.R #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; S&eacute;bastien Bourdais / Earl Bamber / Jack Aitken &ndash; 3&rsquo;22&rsquo;&rsquo;559</li>
</ul>

RVA-2624A-_RVA5646.jpg

<h2>How it unfolded in the Hypercar class...</h2>

In Hyperpole 1, the 15 fastest cars from Wednesday&#39;s qualifying session went head-to-head in low-fuel trim.

BMW were the first to circulate and immediately laid down the gauntlet with a provisional one-two. However, an influx of competitive laps from Cadillac, Genesis, Alpine and Toyota offered an early glimpse that sparks were about to fly.

Halfway through the session, with the sun disappearing behind the clouds and ambient temperatures dropping by the minute, every team dived into the pit lane to bolt on fresh soft tyres and extract every ounce of performance.

Charles Milesi delighted the French crowd by setting the fastest time in Hyperpole 1, with the ever-present Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac second and the #17 Genesis Magma Racing machine third.

The biggest story was Toyota&#39;s shock elimination. Both GR010 HYBRIDs were dumped out in the opening session, managing only 14th and 15th fastest. Joining them on the casualty list were the #36 Alpine A424, the 2024-winning #50 Ferrari AF Corse entry and the #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie.

In Hyperpole 2, the atmosphere was palpable as the ten fastest cars headed out for one final dogfight.

BMW laid down the gauntlet as Dries Vanthoor scorched the timesheets with a 3:22.745 on the first runs. The Belgian Bullet then found even more pace, hustling the M Hybrid V8 around the 13.626km Circuit de la Sarthe to shave a few more tenths from his benchmark.

BMW looked set for pole, but a textbook final lap from Jack Aitken aboard the #38 Cadillac snatched top spot by just five thousandths of a second, securing what appeared to be back-to-back poles for Cadillac at Le Mans. However, an infringement from earlier in the week resulted in a penalty that dropped the British driver and the American team to tenth on the grid.

The sister #12 Cadillac of Will Stevens inherited second place, while French hopes rest on the #35 Alpine A424 in third, ahead of the #20 BMW in fourth and the WTR-run Cadillac in fifth.

Genesis enjoyed a dream Le Mans debut by qualifying sixth and ninth overall. British fans will be cheering on the #009 Aston Martin from seventh, while the Italian tifosi will be left hoping the #51 Ferrari can move forward after qualifying eighth.

The rapid #38 Cadillac, quickest on the road, will start from the middle of the Hypercar pack. Watch out for it tomorrow.

&nbsp;

JPB_2624A_DSC_6073.jpg

LMP2 Times after Hyperpole

1. Oreca 07-Gibson #29 Forestier Racing by Panis &ndash; Louis Rousset / Esteban Masson / Oliver Gray &ndash; 3&rsquo;32&rsquo;&rsquo;855 
2. Oreca 07-Gibson #28 IDEC Sport &ndash; Paul Lafargue / Valerio Rinicella / Job Van Uitert &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;242 
3. Oreca 07-Gibson #24 Nielsen Racing &ndash; David Heinemeier Hansson / Edward Pearson / Jack Doohan &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;510 
4. Oreca 07-Gibson #43 Inter Europol Competition &ndash; Jakub Smiechowski / Tom Dillmann / Nicholas Yelloly &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;578 
5. Oreca 07-Gibson #4 Crowdstrike Racing by APR &ndash; George Kurtz / Alexander Quinn / Laurin Heinrich (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;628 
6. Oreca 07-Gibson #30 Duqueine Team &ndash; Doriane Pin / Julien Andlauer / Richard Verschoor &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;702 
7. Oreca 07-Gibson #14 TDS Racing &ndash; Tobias Lutke / Mathias Beche / K&eacute;vin Estre (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;715 
8. Oreca 07-Gibson #99 AO by TF &ndash; PJ Hyett / James Allen / Dane Cameron (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;34&rsquo;&rsquo;280 
9. Oreca 07-Gibson #183 AF Corse &ndash; Fran&ccedil;ois Perrodo / Matthieu Vaxiviere / Ben Barnicoat (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;34&rsquo;&rsquo;692 
10. Oreca 07-Gibson #343 Inter Europol Competition &ndash; Bijoy Carg / Reshad De G&eacute;rus / Nico M&uuml;ller &ndash; 3&rsquo;35&rsquo;&rsquo;038

