Eight things you need to know about the world’s greatest endurance race
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The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the biggest dates in the motorsport calendar. Ahead of the 2025 race – its 93rd edition – discover its history and what makes it so special for Porsche
When it comes to endurance racing, there’s a weekend each year that’s ringed in the calendar of all motorsport fans. Along with the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indy 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the most famous of all motor racing events. Held every June at Le Mans in north-west France, the event is now into its second century of high-speed, incident-packed racing.In advance of the 2025 – and 93rd – running of the race, we look at why the 24 Hours of Le Mans is so revered, about its history, its format, the gruelling nature of 24-hour racing and why it holds a special place in the hearts of Porsche and its teams.1. What is the 24 Hours of Le Mans?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.The 24 Hours of Le Mans is more than just a race against the clock. Teams must juggle speed with fuel efficiency and tyre management, through day, night and day again, whatever the weather conditions Photo: PorscheTo 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.2. Which Porsche cars are running at Le Mans in 2025?The inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1923 saw 33 entrants line up on the grid. In 2025, the field currently consists (as of 12 June 2025) of 63 cars across the three categories. When it comes to Porsche, there will be four Porsche 963 cars competing in the Hypercar class and three Porsche 911 GT3 R cars running in the LMGT3 category.Three of the 963 racecars will be raced by Porsche Penske Motorsport, the Porsche works team, with one more being competed by customer team, Proton Competition. Porsche 911 GT3 R cars, meanwhile, will be entered by Manthey, Manthey 1st Phorm and Iron Dames.Well-known drivers for the Porsche Penske Motorsport team include works drivers Kévin Estre, Felipe Nasr, Michael Christensen, Pascal Wehrlein and Laurens Vanthoor. Estre and Vanthoor, along with fellow co-driver André Lotterer, finished fourth overall at the 2024 edition of the race. In the LMGT3 category, the all-female team of Célia Martin, Rahel Frey and Sarah Bovy will compete for Iron Dames in a 911 GT3 R.Strategy is key to winning Le Mans. Pit crews make lightning-fast tyre changes and refuelling stops, while drivers swap duties in order to rest and recharge before their next stint Photo: Porsche3. When does the 2025 24h of Le Mans take place?Le Mans is held in June at the Circuit de la Sarthe, a semi-permanent racetrack near Le Mans, France, which also includes sections that at other times of the year are used as public roads. The dates for your diary for 2025 are 14-15 June. The race itself starts at 4pm CET (local time) on Saturday 14 June 2025.
Other start times for selected countries:
USA • 10am EDT (US East Coast) • 7am PDT (US West Coast)UK • 3pm BST
Germany/Italy/Spain • 4pm CET
Brazil • 11am BRT (including Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo)
China • 10pm CST (including Shanghai) 4. What is the Le Mans circuit? The 13.626km-long track on which the 24h of Le Mans is held every year is called the Circuit de la Sarthe. Sarthe is the name of the French department in which Le Mans is situated, which is in turn named after the river that runs through it.The circuit itself is a mixture of public roads and dedicated racing sections, featuring 38 turns in total (18 left-hand turns and 20 right-hand turns). It includes four long straights in which drivers can reach speeds of 340km/h-plus (over 210mph). The most famous straight on the circuit is the 6km-long Mulsanne Straight, which is a regular road – the RD 338 – when it’s not used for the race. Known locally as the Ligne Droite des Hunaudières, it hasn’t been completely straight since 1990, thanks to the addition of two chicanes. It means that the top speed of 405km/h (252mph) achieved along it in 1988 is likely never to be topped, but it has made the Mulsanne safer. These changes haven’t diminished its importance, however, as it still offers drivers a brief respite before they enter the trickiest parts of the circuit. Put simply, the Circuit de la Sarthe is an utterly unique and challenging circuit, one that tests the grit and endurance of even the most seasoned of competitors.The 2025 24h of Le Mans is set to feature four Porsche 963 cars in the Hypercar class and three Porsche 911 GT3 R cars running in LMGT3. The latter includes the all-female Iron Dames team of Célia Martin, Rahel Frey and Sarah Bovy, pictured here Photo: PorscheOther iconic sections of the circuit include the Porsche Curves – a favourite among drivers for their demanding nature – and the Dunlop Curve and Dunlop Chicane at the start of the lap. These areas not only challenge the drivers but also boast stunning views, as well as giving drivers the opportunity to pass under the famous Dunlop Bridge.As the 24 Hours of Le Mans is about completing as many laps as possible in 24 hours, there’s no set number of laps to complete. It all depends on the speed of the cars and the team’s pit stop and refuelling strategies. The