The legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest-surviving and most prestigious endurance racing event. Held annually since 1923 on the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, it’s a race that tests the limits of drivers and machines over a gruelling 24 hours, starting at 4pm on the Saturday and running non-stop, through the night, until the following afternoon.

The objective is simple yet challenging – complete as many laps as possible in the allotted time. With the world’s greatest manufacturers, teams and drivers competing, it’s a spectacle unlike any other in endurance motorsport and one that attracts hundreds of thousands of fans who camp out and make the weekend one big motorsport party.

Different types of racecars compete in the event – the current categories are Hypercar, LMP2 and LMGT3 – with each class ending up with its own winner. The big one, however, is the battle to decide the overall race champion, which is generally won by the powerful Hypercar class.

To avoid fatigue – and the accidents this can cause – each team typically fields three drivers who rotate driving duties, swapping places in the car every few hours. According to Le Mans race regulations, the maximum time a driver can be at the wheel in a single stint is 240 minutes.