A total of 258,500 spectators came to watch this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, third round in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The Automobile Club de l’Ouest is delighted to have attracted such a huge crowd, indisputable proof of the worldwide popularity of endurance racing. Thank you all for coming!

24H Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans

Communiqué de presse

Algarve Pro Racing, Inter Europol Competition and Panis Racing have chosen the Ligier JS P228 for their LMP2 programmes from 2028. Three race-winning teams with deep roots in endurance racing will therefore join forces with Ligier Automotive as a new generation of prototypes takes to the track.

From 2028, the LMP2 category will open a new chapter in its history. Selected by the ACO and the FIA as one of the two chassis suppliers for the next generation of LMP2 cars, Ligier Automotive is developing its Ligier JS P228 with a clear ambition: to return to the highest level of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with teams capable of fighting for victory. Algarve Pro Racing, Inter Europol Competition and Panis Racing have already chosen to put their trust in the French manufacturer.

<h2>Three teams with one shared ambition: to win!</h2>

The decision by these three teams is no coincidence. All three have already built part of their history in LMP2, all know what it takes to compete at the highest level of endurance racing and all have won major races in the discipline.

For Ligier Automotive, their commitment represents an initial validation of the work undertaken since its selection in June 2025. Since then, the French manufacturer&#39;s teams, together with its US subsidiary Ligier Automotive North America, have been working on the development of the JS P228. The challenge is a major one: to make its new LMP2 a benchmark from the moment it enters competition.

Algarve Pro Racing already knows the way. Founded by Stewart and Samantha Cox, the team entered LMP2 with Ligier in 2015. Since then, it has won two European Le Mans Series titles, six Asian Le Mans Series titles and an IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup title. It has also claimed several LMP2 Pro-Am victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2026, the team notably won the 24 Hours of Daytona and took victory in its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The return to Ligier therefore carries particular significance. For Algarve Pro Racing, the JS P228 represents both a return to its roots and the beginning of a new adventure. The team does not simply want to be on the grid in 2028. It is targeting titles and victories in the world&#39;s biggest endurance races.

Inter Europol Competition brings a more recent, but already impressive, history. Founded in 2010 by Wojciech and Jakub Śmiechowski, the Polish team has scored three LMP2 victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans over the past four editions, including a <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/2026-24-hours-of-le-mans-a-historic-one-two-finish-in-lmp2-for-inter-europol-competition-60822" target="_blank">one-two finish in 2026</a>. IMSA LMP2 champions in 2024 and FIA WEC runners-up, the team has established itself as one of the leading forces in the category.

Its decision to choose the Ligier JS P228 reflects a desire to continue that progress. For Inter Europol Competition, this new generation of LMP2 cars represents an opportunity to bring fresh momentum to the category. One chapter is coming to an end, but the objective remains the same: to continue fighting at the front.

Panis Racing completes the trio. Founded in 2016 by Olivier Panis and Fabien Barthez, the French team has secured four podium finishes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and won the ELMS LMP2 title in 2025. It is also fighting at the sharp end of the championship this season.

For Olivier Panis, the decision to join forces with Ligier has a particular resonance. His 1996 Monaco Grand Prix victory came at the wheel of a Ligier. Almost three decades later, this chapter of French motorsport history is being extended with the JS P228. Panis Racing will rely on VPS Racing, the organisation notably led by Aur&eacute;lien Panis, to carry the project forward from 2028.

<h2>The Ligier JS P228, the first face of a new LMP2 era</h2>

With these three teams, Ligier Automotive is not simply preparing a new race car. The French manufacturer is preparing its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a generation of prototypes set to shape the LMP2 category from 2028 to 2032.

The Ligier JS P228 will continue a story that began in 2014 with the Ligier JS P2, which marked Ligier Automotive&#39;s return to the international motorsport scene. Since then, the manufacturer has developed its expertise in sport prototypes, as well as single-seaters and GT cars. More than a decade of accumulated experience is now converging towards a new challenge.

The JS P228 will make its competitive debut in 2028 in the European Le Mans Series and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It will then enter the Asian Le Mans Series for the 2028/2029 season before joining the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2029.

