The 2024 European Le Mans Series season has earned five teams entry into the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans on 11-15 June 2025.

24H Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans

The countdown has begun. In a year’s time, McLaren will be back in the top class of endurance racing with the aim of adding a second 24 Hours of Le Mans trophy to the Woking silver cabinet. The eagerly-awaited return will rekindle an intense relationship between the manufacturer and Le Mans.

One Sunday in June 1995, on a circuit drenched by incessant rain, McLaren entered the history books with an incredible achievement. The McLaren F1, designed for the road, not the race track, became the F1 GTR thanks to a specially-developed kit, and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans on first attempt despite very little preparation. The thousands of spectators present witnessed an unimaginable feat.

Thirty-two years later, McLaren is getting ready to return to the pinnacle of endurance racing. The manufacturer has elected to reflect past glory in the car&rsquo;s test livery. The <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/mclaren-mcl-hy-a-name-with-a-hint-of-promise-for-the-24-hours-of-le-mans-60533">MCL-HY</a> appeared last May dressed in the papaya colour that harks back to Bruce McLaren&rsquo;s M6A, the car that sparked the desire to win Le Mans.

The McLaren M6A and the new MCL-HY stand shoulder to shoulder. Two milestones on McLaren&rsquo;s road to Le Mans.

<h2>Bruce McLaren&rsquo;s dream</h2>

In the late 1960s, Bruce McLaren was not content with winning. His triumph at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Ford GT40 had triggered his imagination. Using his 1967-winning Can-Am M6A as a base, he designed a closed cockpit coup&eacute; he dubbed the M6GT. His aim was simple: to produce a small series (250), just enough to comply with GT homologation requirements to enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McLaren was out to build a brand, and to his mind, Le Mans was the place to do it.

The dream didn&rsquo;t come true. Bruce McLaren lost his life in a test session at Goodwood. Without his input, his energy, the project came to a halt. A couple of M6GTs were built, but didn&#39;t ever appear at Le Mans.

The project was never buried. Merely shelved.

In 1995, Bruce McLaren&rsquo;s dream came true in the shape of the McLaren F1. <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/24-hours-centenary-mclaren-an-f1-takes-on-le-mans-57424">A singular machine</a>&nbsp;that, despite its name, was not designed for racing. Gordon Murray intended it to be the ultimate road car. He had not reckoned with the constraints of the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, the demanding nature of the race, nor the opportunity to blast along at over 300 kph. Several racing driver customers managed to persuade the then head of McLaren, Ron Dennis, to turn the car into a racing GT.

On the day of the race, the sky was dark too.&nbsp;It rained for 17 of the 24 hours. A memorable experience for all concerned, not least the many spectators. The wet conditions favoured the British team, who, to widespread surprise, claimed the victory. Seven McLarens on the grid, five at the finish, four in the top five

An exploit, especially as none of the F1 GTRs had raced in the rain before. Yet, JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya dominated the field with the #59, covering a total of 298 laps.

When asked to name the highlight of his career, Gordon Murray doesn&rsquo;t mention his Formula One titles. He cites the Le Mans victory.&nbsp;What a tribute, from an engineer who won everything! The aura of Le Mans dazzles participants and spectators alike.&nbsp;

The McLarens remained among the leaders until 1998, but didn&rsquo;t make another podium place. Then, nothing. A 26-year hiatus with no McLarens on the grid. But the silence didn&rsquo;t spell the end. McLaren were just waiting.

<h2>Patience rewarded</h2>

In 2024, the time had come, and McLaren made their way back to Le Mans. <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/can-mclaren-renew-with-le-mans-success-30-years-after-a-famous-win-59359">First in LMGT3</a>, to get used to the night stints, the tyre wear, the rain, and all the other peculiarities of La Sarthe. One step at a time. Here, speed is of the essence, but stamina is the decider, and tenacity keeps you hanging on, and coming back.&nbsp;

McLaren will be back in the top class with their MCL-HY Hypercar factory entry in 2027. Under the bonnet, power comes from a twin-turbocharged V6 race engine developed in-house, paired with a hybrid MGU system, delivering up to 520kW (707PS) to the driven rear axle. The carbon chassis was built by Italian manufacturer Dallara, also the supplier of the BMW and Cadillac chassis, and with which McLaren already works in IndyCar.

You don&rsquo;t win Le Mans on your own. To orchestrate the return, McLaren has appointed James Barclay Executive Director of McLaren Endurance Racing and Team Principal of McLaren Hypercar Team. In Formula E Barclay learned to lead a team to success starting from scratch. He heads a team whose name McLaren United, reflects a mind set. The name isn&rsquo;t chosen by chance. This is a group effort, with United Autosports contributing their experience in LMP2 and GT3.

