To win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, everything has to fall into place – driving, tactics, car, and pit stop execution. Teams employ all the science of the sport to optimise performance. Fortunately, however, racing is not an exact science, and the human factor plays a role in the most famous of endurance races. Our decision-making is based on knowledge, experience and... feeling.

“If an idea crosses your mind and makes you quiver, its worth looking into. It’s worth taking seriously in any case. It’s always a good idea to listen to the voice in your head, without necessarily being able to back up a hunch.” Those are the words of – not a 24 Hours of Le Mans driver – but a Doctor of Psychology, Emeric Lebreton (Philosophie Magazine, 16 April 2025). According to the Collins dictionary, intuition is “instinctive knowledge of or belief about something without conscious reasoning” – a presentiment, hunch or sixth sense. Mathieu Jaminet’s intuition is made up of indicators, almost imperceptible signs.

“It’s that gut feeling. Sometimes it’s right, sometimes not. You don’t always have the same feeling as your teammate. I think it comes with experience. And I think some people have better intuition than others. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it kicks in during the race, it’s the way you roll with the punches: take safety car periods, slow zones, any incidents. All your experience, all those little things you’ve seen before give you clues as to how things might go this time."

The Frenchman readily admits that “although in this facts-based sport we try to think through everything, you can sometimes tip the balance with a bit of intuition. It’s important to control the parameters, of course, but you win thanks to that little extra.”

To many racers, there’s little difference between intuition, experience, reflex, instinct and ingrained habit. José María López (Akkodis ASP Team #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3 #87): “When the going gets tough, intuition takes a front seat. You can’t react like a machine when track conditions change all the time. So, you need a mixture of technique and instinct. That’s how you adapt.” To Célia Martin (Iron Dames #85 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3) it’s a feeling. “First you learn by heart on the simulator – the braking points, the turning points – and then you get to the actual circuit at Le Mans, where you can play some of it by ear. It’s a mixture of technique and instinct. When you find the right blend, you’ve got it made.”

Somewhere between deliberate action and pure reflex, intuition is important for all the drivers we spoke to. Frédéric Makowiecki, driver of the #36 Alpine A424, believes it’s fundamental. “Very often we barely have time to respond to a situation. We do what we feel is best, without thinking. When we tell our engineers that, they have trouble understanding, but at 340 kph, anything unexpected can become an issue.” The Frenchman says that’s when intuition comes into play in his decision-making. Engineers’ and drivers’ brains are put to the test during a race. They need to process information in an instant and make the right decision. Driving a Hypercar, LMP2 or LMGT3 or choosing their race tactics requires technique, experience and intelligence. But it’s not all smooth running. So much doesn’t go to plan and intuition helps competitors adapt to circumstances. David Floury (technical director of Toyota Gazoo Racing in the FIA WEC): “In the race, we often have to make decisions without having all the parameters to hand. There’s an element of guesswork involved. Intuition plays a role in racing, but new technology such as Artificial Intelligence is going to reduce that.”

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