For spectators at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 2028 is already shaping up to be a special occasion. New regulations, a new generation of LMP2 cars and new prototypes will transform the face of the category. But the essential remains unchanged: for 24 hours, these prototypes will have to endure and push their limits.

And behind the technology, there will be stories to follow. Algarve Pro Racing returning to Ligier. Inter Europol Competition looking to continue its rise. Panis Racing writing a new chapter in a French motorsport story closely linked to the manufacturer.

Three teams. One new prototype. A new LMP2 era. In 2028, the Ligier JS P228 will meet the 24 Hours of Le Mans. And with it, three teams that will not be arriving simply to watch the race unfold, but to try to write its history.

Three Major Teams Choose Ligier for the New Generation of LMP2

Ford Racing has taken another major step in its return to the top level of endurance racing. On Monday, 17 August, the first images of its Hypercar on track were unveiled as the new American machine continues its testing programme ahead of its FIA WEC and 24 Hours of Le Mans debut in 2027.

It is a silhouette that fans have been waiting to see. After several months of development away from the spotlight, the Ford Hypercar has finally hit the track. Its testing programme began on 5 August with several days of shakedown testing, during which the team methodically checked each of the car&rsquo;s systems. On Monday, 17 August, Matt Campbell and Logan Sargeant took the wheel for the first proper track tests, providing the first glimpse of Ford&rsquo;s future endurance racing contender.

<h2>A first run, and a new chapter begins</h2>

Before chasing outright performance, Ford Racing first had to ensure that everything was working as it should. The initial running allowed the team to check and activate all of the Hypercar&rsquo;s systems. It may be an invisible stage for the wider public, but it is essential: before thinking about lap times, every component, control and interaction between the various systems must perform as planned.

This initial phase went according to Ford&rsquo;s planned programme. The car is now ready to enter a new phase: track testing, where every lap brings new lessons and takes the prototype one step closer to its ultimate goal.

For this first outing, Matt Campbell and Logan Sargeant took turns behind the wheel. Tom Blomqvist, who was also present during the initial development phase, is set to join the testing programme in the coming days. The three drivers are part of <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/ford-reveals-the-names-of-the-2027-hypercar-driver-crews-60778" target="_blank">the six official drivers selected by Ford for its 2027 Hypercar programme</a>, alongside Mike Rockenfeller, Nick Yelloly and Sebastian Priaulx.

The first image of this Ford on track ultimately tells a much bigger story than that of a simple test. It marks the moment when a project becomes reality. Until now, this car could only be imagined racing through the field at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Now, it exists, it is running and it is starting to rack up the miles.

<h2>Ford prepares its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans</h2>

And, naturally, behind these first laps lies a story that goes far beyond the development of a prototype.

In 2027, Ford will return to the top class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, almost six decades after its last involvement at the highest level. It is a return that inevitably echoes the history of the race. In the 1960s, the Ford GT40 left an indelible mark on Le Mans by securing four consecutive victories between 1966 and 1969. In 2016, 50 years after the first of those wins, the Ford GT also triumphed in the LMGTE Pro class.

The next chapter will be different. Ford is not returning simply to make up the numbers. The American manufacturer is preparing for a genuine battle at the highest level of the FIA WEC, with the ambition of returning to Le Mans in 2027 as part of an Hypercar field that promises to be stronger than ever.

Ford&rsquo;s Hypercar has only just begun its story. But since Monday, 17 August, one thing is certain: it has now left the computer screens behind and entered the real world. And it will be worth keeping an eye on it over the coming months. Because its next major appointment is already marked in bold on the calendar: the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Further images and additional information about this testing programme are expected to be released by Ford Racing next week.

Ford reveals first images of its Hypercar on track

At its Dearborn test facility, Ford Racing is already putting its future Hypercar engine through a full lap simulation of the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit. It marks another milestone in the American manufacturer's preparation for its return to the Hypercar class of the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship.