Chris Dyer (Technical Director) knows the way to the top. As key engineer from Michael Schumacher&rsquo;s dominant Ferrari Formula One period, he has first-hand experience of the moments when a race hangs on a detail. You can&rsquo;t get that knowledge from books. It&rsquo;s passed on from one generation to the next.

Neil Oatley also brings a wealth of experience to the team. As a child, he collected autographs of Bruce McLaren, and when he became an engineer, he designed the McLarens of the Prost-Senna-H&auml;kkinen era. Today, at 70, he is a consultant on the project.&nbsp;

As for the people in the cockpit, two drivers are confirmed for the moment. First, <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/mclaren-racing-announces-its-first-hypercar-driver-60219">Mikkel Jensen</a>. At 31, he already boasts seven participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He&rsquo;s driven in GTE, LMP2 and Hypercar. He knows how the 13.626-kilometre circuit feels at the wheel of very different cars and has several lasting memories. Rare experience for someone so young. &ldquo;We come with more experience this time, because the Hypercar class has been in place for longer. We have drivers, engineers and mechanics that have experience from other places. We&rsquo;ve got an idea of what to do to get a better car, let&rsquo;s say.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The man by his side, Laurence Vanthoor, was World Endurance Champion in 2024. The Belgian has been at the top for ten years, as factory driver at Audi, then Porsche. He has won the major endurance races: N&uuml;rburgring, Bathurst, and Daytona. Le Mans too. A class win with the Pink Pig Porsche 911 RSR in 2018 with K&eacute;vin Estre and Michael Christensen. He is just missing the overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He came close last year.

In 2027, the McLaren flame will be back in La Sarthe, ready to shine brighter than ever.&nbsp;

In 2027, McLaren return to Le Mans to pick up where they left off

They’re back. In 2027, Ford will be returning to the Hypercar class, and therefore on the grid of the 95th 24 Hours of Le Mans. One of the greatest ever automotive manufacturers joins a highly competitive field. Today, they announce the complete roster of drivers for the Ford Hypercar campaign.

In 2027, Ford will be entering two Hypercars in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Talented drivers and a naturally-aspirated V8 are ready to power into a new era.

<h2>Savvy and speed</h2>

Matt Campbell, Nick Yelloly and Tom Blomqvist, the three drivers announced today, join 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, Logan Sargeant and Sebastian Priaulx in <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/ford-racing-has-announced-details-of-its-hypercar-programme-60229">the American programme</a>.

Campbell has a glittering track record in the USA, as well as in <a href="https://www.fiawec.com/en/">FIA WEC</a>. The Australian boasts excellent results in international sportscar classics, including a class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018. Ford has hired him for his precision, pace and experience of top-level racing. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m extremely excited and proud to be joining Ford Racing for their new Hypercar program. Ford has a longstanding history of success in top levels of motorsport and at Le Mans, which is something I am also chasing, and I believe Ford is the right place to achieve that goal together. We have a lot of laps to turn later this year, but the work has already started and I&rsquo;m excited for what&rsquo;s ahead.&rdquo;

British driver Nick Yelloly has raced, and won, all over the world, not least the 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 crown last year, with Jakub Śmiechowski and Tom Dillmann for Inter Europol Competition. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m extremely excited and proud to be joining Ford Racing for their new Hypercar program. Being part of the lineup who are bringing back the legendary Blue Oval to Le Mans is a big honor and I am very grateful for the opportunity. I&rsquo;m itching to get going with the whole team and can&rsquo;t wait to get this show on the road!&rdquo;

Ford can also rely on the talented Tom Blomqvist, who took second place in LMP2 at the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans and won the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship the same year. He has won the Rolex 24 at Daytona twice. &ldquo;Joining Ford Racing at the start of such an ambitious programme is an incredibly exciting opportunity. To be part of the project from the outset, help shape its development and work towards the shared goal of bringing Ford back to the top step of the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is very special. Ford&rsquo;s heritage in endurance racing speaks for itself, and I&rsquo;m proud to represent the brand as we begin this exciting new chapter together.&rdquo;

<h2>A proud factory entry</h2>

Ford do things the big way. The Americans have opted for a 5.4 litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine developed in the Dearborn workshops. The chassis is built in conjunction with Oreca, already a major player at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The aim is clear: to lift the most prestigious trophy in world endurance racing.

