A total of 263,500 spectators came to watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans, third round in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

24H Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans

Communiqué de presse

The provisional entry list for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship season has been published. The grid comprises 35 cars across the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes. No fewer than 14 major manufacturers will take part in the championship!

The Hypercar field sees the introduction of Genesis Magma Racing&nbsp;with two GMR-001s. The South Korean constructor joins Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot and Toyota&nbsp;at the top level of endurance. We now know how the Genesis squad will line up in the two cars. The #17 GMR-001 will be driven by Andr&eacute; Lotterer,&nbsp;Pipo Derani&nbsp;and Mathys Jaubert, while Mathieu Jaminet,&nbsp;Paul-Loup Chatin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Daniel Juncadella will share the wheel of the #19 car. The full line-ups of Aston Martin THOR Team, Alpine Endurance Team, AF Corse and Peugeot TotalEnergies will be officially announced shortly. 
Ferrari-AF Corse will defend its title with two 499P hypercars. The outfit is banking on the same driver trios as in 2025: Antonio Fuoco,&nbsp;Miguel Molina&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nicklas Nielsen&nbsp;in car #50, and Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi&nbsp;in the #51 sister car. 
Note that the #83 Ferrari 499P that won the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans will be the only car in the running for the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams.

The LMGT3&nbsp;class will see customer teams of Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche do battle. 
United Autosports, involved in the development of the McLaren hypercar with a view to entering the fray in 2027, will be the Garage 59&nbsp;team with two 720S LMGT3 Evos. We shall also see the d&eacute;but of a new team:&nbsp;Racing Team Turkey. The newcomers will enter a Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R with the backing of TF Sport. Last but not least, title holder Manthey Racing will be back with two Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3s Car #91 will be entered under the&nbsp;Manthey DK Engineering&nbsp;banner, and #92 fielded by The Bend Manthey entity with Yasser Shahin,&nbsp;Riccado Pera&nbsp;and&nbsp;Richard Lietz splitting the driving duties.

Pierre Fillon, President, Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest:&nbsp;&ldquo;The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship entry list once again brings together the most accomplished manufacturers, drivers and teams in endurance racing. The Hypercar category celebrated an astonishing seven different winning crews from eight races in 2025, and the silverware was similarly widely distributed in LMGT3, where six different line-ups tasted victory. This exceptional level of competition confirms that every entrant is performing at the highest standard and hungry for success. We are set for another outstanding season &ndash; one that continues to advance technology, sport and the future of endurance racing.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Richard Mille, President, FIA&nbsp;Endurance Commission:&nbsp;&ldquo;Building upon the success and stability of recent seasons, the 2026 FIA WEC entry list is the product of all the hard work that has gone in behind-the-scenes in recent years to raise this magnificent championship to the level at which it operates today. Next year&rsquo;s grid encapsulates the very essence of what endurance racing should be &ndash; major global marques, cutting-edge cars and a driver line-up blending seasoned world champions with rising stars of the sport and ambitious amateurs.&nbsp; The result, I have no doubt, is a surefire recipe for another compelling campaign.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequien, CEO, FIA World Endurance Championship:&nbsp;&ldquo;The presentation of the FIA WEC entry list is a proud moment for us, particularly when it includes new additions as is the case for 2026 with the arrival of two Genesis Hypercars. We enjoyed a hugely entertaining season this year, welcoming more fans on-site than ever before and achieving the best engagement figures the series has ever seen.&nbsp; That is testament to the championship&rsquo;s continuing growth, and with Ford and McLaren similarly set to swell the Hypercar grid in 2027, that popularity is only set to accelerate further.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The 2026 season will begin with the Official Prologue on 22-23 March in Qatar, before hostilities commence with the Qatar 1812 km on 28 March. The highlight of the season will undoubtedly be the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans, set to be held from 10 to 14 June.

Check out the 2026 FIA WEC provisional entry list&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fiawec.com/umbrella_media/wec26-entrylist-a4-6936d72065269710536636.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.

Find out more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fiawec.com/en/" target="_blank">FIA World Endurance Championship</a>.

FIA WEC 2026 entry list revealed

Japanese manufacturer Toyota has introduced the world to the newly developed GR GT3. After a long development phase, the car will be ready for the track in or around 2027.