&nbsp;

LMGT3 Times after Hyperpole

1. Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 #27 Heart Of Racing &ndash; Ian James / Zacharie Robichon / Mattia Drudi &ndash; 3&rsquo;52&rsquo;&rsquo;433 
2. Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo #21 Vista AF Corse &ndash; Fran&ccedil;ois Heriau / Simon Mann / Alessio Rovera &ndash; 3&rsquo;53&rsquo;&rsquo;412 
3. Lexus RC F LMGT3 #87 Akkodis ASP Team &ndash; Petru Umbrărescu / Clemens Schmid / Jos&eacute; Mar&iacute;a L&oacute;pez &ndash; 3&rsquo;53&rsquo;&rsquo;614 
4. Lexus RC F LMGT3 #78 Akkodis ASP Team &ndash; Tom Van Rompuy / Hadrien David / Jack Hawksworth &ndash; 3&rsquo;53&rsquo;&rsquo;869 
5. BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo #32 Team WRT &ndash; Darren Leung / Sean Gelael / Augusto Farfus &ndash; 3&rsquo;54&rsquo;&rsquo;401 
6. BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo #69 Team WRT &ndash; Anthony McIntosh / Parker Thompson / Daniel Harper &ndash; 3&rsquo;54&rsquo;&rsquo;655 
7. Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo #74 Kessel Racing &ndash; Dustin Blattner / Lorenzo Patrese / Dennis Marschall &ndash; 3&rsquo;54&rsquo;&rsquo;677 
8. Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 #23 Heart Of Racing &ndash; Gray Newell / Eduardo Barrichello / Jonny Adam &ndash; 3&rsquo;54&rsquo;&rsquo;888 
9. Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 #91 Manthey DK Engineering &ndash; James Cottingham / Timur Boguslavskiy / Ayhancan G&uuml;ven &ndash; 3&rsquo;55&rsquo;&rsquo;610 
10. Ford Mustang LMGT3 #77 Proton Competition &ndash; Eric Powell / Ben Tuck / Sebastian Priaulx &ndash; 3&rsquo;55&rsquo;&rsquo;666

<h2>LMP2 and LMGT3</h2>

Hyperpole 1 &ndash; 20 minutes with 30 cars on track &ndash; was a frantic affair.

In the LMP2 prototypes, Tom Dillmann was the class act, booking Inter Europol Competition a place in Hyperpole 2, with the #4 CrowdStrike Racing by APR just a tenth behind.

The casualties in the first session were the two United Autosports cars (#22 and #222), the #26 Vector Sport, the #9 Proton Competition, and the #37 CLX Motorsport entry, which found itself in the wars when Theodor Jensen hit the barriers after overcooking it on the exit of the second chicane on the Mulsanne Straight.

In the GT category, Heart of Racing carried its Free Practice pace into Hyperpole 1 to ensure Aston Martin would be represented in the top ten.

In fact, seven of the eight LMGT3 manufacturers secured places in the final shootout, with only McLaren missing out.

One of the drives of the session came from Guernseyman Sebastian Priaulx, who hauled the #77 Ford Mustang LMGT3 into seventh when, at one stage, both Blue Oval entries were languishing at the foot of the timesheets and looked destined for an early bath.

Francesco Castellacci, in the #54 AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo, got too greedy with the track limits heading into Tertre Rouge, caught the grass on the outside left, and pirouetted off the circuit. The spin upset his rhythm and prevented him from breaking into the top ten.