&ldquo;At Ford Racing, competition runs through our veins, and as America&rsquo;s Race Team, it is only right that we carry the banner ourselves. With the additions of Matt, Nick and Tom alongside Logan, Rocky and Seb, we have finalized a driver lineup capable of winning races. We aren&rsquo;t just returning to Le Mans to participate &ndash; we are returning to fight for overall victory, and this complete roster gives us the perfect foundation to achieve that goal,&rdquo; assures Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Racing.

<h2>Towards another head-to-head between Ford and Ferrari?</h2>

For many manufacturers, the 24 Hours of Le Mans represents more than a race. It&rsquo;s woven into their history, part of the essence of the brand. It&rsquo;s the goal to aspire to, the biggest dream of all. In 1964, the Detroit carmaker came to France with a new car, the GT40. And a new goal, to be the first American make to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Slight hitch: the top spot was taken. Ferrari, another automotive legend, reigned supreme. The Italians won six consecutive editions (1960&ndash;65). Ford&rsquo;s attempt to buy out Ferrari during that period of domination didn&rsquo;t materialise; Enzo Ferrari&rsquo;s pull-out infuriated Henry Ford and sparked bitter rivalry.

At the third attempt, in 1966, Ford beat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The GT40 earned its place in the history books, repeating the feat the following year under the factory banner, and again in 1968 and 1969 with private team entries. The intense 1966 head-to-head was portrayed in the 2019 film <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/why-you-should-watch-the-oscar-winning-ford-v-ferrari-again-59337">Ford v Ferrari</a> (titled Le Mans &lsquo;66 in the UK, France and elsewhere) with Matt Damon in the role of Carroll Shelby, director of the Ford campaign, and Christian Bale as driver Ken Miles, who helped develop the GT40. Together, the two men overcame hurdle after hurdle to bring their vision to fruition, upsetting the hierarchy of one of the world&rsquo;s largest companies in the process. Le Mans rewarded their superhuman efforts.

The French classic&rsquo;s long history throws up obvious parallels. In 2027, for the first time since the sixties, Ford is coming back to the top class at Le Mans, intent on victory. Once again, Ferrari stands in the way, having claimed the trophy for the last three years. Get ready for another epic battle. This time it&#39;s Ford v Ferrari... and a host of other potential winners.&nbsp;

Ford reveals the names of the 2027 Hypercar driver crews

After a rocky start and first hour, the Brutal Fish by Campos drivers didn’t flinch. In GT3, the race was won in the last lap.

Social media sports commentator Depielo waved the start.&nbsp;The 56 cars &ndash; 39 LMP3s split into two classes, and 17 GT3s &ndash; set off to battle for supremacy in the highlight of the Michelin Le Mans Cup, the 3-hour race on the Circuit des 24 heures.&nbsp;The relatively chilly start (17&deg;C this morning) meant the warm-up lap was all-important.&nbsp;There was such a scramble at the start that race control called a Full Course Yellow a the end of lap 1.

<h3>Polesitter serene in the commotion</h3>

Unperturbed by the scrabble behind him, polesitter Arthur Rogeon (Brutal Fish by Campos #12 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota) took advantage of the situation by carving a gap. When the race reprised, Colin Queen (23Events Racing #50 Ligier JS P325 &ndash; Toyota) oversteered coming out of Arnage Corner. The impact with the tyre wall sent the car into a spin, sparking a series of incidents and littering the track with debris of all sorts. While the leaders refuelled, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (SMC Motorsport #77 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo) took the top spot (lap 10). The safety car was deployed 53 minutes after the C&eacute;dric Oltramare overshot the Porsche Curves (#97 LMP3).

When the course was declared clear, there remained 1 hour and 44 minutes remaining on the clock. Pit stop strategy altered the rankings and closed gaps. In LMP3, Philip Lindberg (#20) headed the field, followed by August Raber (#12) and Lucas Flux&agrave; Cross (#19), all three cars with a Ligier chassis. Meawhile, Spanish driver Gonzalo De Andres Martin had taken the wheel in the #77 McLaren and was in 16th place overall, and second in GT3. In LMP3 Pro/Am, Australian Fraser Ross (#58 GG Classics) was ahead of Frenchman Arlan Boulain (#35 Ultimate) and the Dane Michael Hove (#49 High Class Racing). The latter took advantage of pit stops to take the lead in the 17th lap.

The two Brutal Fish by Campos prototypes later grabbed P1 and 2, August Raber with a two-minute lead over his teammate. Race tactics got sharper. Twenty laps in, the first four cars had only boxed once, and their opponents at least twice. Lenny Ried (High Class Racing #20 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota) took the top spot while the leaders were in the pit lane.