The Toyota GR GT3 embodies the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) philosophy of continuous improvement in racing car design. Toyota Motor Corporation chairman Akio Toyoda, also known as Master Driver Morizo, oversaw the GR GT3&rsquo;s collaborative development process. Professional drivers Tatsuya Kataoka, Hiroaki Ishiura and Naoya Gamou, amateur driver Daisuke Toyoda, and the company&rsquo;s inhouse test drivers worked closely with the project engineers. The approach was to listen, understand and respond to drivers&rsquo; needs. The result is the GT GT3.

<h2>A racing car made for drivers</h2>

The GR GT3 has inherited the GR GT&rsquo;s three major advantages: a low centre of gravity, lightweight with high rigidity, and fine-tuned aerodynamics. Designed according to FIA GT3 standards &ndash; the top category of production vehicle racing cars &ndash; it is a car for winners, yet driveable by anyone.

The Toyota Driver First Philosophy behind the GR GT&rsquo;s design is just as important for GT3, where professionals and amateurs compete together. Alongside the GR GT3 improvement process, TGR is rolling out a comprehensive customer service to ensure all drivers feel like racing drivers at the wheel.

All parts were tested on simulators and then tested at the company test centre in Shimoyama and at international circuits Fuji and N&uuml;rburgring. 
Development is expected to continue until around 2027, with the intention of replacing the Lexus RC GT3 entry in the LMGT3 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Toyota introduces the GR GT3

For its return to the top level of endurance after 14 years away from the scene, the Aston Martin THOR Team knew that 2025 would be a season-long learning curve. The Valkyrie, driven by its naturally aspirated V12 engine and the support of fans, has laid down the foundations of an ambitious programme for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. All eyes are now focused on 2026 where the margin for progress is huge.

The Aston Martin THOR Team entered two&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-aston-martin-valkyrie-under-the-microscope-when-the-road-leads-to-le-mans-59692" target="_blank">Valkyries</a>, numbered 007 and 009, for its d&eacute;but FIA WEC campaign. The #007 was placed in the hands of Harry Tincknell, Tom Gamble&nbsp;and Ross Gunn, while Alex Riberas,&nbsp;Marco S&oslash;rensen&nbsp;and Roman De Angelis&nbsp;lined up in the #009. The three watchwords for this inaugural season were clear: learn, understand and progress. The US-based team followed the plan to the letter.

<h2>An upward trajectory</h2>

From the opening laps of the Prologue, the Valkyrie earned a reputation as one of the most emblematic machines on the grid. The roar of its naturally aspirated V12 engine delighted hardcore petrolheads and this popularity offered a powerful lever in supporting the competitive development of the programme.

In finishing in eighth place in the Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers&rsquo; Championship, Aston Martin hardly pulled up any trees but the lessons learned from the campaign abound. The #009 Valkyrie put in the best performances with a P5 at the 6 Hours of Fuji before signing off with a P7 at the Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain, to conclude the season on an encouraging note. Both Hypercars showed reliability at the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans by reaching the chequered flag in 12th and 14th position respectively. Grounds for satisfaction for Marco S&oslash;rensen:&nbsp;&quot;Finishing the race was our mission. Of course, we would have liked more. But the most important thing is that we made it to the end with both cars, without any issues. They ran all the way through, even if not very fast. I&rsquo;m proud of the team. For a first Le Mans, it&rsquo;s a success. And honestly, I wasn&rsquo;t expecting that.&quot;

Aston Martin at 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025

C'était Aston Martin aux 24 Heures du Mans 2025

In the final race in Bahrain, the #009 delivered a tremendous battle for pole position and a potential podium. A performance hailed by Team Principal Ian James:&nbsp;&quot;To come to a place here where we&rsquo;re genuinely competing for pole position and the podium shows what a good job everyone&rsquo;s done and I can&rsquo;t wait for 2026 to come around so we can keep up that momentum.&quot; Alex Riberas&nbsp;added:&nbsp;&quot;We are getting better in the small details and when we learn how to race against the competition more, we will be even better. Whether the car will be ready to fight for victories at the beginning of next year is not for me to say, but I know that it is more a matter of when than if.&quot;

<h2>Stepping up a gear in 2026</h2>

Aston Martin will be ready to step up a gear next season. The battle will be even more intense against Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Toyota and newcomers Genesis. The car has shown its reliability, but performance must now follow. The task is a huge one, but there is a positive dynamic and obvious potential.

