Welcome to 24 Hour Legends
Join us as we look forward to the 93rd running of the Le Mans 24 Hours
There is simply nothing like it anywhere else in the world of sport. While twenty-four-hour races are nothing new and they can be found in abundance all over the world, with everything from cutting-edge manufacturer-backed prototypes to Citroën 2CVs, none of them are like Le Mans.
Le Mans is more than just another twice-around-the clock competition. It’s a culture. A way of life. An addiction. Forget it being just a national tradition, it’s a global tradition with brands, teams, drivers and fans from across the world flocking to a small city in northwest France for a full week of competition, celebration, commiseration and the simple joy of indulging in a shared love of the sport.
This year Le Tricolore will drop at 16:00 local time as cue for the capacity 62-car field to blast away for the start of the 93rd Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans. Aside from onset of war and the occasional (and very French) workers’ strike, Le Mans has been a constant for 102 years, with its first running dating back to 1923. Only the Indy 500 is older (1911), but that lasts 200 laps, not 24 hours, nor do its competitors have to navigate both permanent race track and the RD 338 public carriageway across a single lap.
Not only is Le Mans unique, it is perhaps the most storied race of all, with over a century of heroes and villains, underdogs, triumphs and tragedies and everything in-between. And Motor Sport has been there to document every edition since our foundation in 1924.
Once again we’ve delved deep into our archives to bring you our pick of the finest stories from across Le Mans history, from the people and manufacturers that helped to make the event what it is today, to standout moments, iconic cars and more.
Read more about Le Mans and motor racing over the last century in Motor Sport’s vast archive. Visit: motorsportmagazine.com