Early in the second hour, the #77 McLaren still hadn&rsquo;t made its second stop, a decision that earned the team third place on the podium, Gonzalo De Andres Martin having waited until the end of lap 25. In Pro/Am, Quentin Antonel (DKR Engineering #3 Ligier JS P3 - Toyota) stepped up the pace, holding his opponents at a distance. Among the candidates for victory, the two Brutal Fish by Campos cars were the first to box for the third and last time. Arthur Rageon took over in the #12 cockpit. The leader stopped in turn, and we he rejoined, his lead had been reduced to a mere dozen seconds. With cold tyres, his gap was reduced to next to nothing. Rogeon crept up before the Porsche Curves, ready to pounce. There was nothing more Lenny Ried could do but be content with second place and a 50-second lead over the third. There was no further change to the leader board.

In GT3, Simmenauer set about making up for a penalty. His comeback from sixth place was unstoppable. The last hurdle was a head-to-head with the #95 McLaren driven by Garnet Patterson. Still in the Australian&rsquo;s slip stream on the Mulsanne Straight, the Frenchman attempted a pass on the inside, then the outside, the cars brushed each other, there was slight contact, and then they were side by side at Indianapolis on the 36th lap, but Patterson didn&rsquo;t let up. Last lap. Contact again coming into Mulsanne Corner. On the reacceleration, Patterson tried to get by on the inside, and... accident. Simmenauer managed to avoid the three-car commotion around him and headed for the chequered flag.

Road to Le Mans&nbsp;top 5 overall:

<ol>
	<li>Brutal Fish by Campos #12 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota, Arthur Rogeon/August Raber, 38 laps</li>
	<li>High Class Racing Ligier #20 JS P3 - Toyota, Philip Lindberg/Lenny Ried, gap 23.174;</li>
	<li>M Racing #78 Ligier JS P3 - Toyota, Daniel Goldburg/Wayne Boyd, gap 1:21.843;</li>
	<li>Brutal Fish by Campos #19 Ligier JS P325 - Toyota, Matus Ryba/Lucas Flux&aacute; Cross, 1:23.386</li>
	<li>Duqueine D09 - Toyota #85 R-Ace GP, Danial Frost/Enzo Peugeot, 1:27.677.</li>
</ol>

Class Winners:

<ul>
	<li>LMP3 Pro/Am: M Racing #78 Ligier JS P325, Daniel Goldburg/Wayne Boyd, 38 laps</li>
	<li>GT3: SMC Motorsport #77 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, Gonzalo De Andres Martin/Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, 37 laps</li>
</ul>

Fastest lap in race:&nbsp;Gaarde Pedersen (Ligier JS P325 - Toyota #66 Rinaldi Racing), 3&rsquo;49&rsquo;&rsquo;190 au 36e tour.

Road to Le Mans: Arthur Rogeon and August Raber first to arrive at destination

All you need to know about the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) press conference on Friday 12 June, the eve of the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans.

<h2>1 - 2030 Hypercar Regulations 2030: towards a single platform</h2>

The FIA, the ACO and IMSA revealed the thinking behind the 2030 Hypercar regulations. Its four fundamental principles are intended to contribute to perpetuating the success of the top class: a single 2-wheel drive technical platform (the big change), enhanced visual identity for each brand, better controlled budgets to guarantee accessibility, and the introduction of new technology with the hydrogen project.

In short, a single platform means the same technical regulations apply across the board. Constructors will be free to develop their cars in-house or enlist the help of a chassis builder, as in the current LMDh model. Hybrid systems may be purchased from a designated supplier or self-developed, as long as they follow the same specifications. Homologation will be valid for at least five years, with no performance evolution. The changes are the result of a common FIA, ACO and IMSA vision, enacted on both sides of the Atlantic.

<h2>2 - Hydrogen in the premier league</h2>

For the first time in the history of endurance racing, the ACO and the FIA have formally agreed on the use of hydrogen at the discipline&rsquo;s highest level. H2 Hypercars will follow the basic 2030 regulations in terms of powertrain and hybrid system, with a few particularities: minimum weight of 1,200 kg, specific tyres and an Equivalence of Technology scheme intended to prevent major differences in performance, without conceding any advantages to H2. The budding new technology will be able to unfurl within a totally fair sporting framework.

