24 Hours of Le Mans 2024: here’s what you need to know
24 Hours of Le Mans
After last year’s anniversary edition celebrating 100 years of Le Mans, which attracted a record 325,000 visitors, the upcoming edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is again very popular. Tickets were sold out soon after sales began in November 2023.
This year as many as 23 cars from nine different manufacturers are competing in the Hypercar class. A total of 62 cars are racing divided into three classes. Racing enthusiasts can expect especially plenty of action at Circuit de la Sarthe, the official name of the circuit where the world’s most famous long-distance race is held. This is also the longest (13.626 km) and fastest (average speed above 240 km/h) circuit on the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) calendar. During 24 hours, the cars travel about 5,000 kilometers.
Test Day
The 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place from June 12 to 16. The test day is scheduled for Sunday, June 9. Teams and drivers will then have six hours to get their bearings on the track. Three free practice sessions and qualifying will take place on Wednesday, June 12 and Thursday, June 13, followed by the “Hyperpole” in which the eight fastest Hypercars will compete. The 92nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will start at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. The official starting signal will be given by French soccer legend Zinédine Zidane. Here is an overview of the program:
- Wednesday, June 12:
- Free practice 1: 2 p.m.
- Qualifying session: 7 p.m.
- Free practice 2: 10 p.m.
- Thursday, June 13:
- Free practice 3: 3 p.m.
- Hyperpole: 8 p.m.
- Free practice 4: 10 p.m.
- Saturday, June 15:
- Warm-up: 12:00 p.m.
- Start of the race: 4 p.m.
Peugeot
AutoRAI.co.uk is present at this year’s legendary race and is following Team Peugeot TotalEnergies’ race closely. The team has entered two 2024 versions of the PEUGEOT 9X8 for the race. The intention is to demonstrate the reliability and improved performance of this radically modified Hypercar. Developed in just 10 months, the race car made its competitive debut at the 6 Hours of Imola in early April.
With ninth place on its competitive debut, the PEUGEOT 9X8 2024 immediately earned its first points for the constructors’ classification of the WEC season. Three weeks after the 6 Hours of Imola, the PEUGEOT 9X8 2024 again finished in the top-10 at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, which featured a rock-solid field of competitors.
Difficult circumstances
Last year, weather conditions at Le Mans were very variable. Nevertheless, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies managed to make the most of the difficult conditions. The #94 PEUGEOT 9X8 even led 34 laps during the night and both Peugeot cars made it to the finish. This year, Paul di Resta, Loïc Duval, Mikkel Jensen, Nico Müller, Stoffel Vandoorne and Jean-Eric Vergne will get behind the wheel of the French race cars.
Stoffel Vandoorne, driver #94 PEUGEOT 9X8: “Last year I was a reserve driver with this team, but this year I will be in action with the PEUGEOT 9X8 2024! I learned how big this race is. It’s a long, stressful week with little sleep, but I loved it. We have a new car since Imola and unfortunately I missed the race in Spa because of the Formula E calendar. We have had two events to prepare for Le Mans. I am ready for this challenge. With so many Hypercars on the track it will be a 24-hour sprint, but we are competing.”
Also read: Peugeot 9X8: thoroughly revised, new colors