current record to beat is 397 laps, first set in 1971 but matched at the 2010 race. If everything goes perfectly, teams can cover over 5,000km during the race. The current distance record is 5,410km, which was set in 2010.5. Legendary Porsche drivers at the 24 Hours of Le MansThroughout its first 100 years, some of the greatest-ever race drivers have left their mark at Le Mans, with many of them behind the wheel of a Porsche racecar. These include Belgium’s Jacky Ickx, who won Le Mans six times, four of them with Porsche. Germany’s Hans Herrmann – who hails from the Porsche hometown of Stuttgart – and his British driver, Richard Attwood, played a key role in the Porsche Le Mans legacy in 1970. This was the year that Porsche secured its first overall victory, when Herrmann and Attwood took the chequered flag first in a Porsche 917K. This historic win marked the start of the company’s dominance in the endurance race.Another name that will be forever associated with Porsche and the 24h of Le Mans is Attwood’s fellow Briton, Derek Bell, who boasts five Le Mans victories – four of them with Porsche. His triumphs driving a Porsche – in 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987 – underlined not only the ex-Formula 1 star’s talent but also the enduring reliability of generations of Porsche racecars.The #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, driven by Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor during qualifying for the 2024 24h of Le Mans. They would eventually finish fourth overall in the race itself Photo: Porsche6. How fast do cars drive at the 24h of Le Mans?Speed, of course, is a critical element at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Over the years, advances in technology and aerodynamics have pushed the limits of what’s possible on the historic track.One of the most phenomenal laps of all-time was by Hans-Joachim Stuck. In 1985, the legendary German driver averaged 251km/h (156mph) during qualifying while driving a Porsche 962C. That converted to the fastest-ever lap time – up until that point – of 3 mins 14.8 seconds. “I made virtually no mistakes, and the braking points were spot-on,” Stuck told Porsche customer magazine, Christophorus, in 2023. Such was the brilliance of Stuck’s performance, it would remain a record for 32 years.Looking at today’s LMDh (it stands for Le Mans Daytona h) racecars, the Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 #4 car competing at the 2024 24h of Le Mans, driven by Mathieu Jaminet, Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, hit a dizzying top speed of 344.5 km/h (214 mph) at one point.7. Who has the most 24h of Le Mans wins?As a manufacturer, Porsche holds the record for most overall victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with 19 wins. The manufacturer’s triumphs range from that first win in 1970 in the Porsche 917K by Herrmann and Attwood, to its most recent triumph in 2017. Here, a 919 Hybrid was piloted to victory by Germany’s Timo Bernhard and New Zealanders Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley.The record for the most race victories by a driver is nine, held by Denmark’s Tom Kristensen. His debut victory, in 1997, was in a TWR Porsche WSC-95 Le Mans Prototype racecar. Next, on six, is Jacky Ickx – five with Porsche – with Derek Bell one of three drivers on five race wins (four for Porsche). The 2024 24h of Le Mans saw the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 driven by Kévin Estre, André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor take fourth place overall. Meanwhile, there was success for Porsche with works drivers Richard Lietz, Morris Schuring and Yasser Shahin winning the inaugural LMGT3 category in Manthey EMA’s Porsche 911 GT3 R.The Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R driven by (l-r) Morris Schuring, Richard Lietz and Yasser Shahin won the inaugural LMGT3 category at the 2024 24h of Le Mans Photo: Porsche8. How can I watch the 24h of Le Mans?You can follow all the events at Le Mans on the Porsche Motorsport Le Mans website as well the Porsche Motorsport Instagram channel. FIA WEC TV is the official streaming home, globally, of the 24 Hours of Le Mans – you will need a subscription to view.Here’s how to watch it live in selected countries and regions: USA• Max• Motor TrendUK/Germany/Italy/Spain• Eurosport/Discovery+/Max/TNT Sports (depending on market)France• La chaîne L’Équipe and L’Équipe.fr• EurosportCanada• CTV Speed digital platform (pay-per-view)Brazil• Grande Prêmio• Esporte na Band • Bandplay • Band Sports China• Douyin, Weibo and WeChat Australia• Stan SportAfrica/Middle East• SuperSport (Sub-Saharan Africa)• beIN SportsPlease check the schedules of broadcasters in your region for full details. Some regions offer free-to-view coverage. Geo-blocking applies in select territories including the USA and Canada. Certain broadcasters cover the entire event, including practice, qualifying and Hyperpole while others will carry the full race only. The 2025 24h of Le Mans takes place from 14-15 June 2025. You can keep up to date with the latest Porsche news from the race at the dedicated Porsche Motorsport Le Mans website and follow the race live on the Porsche Motorsport Instagram channel
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