Also missing out on the final showdown were Logan Sargeant in the #88 Ford Mustang, the #61 and #62 Mercedes-AMG entries, and the #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3.

Upping the ante, Hyperpole 2 &ndash; where it all counts &ndash; saw just 15 minutes on the clock.

The final five minutes stirred the emotions, with eight of the ten cars dipping below the previous pole time in a frenetic finale.

The #28 IDEC Sport entry struck first, with Job van Uitert at the wheel. His rapid run would eventually be shuffled down the order, but as the session unfolded he was the final driver to complete his lap. The Flying Dutchman ultimately secured second place, although he could not match the pace of the car ahead.

Esteban Masson, aboard the #29 Forestier Racing by Panis machine, was on rails, setting a scorching 3:32.855 to claim LMP2 pole position. Cue jubilant scenes in the Panis camp and celebrations for team owner Olivier Panis.

It was panic stations at the #78 Akkodis ASP Team garage. The mechanics struggled to close the driver&#39;s door, costing Jack Hawksworth valuable track time. The brilliant Brit refused to let it ruin his evening, setting the fourth-fastest time behind team-mate Jos&eacute; Mar&iacute;a L&oacute;pez in the sister #87 Lexus.

Vista AF Corse, with the #21 Ferrari, will line up on the front row in second, while Mattia Drudi secured a sublime pole position for Heart of Racing and Aston Martin with a 3:52.433.

He was the only driver to dip below the 3:53 barrier.

GTA_2624A_DSC01643.jpg

BMW take first Hypercar-era Le Mans pole after Cadillac penalty

The Ferrari Challenge and Porsche Carrera Cup Brazil competitors hit the track for their respective first races this afternoon and qualifying was held for Road to Le Mans.

<h2>Road to Le Mans | Arthur Rogeon places the #12 Ligier in&nbsp;pole position</h2>

The 58 teams entered in the 11th Road to Le Mans had a single&nbsp;one one-hour qualifying session to secure the best possible starting position for the race.&nbsp;

<div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7NPQ31VFEsE?si=ENXgvq9dpf49SUfX" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

Enzo Peugeot initially seized the upper hand in 3:51.776 (R-Ace GP&#39;s #85 Duqueine D09&ndash;Toyota), but a yellow flag and subsequent&nbsp;slow zone interrupted the flow of the qualifying session, already cut short by more than 10 minutes by red flag at the very beginning. Only 32 minutes were left&nbsp;to clock a serviceable&nbsp;time. Arthur Rogeon took the wheel of the #12 and went on the offensive for the remaining six minutes. His time of 3:48.898 topped&nbsp;the timesheet when the circuit was once again neutralised two minutes from the chequered flag. Second in the class&nbsp;(23Events Racing&#39;s #5 Ligier JS P325-Toyota shared by&nbsp;Isaac Barashi/Matteo Franco Segre) trailed by more than 0.8 seconds. At the wheel of the #77&nbsp;McLaren 720S, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer scored the quickest time in GT3. In LMP3 Pro/Am, pole position went to a team also competing in the 24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans:&nbsp;DKR Engineering (Quentin Antonel in the #3).

Pole position in each class:

<ul>
	<li>LMP3: #12 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota |&nbsp;Brutal Fish by Campos (Arthur Rogeon/August Raber): 3:48.898</li>
	<li>LMP3 Pro/Am: #3 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota #3 | DKR Engineering (Antti Rammo/Quentin Antonel): 3:50.901</li>
	<li>GT3: #77 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo | SMC Motorsport (Gonzalo Mart&iacute;n de Andr&eacute;s/Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer): 3:53.704</li>
</ul>

The start of the three-hour race will be given tomorrow, Friday 12 June at 10:00.