Just months before its eagerly awaited return to the top category of the FIA World Endurance Championship, Ford Racing continues the development of <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/ford-hypercar-v8-roars-to-life-for-the-first-time-ahead-of-the-2027-24-hours-of-le-mans-60883" target="_blank">its Hypercar</a>. At its technical centre in Dearborn, Michigan, the manufacturer is simulating a complete lap of the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit on an engine dyno. Gear changes, long full-throttle acceleration zones &ndash; the 5.4-litre V8 is already experiencing the demands of the legendary French endurance classic long before it turns a wheel on track.

Ford Racing Recreates a Lap of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Circuit

Ford Racing recrée un tour du circuit des 24 Heures du Mans

<h2>When the Dyno Simulates the 24 Hours of Le Mans</h2>

Every time Ford Racing fires up its engine dyno in Dearborn, the room holds its breath. The naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8, derived from the Coyote engine, is not simply running to verify that everything works as intended. Thanks to a real-time simulation, it faithfully reproduces an entire lap of the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit.

The engine surges beyond 9,000 rpm, powers down the Mulsanne Straight at full throttle, brakes hard for Mulsanne Corner and accelerates once again towards the Porsche Curves. While the engine cannot tell the difference between a real circuit and a virtual one, Ford&#39;s engineers carefully analyse every piece of data collected to identify where further improvements can be made.

This approach allows valuable development work to continue long before on-track testing begins. Every dyno session provides crucial insights to enhance reliability and performance &ndash; two essential qualities for taking on a race that lasts 24 hours.

<h2>A Legacy Born with the GT40</h2>

This development programme is rooted in a story that is deeply intertwined with the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ford points out that the test cell used today sits only a few metres from the one where the engines for <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/24-hours-centenary-the-american-benchmark-ford-gt40-57263" target="_blank">the legendary GT40</a> were developed more than sixty years ago.

The manufacturer proudly embraces this connection between past and present. The lessons learned during the GT40&#39;s victorious Le Mans campaigns of the 1960s continue to shape today&#39;s engineering methods, while modern technologies are opening a new chapter in Ford&#39;s endurance racing story.

<h2>Preparing Drivers Before the First Track Test</h2>

The engine is only one part of the equation. At its Technology Centre in North Carolina, Ford Racing is also preparing <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/ford-reveals-the-names-of-the-2027-hypercar-driver-crews-60778" target="_blank">its drivers</a> using a full-scale cockpit mock-up, known as a &quot;buck&quot;, of its future Hypercar.

Driving position, control ergonomics, visibility and operating procedures are all refined in meticulous detail so that drivers are already fully familiar with the car before taking to the track. The objective is straightforward: arrive at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with as few unknowns as possible.

The first test sessions in France are now just around the corner. Until then, every hour spent on the engine dyno and in the simulator brings Ford one step closer to its return to the Hypercar class in 2027.

For every team competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the race never begins with the drop of the French tricolour. It comes to life months earlier, in workshops where data still outweighs the roar of the crowd. Yet one thing never changes: every simulation, every test and every finely tuned detail serves the same purpose &ndash; to be ready when the time comes to tackle the 13.626 kilometres of the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit.

With the ongoing regional conflict in the Middle East creating geopolitical and logistical uncertainties, the 2026/27 Asian Le Mans Series will be held in Europe, with races in France, Spain and Portugal for a special Winter Le Mans Series.

A range of options has been carefully evaluated since the beginning of the year with one clear objective: to avoid any disruption to the championship and provide teams, drivers and partners with certainty, regardless of how the situation evolves.

There were several factors that had a bearing on the decision to move the championship to Europe.&nbsp; Because of the unprecedented situation, the circuits in Asia that are able to host an ALMS event over the winter months had very limited availability and there were significant logistical costs involved. There was also the requirement to avoid clashes with Daytona and Bathurst.

As a result, the 2026&ndash;2027 season will exceptionally be held entirely in Europe under the banner of the Winter Le Mans Series. This unique format preserves the spirit of endurance racing while maintaining the high sporting standards that have become the hallmark of the championship.

The Winter Le Mans Series will begin at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France with Rounds 1 and 2 on the 13-15 November.&nbsp; After the Christmas break, the ALMS will resume with two 4-hour races in Spain at the Circuito de Jerez near Cadiz on the 15-17 January.&nbsp; The 2026/27 season will conclude with a pair of races at the Aut&oacute;dromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal on the 19-21 February.&nbsp;

The season will also introduce significant new developments. The Hypercar category will make its debut, while the new Asian Le Mans Cup will be launched for LMP3 and GT3 competitors, with two 2-hour races at each event, further enhancing the diversity and appeal of the championship.