<h2>3 - 2027 FIA WEC Calendar</h2>

Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequien, General Manager of Le Mans Endurance Management unveiled the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship: nine rounds spread over four continents, preceded by the official prologue in Qatar (21&ndash;22 March). The season proper opens with the Qatar 1812 km on 27 March, then the championship goes to Italy for the 6 Hours of Imola on 11 April, to the United Kingdom for the 6 Hours of Silverstone on 25 April &mdash; a return saluted by Stuart Pringle, CEO of the British circuit &mdash;, then to Belgium for the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on 15 May, and France for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (12&ndash;13 June). The championship continues with the Rolex 6 Hours of S&atilde;o Paulo (11 July), Lone Star Le Mans at COTA (12 September), the 6 Hours of Fuji (26 September) and finally, the Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain (6 November).&nbsp;The agreement between the FIA WEC and Bahrain has also been extended through 2036.&nbsp;

The ACO also announced the introduction of the Asian Le Mans Cup and the Hypercar driver line-ups in the Asian Le Mans Series. Each team should be composed of one bronze driver, another bronze or silver driver and a Gold or Platinum professional driver.

<h2>4 - M24 and Pit Building: the circuit heads into the future</h2>

The ACO dedicated a section of its presentation to the opening of its new museum, M24, ten days ago. In its 120th anniversary year, two years after the circuit having been voted France&rsquo;s favourite monument, the ACO extends its cultural reach, with support from Richard Mille. The club also presented its new Pit Building project, destined to transform the circuit infrastructure.

<h2>5 - The figures of the 94th edition</h2>

The ACO highlighted the key personalities of this year&rsquo;s race:

<ul>
	<li>Sir Mark Cavendish, record-holder for the most Tour de France stages won, Official Race Starter;</li>
	<li>Sarah Bovy, Grand Marshal;</li>
	<li>David Clark, 2026 Spirit of Le Mans;</li>
	<li>Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Sausset, Guest of Honour. In 2016, Sausset was the first quadruple-amputee to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and now advises the ACO on accessibility for disabled people.</li>
</ul>

<h2>6 - Corporate Social Responsibility Sustainable Endurance Award by DHL and innovation</h2>

The ACO 6th Sustainable Endurance Award by DHL awardees were Cadillac (Hypercar), TDS Racing (LMP2) and WRT (LMGT3). Ferrari won the Spectators&rsquo; prize. Felix Heger, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding DECH officially announced the renewal of the partnership between DHL and the FIA WEC. The core of the commitment remains innovation, as illustrated by the extension of the partnership with Goodyear, LMGT3 tyre supplier until 2029. The Impact Challenge in which spectators complete missions in line with the ACO&rsquo;s CSR commitments via the 24 Experience App is also prolonged.

<h2>7 - Looking to 2027: Ford and McLaren</h2>

The ACO confirmed the participation of two more manufacturers in 2027: Ford and McLaren. Mark Rushbrook (Ford) and Zak Brown (McLaren) joined the group on stage to say how much they are looking forward to competing in the world&rsquo;s greatest endurance race.

See you at 16:00 CET tomorrow for the Start of the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans!

2026 24 Hours Of Le Mans : ACO Press Conference in a nutshell

The 2024 European Le Mans Series and 2024&nbsp;Michelin Le Mans Cup have decided five teams granted invitation to the&nbsp;2025&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans:

<ul>
	<li>AO by TF, 2024 ELMS champion&nbsp;(invitation to compete in LMP2)&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Inter Europol Competition, 2024 ELMS runner-up&nbsp;(invitation to compete in LMP2)</li>
	<li>AF Corse, 2024 ELMS LMP2 Pro/Am champion&nbsp;(to compete in&nbsp;LMP2)</li>
	<li>RLR M Sport, 2024 LMP3 champion&nbsp;(invitation to compete in&nbsp;LMP2)&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Iron Lynx, 2024 LMGT3&nbsp;champion&nbsp;(invitation to compete in&nbsp;LMGT3)</li>
</ul>

Invitations have also been awarded after the&nbsp;2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season:

<ul>
	<li>Porsche Penske Motorsport, 2024 IMSA champion&nbsp;(invitation to compete in&nbsp;Hypercar)</li>
	<li>Nick Boulle, 2024 IMSA LMP2 champion and winner of the&nbsp;Jim Trueman trophy (invitation to compete in&nbsp;LMP2)</li>
	<li>Orey Fidani, 2024 IMSA best&nbsp;Bronze driver and winner of the Bob Akin trophy</li>
</ul>

The 2024/2025 Asian Le Mans Series season&nbsp;kicking&nbsp;off on&nbsp;7 December will result in additional&nbsp;invitations to take the start in the 2025&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans. The LMP2 and GT&nbsp;champions will earn one each.

2025 24 Hours of Le Mans – Five new invitations to the 93rd running

Related News

In 2027, McLaren return to Le Mans to pick up where they left off

Ford reveals the names of the 2027 Hypercar driver crews

Road to Le Mans: Arthur Rogeon and August Raber first to arrive at destination

2026 24 Hours Of Le Mans : ACO Press Conference in a nutshell

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