At 15:00 on 15 June, H.S.H. Princess Charlene of Monaco will wave the French flag to unleash the 62 cars on the grid at this year’s edition of the world’s greatest endurance race.

This year, 186 drivers will take up the gruelling challenge of the 13.686-km long track: among them, three women (Manuela Gostner, Michelle Gatting and Rahel Frey) competing for Kessel Racing. Other competitors include two-time Formula One world champion, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and contender for the Triple Crown Fernando Alonso (who will compete in the 500 Miles of Indianapolis on 26 May), an array of previous 24 Hours of Le Mans winners, such as André Lotterer, Romain Dumas, Marcel Fässler, Earl Bamber to name just four, and previous class winners such as Giancarlo Fisichella, Nicolas Lapierre, Thomas Laurent and Julien Andlauer. There will also be some Le Mans regulars like Stéphane Sarrazin, Jan Magnussen, Oliver Gavin and Pedro Lamy, rookies Stoffel Vandoorne and Jules Gounon and Monaco-born Stéphane Richelmi and Olivier Beretta.

>> Download the provisional list of competitors in the 24 Hours of Le Mans <<

Before race day arrives however, the teams competing in the 87th French twice-round-the-clock race will attend Test Day on 2 June.

>> Download the provisional list of competitors attending Test Day <<

With two extra entries in the race this year (a total of 62 compared to 60 in previous years),the ACO needs 62 garages to accommodate all the teams and has thus started work on two temporary structures.