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest: &ldquo;2026 has proven to be exceptional, with external constraints that are completely out of our control forcing us to make decisions that are in everyone&rsquo;s interests in difficult circumstances.&nbsp; It is with all the facts, and after consultation with all parties, the decision was taken to move the Asian Le Mans Series to Europe for the 2026/27 season.

&ldquo;The Winter Le Mans Series will provide the best platform for teams and drivers to compete for one of the top prizes in endurance, the Asian Le Mans Series title and, for the LMP2 and GT3 champions, an automatic invitation to the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.&nbsp; It will also be a great opportunity for fans of endurance to see Hypercars in action in the ALMS for the first time.

&ldquo;Le Mans is more than a place - it is a spirit. This winter, that spirit will thrive on some of Europe&rsquo;s finest circuits as we look forward to returning to Asia when conditions allow.&rdquo;

Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequien, ALMEM and LMEM CEO: &ldquo;While this represents a departure from the championship&rsquo;s traditional identity, it is a carefully considered decision driven by the current circumstances and made in the best interests of the series and its competitors.

&ldquo;We had explored several options with regards to holding races in Asia but, because of the late changes forced on us, the availability of circuits that are able to host an ALMS event were limited and the logistical costs were significant.&nbsp; We also had to try and avoid a clash Daytona and Bathhurst, which limited our options in Asia even further.

&ldquo;Our priority remains to provide teams with a stable, competitive and clearly defined championship. This approach ensures the continuity of the series while allowing competitors to prepare for the season with confidence.

&ldquo;The Asian Le Mans Series extends its sincere thanks to its teams, partners, manufacturers, drivers and fans for their continued trust and support. Although this season will feature an unprecedented format, it will retain all the excitement, competitiveness and endurance spirit that define the championship.&rdquo;

St&eacute;phane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Founder &amp; CEO: &ldquo;While moving the Asian Le Mans Series to Europe is not ideal, the situation in the Middle East dictated that we worked to find the best solution.&nbsp; Between SRO, LMEM and the ACO we have a huge pool of experience to draw on, and the consensus was a Winter Le Mans Series in southern Europe was the most sensible option given the mounting external constraints.

&ldquo;The championship will visit three of Europe&rsquo;s premier racing venues, Le Castellet, Jerez and Portimao, each renowned for its world-class facilities and outstanding sporting challenge. Now we have a confirmed calendar we are sure that the Winter Le Mans Series will be successful and we look forward to returning to Asia for the 2027/28 season.&rdquo;

2026/27 Asian Le Mans Series / Winter Le Mans Series Calendar:

<ul>
	<li>Rounds 1 &amp; 2 : 13-15 Nov 2026 - Circuit Paul Ricard (FRA)</li>
	<li>Rounds 3 &amp; 4 : 15-17 Jan 2027 - Circuito de Jerez Angel Nieto (ESP)</li>
	<li>Rounds 4 &amp; 5 : 19-21 Feb 2027 -&nbsp;Aut&oacute;dromo Internacional do Algarve (POR)</li>
</ul>

Asian Le Mans Series 2026-2027 : an exceptional European season

24 Heures du Mans 2017

The 24 Hours of Le Mans remains as successful as ever. Spectators were treated to gorgeous weather, top-flight competitors, nerve-jangling upsets and varied fringe entertainment. Better traffic management and free car parks meant shorter queues and improved conditions for our many fans. All in all, the 24 Hours of Le Mans deserves its reputation as the most revered round in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Thank you all for attending the 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours with us and for helping us make it the world&rsquo;s greatest endurance race.

2017 Le Mans 24 Hours - 258,500 spectators

Related News

Three Major Teams Choose Ligier for the New Generation of LMP2

Ford reveals first images of its Hypercar on track

Ford Racing Recreates a Lap of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Circuit

Asian Le Mans Series 2026-2027 : an exceptional European season

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