What is the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

An endurance sports car race held each year near Le Mans in France, first run in 1923 and the oldest active endurance race in the world. Cars run for a full twenty-four hours on the Circuit de la Sarthe.

At four o'clock on Saturday afternoon, local time. That has been the start time since the race began, and again since 2021. It usually falls on the second weekend of June.

13.626 km. The Circuit de la Sarthe is part permanent circuit and part public road, closed for the race weekend, and it has been modified extensively since 1923 — mostly for safety.

Sixty-two, since 2019, in three classes: Hypercar, LMP2 and LMGT3. All of them race at the same time, and each class winner takes a prize as well as the overall winner.

Toyota Racing's No. 7, driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, with 381 laps in 24 hours 3 minutes and 1.030 seconds. It was Toyota's sixth win and its first since 2022.

Who has won Le Mans the most times?

Tom Kristensen, with nine victories between 1997 and 2013, seven of them with Audi and six of them consecutive. Jacky Ickx is next with six.

Which manufacturer has won the most?

Porsche, with nineteen overall wins including seven in a row from 1981 to 1987, and 107 class victories. Audi has thirteen and Ferrari eleven.

Why must cars switch off to refuel?

It is safer, and it is another test of reliability: the car has to restart under race conditions, many times over twenty-four hours. Mechanics also may not work on a car while it is being refuelled, beyond helping a driver in or out.

How is the winner decided?

By greatest distance covered, measured at the start/finish line as of the final lap's completion. If two cars finish on the same number of laps, the faster overall completion time wins. A car must also complete that final lap inside a prescribed maximum lap time to be classified.

What was the Le Mans start?

Until 1971 the cars were lined up along the pits and the drivers stood across the track. When the flag dropped they ran to their cars, started them unaided and drove away. It was abandoned after drivers who skipped their safety harnesses died in accidents at the start.

What is the Mulsanne Straight?

The long straight on the public-road section, properly the Ligne droite des Hunaudières. It ran six kilometres uninterrupted until 1990, when the FIA refused to sanction straights over two kilometres and two chicanes were added.

How fast do the cars go?

Just under 320 km/h at the current circuit. The record since the chicanes were added is 366 km/h; before them, Roger Dorchy was timed at 407 km/h in a WM P88 in 1988.

A place kept since 2012 for a concept car demonstrating experimental technology. Such entries are classified in the results but are not expected to be competitive.

Is Le Mans part of a championship?

Yes — it has been a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship since 2012. In 2026 it was the third of eight rounds.

Why is champagne sprayed on podiums?

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