<h2>An electric&nbsp;Porsche Carrera Cup Brazil race&nbsp;</h2>

The second day of competition in the Porsche Carrera Cup Brazil definitely delivered on action. The competitors, all driving&nbsp;Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cups, took real measure of each other&nbsp;for the first time. After yesterday&#39;s free practice, a qualifying session this morning clarified the hierarchy. Marcos Regadas (#17) clinched&nbsp;the&nbsp;pole in 4:04.809, but Mar&ccedil;al M&uuml;ller (2019 and 2024&nbsp;champion) was hot on his heels only 0.008 seconds behind. In the end, five drivers finished in the same second.&nbsp;

From the outset, the crowd in the grandstands was treated to an electrifying battle. At the Dunlop Chicane, Marcos Regadas was holding fast to&nbsp;his lead with&nbsp;his immediate pursuers&nbsp;&mdash; starting with Mar&ccedil;al M&uuml;ller &mdash;&nbsp;right on his tail. In a one-make series, drivers push to use every millimetre&nbsp;of the track to gain an advantage. M&uuml;ller proved it by overtaking Regadas around the outside at the Michelin Chicane! The driving was clean, the defensive maneuvers masterful. On the opening lap, Jeff Giassi (#97) joined the fight&nbsp;for the lead.

Giassi (white Porsche with red stripes) found it difficult to keep up with&nbsp;M&uuml;ller and&nbsp;Regadas. The latter set a whirlwind pace in the lead. Behind that group, Silvio Morestoni (#2) had an incident at&nbsp;Mulsanne and&nbsp;Marco Bili (#83) left the track at the Ford Chicane. The&nbsp;slow zone caused by Morestoni tightened the pack. With 30 minutes left, while existing Mulsanne, Giassi doubled&nbsp;M&uuml;ller before&nbsp;Indianapolis with two wheels outside the lines. However, he made a mistake that would cost him dearly. Class legend and five-time champion Miguel Paludo took his chance and overtook one, then two, then three rivals to snatch P1!&nbsp;

Giassi had reclaimed P1 within a few laps by the time raindrops started falling. Being in the lead under these tricky conditions is actually a disadvantage. Giassi&#39;s rivals could observe how his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup reacted and anticipate accordingly. He was unable to pull away from M&uuml;ller, his closest pursuer..

With less than two laps to go, after M&uuml;ller attempted the impossible at the Indianapolis Corner, he went off into the gravel trap, clipped the outer wall, lost a mirror &mdash; and rejoined the race! Miraculously, not only did he keep the car under control, he also regained the lead despite the damage!

On the last lap. M&uuml;ller at the wheel of his&nbsp;yellow Porsche, snaked&nbsp;through the Hunaudi&egrave;res to avoid getting sucked into Giassi&#39;s slipstream. The strategy paied off, but Giassi did better coming out of the Mulsanne Corner and the roles reversed up until the Indianapolis Corner. Finally, Giassi managed to keep his advantage and won by only 0.144 of a second, trailing by only a few&nbsp;centimetres. Pietro Fantin (#117) rounded out the podium. The Brazilians lit up Le Mans with their&nbsp;talent. The show will return on Saturday for Race 2 at 10:30.

Top 3 after Race 1:

1. Jeff Giassi (#97) 
2. Mar&ccedil;al M&uuml;ller (#544) +0.144 
3. Pietro Fantin (#117) +1:729

JBB_2624A-5470.jpg

JBB_2624A-5487.jpg

JBB_2624A-5503.jpg

<h2>Hendrik Viol wins the first round of the Ferrari Challenge</h2>

Seeing Ferraris on the track the 24 Hours circuit is always special.&nbsp;it is precisely on these premises&nbsp;that part of the Italian manufacturer&rsquo;s legend was forged (with 12 victories between 1949 and 2025).&nbsp;

