For almost a century, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has urged manufacturers to innovate for the benefit of future motorists. The quest for performance has always embraced reliability and safety. The ground-breaking innovations of the past have shaped today’s commitment to sustainable mobility. MissionH24, which aims to bring hydrogen to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, exemplifies a strategy for the future that has its roots in a fertile history. We invite you to delve into this history.

The story

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has been a prime mover in the local community since 1906, as well as a testing ground for innovative solutions for the mobility of the future. The ACO’s actions are detailed below. To preserve our future, we need to act on sustainable mobility now.

Sustainable development | 24h-lemans.com

Sustainable development

MissionH24 is ready to launch the 2023 season with the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans on 14–15 January. The joint venture headed by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and GreenGT to promote the use of hydrogen for zero-carbon racing targets the whole motorsport world, and beyond.

Energy transition concerns everyone. The LMPH2G, MissionH24&rsquo;s first hydrogen-electric race prototype will be the leading car for the grand finale of the Le Mans Virtual Series.&nbsp; It will set the pace for the extraordinary field comprising sim racers and star racing drivers, including Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, Romain Grosjean, and Gustavo Menezes. The race is expected to be shown live across Europe on Eurosport Player. The programme will be given soon.&nbsp;

MissionH24 will be taking part in Le Mans Virtual again this year, flying the flag for hydrogen at an event frequented by the whole motorsport community from the real and the sim racing worlds. Following last year&rsquo;s success, the LMPH2G&thinsp;&ndash;&thinsp;the first race prototype developed by H24Racing&thinsp;&ndash;&thinsp;will feature in the Le Mans Virtual Series as leading car for the final. The hydrogen-electric prototype will guide a remarkable group to the green flag&thinsp;&ndash;&thinsp;each team comprising on-track professionals and esports champions.&nbsp;By preceding the field, the LMPH2G fully embodies its role, showing the way to the future of motorsport. With MissionH24, the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest intends to create a hydrogen-specific category for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, planned for 2025.

MissionH24 has come a long way since the first virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 2020. With the LMPH2G and the H24, the latest prototype developed by H24Racing, MissionH24 is demonstrating that hydrogen is reliable, efficient and exciting. In 2022, the H24 took part in the Michelin Le Mans Cup in the innovative car category, racing at Imola, Le Mans and Portim&atilde;o&thinsp;&ndash;&thinsp;the first time the motorsport world has ever seen a hydrogen-powered car race at this level. Even more impressive, the programme&rsquo;s test drivers St&eacute;phane Richelmi and Norman Nato were able to take the prototype across the line in all three races. A promising beginning.&nbsp; During 24 Hours of Le Mans race week, the car hit a top speed of 290.8&nbsp;kph on the Mulsanne Straight&thinsp;&ndash;&thinsp;a major feat considering it only emits water vapour. Futuristic as it may seem, this project is not a fantasy; it is firmly anchored in reality.

With the Le Mans Virtual Series, MissionH24 is introducing its progress to young generations, who are particularly concerned by energy transition. Hydrogen-powered racing is gathering steam!

MissionH24 at the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans

Ten days after the end of the 24 Hours of Le Mans week MissionH24 will be back in action on the track from Thursday to Sunday, this time in Great Britain, as H24 Racing’s two electric-hydrogen-powered racing prototypes have been invited to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Stéphane Richelmi will be at the wheel of the H24 for the hill climb and Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, will drive the LMPH2G in the demonstrations organised on the same layout.

Outside motor races, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is the most prestigious of international motor sport events and it attracts some 150.000 spectators over the four days. Once a year in England in the heart of the Goodwood estate, the elite of world motor sport, all disciplines combined, meet up for four days to celebrate the men and machines which shine the rest of the year on circuits and special stages all over the planet. No world champion, no race team, no manufacturer whose DNA has been marked by motor sport would miss this rendezvous. 

As in 2021, the host, Charles Gordon Lennox, Duke of Richmond, wanted MissionH24 to be honoured alongside the greats of motor sport. All the more so as this year he has placed his event under the sign of future mobility. Invited in 2021 to put on demonstrations with one of their electric-hydrogen prototypes, the LMPH2G, this year MissionH24 and the H24Racing team have been invited with two cars. Stéphane Richelmi will have the privilege of taking part in the hill climb with the H24 entered this season in the endurance events in the Michelin Le Mans Cup, while the LMPH2G will be driven by Pierre Fillon, the president of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, organiser of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in the demonstrations put on every day on the same layout!

Follow the Festival of Speed on <a href="https://www.goodwood.com/">www.goodwood.com</a>

MissionH24 invited to the Goodwood Festival of Speed

While the Automobile Club de l'Ouest is focused on creating a class reserved for hydrogen prototypes capable of competing with Hypercars for the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 90th running of the race last weekend already integrated hydrogen on and off the track.

