24h Le Mans
On Sunday 7 June, race week at the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans shifts into high gear! Today is all about the highly anticipated Test Day, the Ligier European Series hitting the track and the opening of the M24 – Motorsport Museum!
Every year, Test Day marks the first official moment when competitors finally get to take the track to get their bearings and (re)discover visual markers such as braking zones, kerbs and corners at high speeds.
Test Day is crucial for rookies as it serves as their first real encounter with the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit. In accordance with regulations, rookie drivers must complete a minimum of 10 laps — five of which must be timed — to validate their participation. That is only 10 rapid-fire laps to begin to understand how to master this legendary circuit.
Today, the 186 Hypercar, LMP2 and LMGT3 drivers will have six hours of track time to reacquaint themselves with the circuit and analyse settings, car balance, tyre behavior, traffic management and so much more. That's why this opportunity is so vital.
Last year, Toyota Racing's Toyota GR010 Hybrid established the fastest Test Day lap time of 03:26.246. Will it be beaten today?
In 2020, Ligier Automotive and the European Le Mans Series launched the Ligier European Series, a one-make championship reserved for the Ligier JS P4 (a futuristic sporting prototype) and the Ligier JS2 R (a small GT designed especially for racing).
The Ligier European Series calendar includes six rounds during the European Le Mans Series with one race held at the Le Mans circuit since 2022.
Today, in conjunction with the 24 Hours Test Day, Ligier European Series competitors will take part in a free practice from 8:00 to 8:45, a qualifying session from 9:15 to 9:35 and a race from 14:00 to 15:00.
Inaugurated on 28 May, the M24 – Motorsport Museum will be open during Test Day and throughout race week. Come check out authentic and iconic Formula 1, endurance racing, Can-Am, and rally cars.
The museum was conceived from the convergence of past legacy and future accomplishments. Spanning an area of 8,600 m², it aspires to become an international benchmark in the field of automotive heritage, while preserving the unique DNA of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The M24 – Motorsport Museum is founded on the strong core value that history is fully conveyed only through experience. Here, the focus is not merely to line up cars behind glass, but to tell the story of what they embody: human destinies, technological gambles, moments of grace and major turning points in the history of sport and society.
Sunday 7 June Programme
08:00 – 20:00 | M24 – Motorsport Museum open
08:00 – 08:45 | Ligier European Series Free Practice
09:15 – 09:35 | Ligier European Series Qualifying
10:00 – 13:00 | 24 Hours of Le Mans Free Practice 1
14:00 – 15:00 | Ligier European Series Race
15:30 – 18:30 | 24 Hours of Le Mans Free Practice 2