The field of 61 Ferrari 296 Challenge cars held its first race today, their V6 engines roaring in unison. It was a hard-fought contest from start to finish, with drivers battling it out and making full use of the slipstream effect along the Mulsanne Straight. Dylan Medler (#15, The Collection) and Fernando Monje (#74, Quadis Gallery-GOAT Racing) worked together to pull away from the pack. As the laps wore on, championship leader Sergio Paulet (#1, Ineco-Reparto Corse RAM) began to lose ground and&nbsp;was overtaken by Hendrik Viol (#92, Scuderia Prana Racing)&nbsp;who moved up to third place. The purple and fluorescent yellow livery of Viol&rsquo;s 296 was worthy of an Art Car, standing out sharply against the dominant red of most of the other machines, like a knight on a mission, proudly flying his colours to secure victory.&nbsp;

For a time, it seemed the battle for victory was strictly between Medler and Monje, but Viol and Paulet joined the fray. A four-way battle took&nbsp;shape during the penultimate lap, lasting more than&nbsp;20 km!&nbsp;The purple and yellow cars loomed large in the leader&rsquo;s mirrors, right up until a collision occured. Viol does not ease off, however, and powers past! Medler lost&nbsp;momentum during his final acceleration out of Mulsanne, leaving Viol to finish alone.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the other classes, Giacomo Rinaldo (#75 Rossocorsa) won the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli AM race and&nbsp;championship leader Michael Verhagen failed to finish. In the Ferrari Challenge Coppa Shell, Yahn Bernier (#399, Ferrari of Seattle-MG1 Motorsport) secured the win&nbsp;with a lead of more than&nbsp;15 seconds. Jean Ryu (#108, Kessel Racing) triumphed in the Ferrari Challenge Coppa Shell AM.&nbsp;

Race 2&nbsp;is set&nbsp;for Saturday 13/06 from 09:15 to&nbsp;10:00 as a curtain-raiser to the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans.&nbsp;

VFG_2624A_217A8669.jpg

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Porsche and Ferrari put on a show at today's support races

NEWS ACO

News

You all made him famous in last year's YouTube live onboard chat. Now meet the man "behind" the clean wind screen - Window Guy! Go behind the scenes to see how he prepares to give his drivers the cleanest windscreen on the grid and the challenges that go along with the job.

AO Racing -  Window Guy at Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans 2026 - BMW M HYBRID V8 HYPERPOLE ONBOARD

Incredible scenes marked the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as BMW claimed pole position after an action-packed final Hyperpole session.

A three-way fight is about to come to the boil as Alpine, BMW and Cadillac prepare to go toe-to-toe in Hyperpole this evening, after commanding the final daylight Free Practice session at Le Mans. The #36 Alpine, both BMW MTeam WRT machines and both Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA cars ended the session at the sharp end of the order.

Free Practice 3 Highlights | 24 Hours of Le Mans 2026 | FIA WEC

Despite an early heart-stopping spin, the #7 Toyota with Kamui Kobayashi aboard left it to the final two laps to put Toyota Racing at the top of the order in Free Practice Two as the sun went down.

Free Practice 2 Highlights | 24 Hours of Le Mans 2026 | FIA WEC

French marque Alpine, with Ferdinand Habsburg at the wheel, went quickest in Hyperpole Qualifying, sending the A424 Hypercar to the fastest time of the week so far and under the 2025 pole time.

LE MANSNews

Trending

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Friday 12/06 Programme

Cadillac signal their intent with fastest time in final Free Practice at Le Mans

BMW take first Hypercar-era Le Mans pole after Cadillac penalty

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Porsche and Ferrari put on a show at today's support races

In 2027, McLaren return to Le Mans to pick up where they left off

Ford reveals the names of the 2027 Hypercar driver crews

Road to Le Mans: Arthur Rogeon and August Raber first to arrive at destination

2026 24 Hours Of Le Mans : ACO Press Conference in a nutshell

Videos

AO Racing - Window Guy at Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans 2026 - BMW M HYBRID V8 HYPERPOLE ONBOARD

BMW take first Hypercar-era Le Mans pole after Cadillac penalty

Free Practice 3 Highlights | 24 Hours of Le Mans 2026 | FIA WEC