Official 2022 24 Hours starter – and TotalEnergies Chairman and CEO – Patrick Pouyanné visited pit lane on Saturday morning before the race to check out the mobile hydrogen station installed by the French multi-energy company on behalf of MissionH24. The project is an ongoing collaboration between the ACO and GreenGT which fielded a hydrogen electric prototype in the two Road to Le Mans races last weekend, as well as in the Michelin Le Mans Cup this year, in the innovative car class. The world's first mobile hydrogen station accompanies the H24 car to all the circuits where it competes.

Pouyanné posed with all MissionH24 partners in front of the H24 car on the grid a few minutes prior to the lap of honour carried out by the hydrogen electric prototype driven by Stéphane Richelmi in front of the huge crowd in attendance at the 90th 24 Hours.

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PHOTOS (Copyright - ACO Archives), From left to right: Richard Mille (Richard Mille Racing), Christophe Ricard (GreenGT and MissionH24 co-president), David Navarro (Essilor), Christian Kopp (Plastic Omnium), Florent Menegaux (Michelin), Philippe Rosier (Symbio), Patrick Pouyanné (TotalEnergies), Pierre Fillon (ACO and MissionH24 co-president) and Peter Kütemann (Dietsmann). In front of the car: Norman Nato and Stéphane Richelmi.

In the heart of the circuit, an ACO H2 zero-emission mobility village was set up in the form of huge bubbles framing an exhibition structure for the LMP2HG, the first car in the MissionH24 programme. In part thanks to the contribution of the European Commission, the public was able learn about the ACO and its partners' strategy in terms of sustainable mobility and energy transition.

Mission H24 - Le village hydrogène aux 24 Heures du Mans

24 Hours of Le Mans – Hydrogen is already here

ROLEX

TOTALENERGIES

MICHELIN

GOODYEAR

MOTUL

Our commitment is underpinned by three founding principles and meets 12 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The first of the three areas covers the steps we are taking to combat the climate crisis. We adopted a sustainable development approach several decades ago, but we now have a clear mission: to contribute to a collective effort to reduce carbon emissions.

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR THE PLANET

From sustainable management to our contribution to local economies, we consider the impact of everything we do.

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

The third aspect is the promotion of a fairer, more inclusive, responsible, and caring society.

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENT FOR ALL

Since the club was founded in 1906, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has always placed the values of solidarity and mutual aid at the heart of its development. In 2021, we formalised our commitments to sustainable development with a three-pronged approach. In line with the CSR strategy announced in June 2021, Stéphane Darracq, general manager of the ACO, presented the 24 Hours of Le Mans’ carbon footprint.

ENGAGEMANS - COMMITMENTS FOR THE FUTURE

24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 - The action of the "Restos du cœur"

ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

Watch the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps unfolded in a video that gives a behind-the-scenes look at our round three of the FIA WEC. The new chapter in “The Red Line” series reveals the work of the Ferrari team before, during and after the Belgian endurance race.

6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps | The Red Line | Behind the scenes of the Ferrari Hypercar weekend

Watch the extended race highlights of the 2023 TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa, round 3 of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Extended Race Highlights I 2023 6 Hours of Spa I FIA WEC

Go Hyper with Brendon Hartley (Toyota Gazoo Racing #8) at Spa during the second practice session of the championship's third round.

Go Hyper with Brendon Hartley at Spa! I 2023 6 Hours of Spa I FIA WEC

The best views from Eau Rouge and Raidillon during the FIA World Endurance Championship TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa free practice sessions.

Eau Rouge's Best Views I Track Action I 2023 6 Hours of Spa I FIA WEC

Spa-Francorchamps is one of the drivers' favourite, but always unpredictable. Peugeot drivers give you a first peak before the race week-end

24H LE MANS

Sustainable development

THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH
Sustainable development

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR THE PLANET

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENT FOR ALL

Actions Taken

News
Sustainable development

MissionH24 at the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans

MissionH24 invited to the Goodwood Festival of Speed

24 Hours of Le Mans – Hydrogen is already here

In video
Sustainable development

24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 - The action of the "Restos du cœur"

ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

The story

Our committed partners

THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH Sustainable development

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR THE PLANET

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENT FOR ALL

Actions Taken

News Sustainable development

MissionH24 at the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans

MissionH24 invited to the Goodwood Festival of Speed

24 Hours of Le Mans – Hydrogen is already here

In video Sustainable development

24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 - The action of the "Restos du cœur"

ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

The story

Our committed partners

THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH
Sustainable development

News
Sustainable development

In video
Sustainable development