With solid foundations, a car with a strong identity and an upwardly mobile team, Aston Martin can look forward to 2026 with ambition. The Valkyrie has written its opening chapter. The next could see it move closer to the front of the pack and, in due course, the ultimate dream: racing to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Aston Martin – High expectations after a promising first season

Alpine Endurance Team ends 2025 with one race win, having progressed throughout the FIA World Endurance Championship season. With a logo shaped like an arrow and buoyed with confidence since António Félix da Costa joined the team, Alpine is aiming to hit the top spot more often.

The team&rsquo;s second FIA World Endurance Championship campaign with the <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-alpine-a424-hypercar-under-the-microscope-more-precise-more-reliable-more-ambitious-59684">A424</a> saw the French constructor reach new heights. Philippe Sinault and his crews achieved several goals:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/alpine-unleashes-peak-performance-at-fuji-to-win-milestone-100th-race-59998" target="_blank">a win at the 6 Hours of Fuji</a>, the 100th WEC race, and two podium finishes at the 6 Hours of Imola and the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. As a result, the team ended the FIA WEC season in sixth place in the Hypercar class, behind Ferrari, Toyota, Porsche, Cadillac and BMW.

<h2>An informative 24 Hours of Le Mans top 10 finish</h2>

The Alpine A424s finished ninth and tenth in round 4, the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans, two and three laps behind the winning Ferrari. Despite several setbacks &ndash; a battery cooling system pressurisation issue, pit lane speeding penalties, a drive-through and a spin off at Mulsanne Corner &ndash; the team proved solid.

&ldquo;The results are mixed. We are really pleased that both cars finished and have managed reliability issues well, despite an alert handled perfectly by the team at the beginning of the race,&rdquo; said Team Principal Philippe Sinault in his post- race declaration. &ldquo;Getting both A424s through 24 hours is no mean feat; it&#39;s a milestone. However, there is also disappointment. Given our level of performance at the end of the race, we could have aimed for a top-five finish without the small mistakes we did and issues we encountered. In this new era, every detail matters, as the gaps are so small. Nevertheless, this frustration is healthy. It motivates us to come back stronger. All the information we gathered was essential and will help us improve and continue to build something strong.&rdquo;

<h2>Exemplary reliability and a solid foundation for 2026</h2>

One of the strong points of 2025 resides in the Alpine A424&rsquo;s irreproachable reliability. The car finishes its races. The sound base, formed by teamwork, will be excellent grounding as the project unfolds.

&ldquo;We&#39;ve also made some big improvements in our performance, scoring three podium finishes, including a win,&rdquo; says Bruno Famin, Alpine VP Motorsport. We also know that there were too many average results to hope for a better championship finish. Our goal for next season will be to keep improving and being more consistent in our performance.&quot; Philippe Sinault adds: &ldquo;The Fuji win was hugely satisfying. It was unexpected and rewarded the entire team. We seized an opportunity. Now we have a recipe for success next season. We have enormous potential to do better.&rdquo;

In 2026, Alpine will continue building on its experience. The arrival of Portuguese driver&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/antonio-felix-da-costa-set-to-join-alpine-s-fia-wec-programme-from-2026-60056" target="_blank">Ant&oacute;nio F&eacute;lix da Costa</a>, LMP2 class winner at the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans 2022 and Formula E World Champion 2019-2020 adds to the positive team spirit. With a reputation for speed and technical meticulousness, the newcomer adds strategic and sporting value to an outfit that intends to pursue its path to the summit of endurance racing.

With a promising win, proven reliability, and shrewd recruitment, Alpine Endurance Team is fast becoming a star FIA WEC team. The aim now is to go from promising to triumphant, and hoist the arrow-shaped A onto the top step of the podium.

Alpine Endurance Team: one win in 2025. How many in 2026?

The Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest is delighted to have attracted as large a crowd as last year despite last-minute changes to logistics due to the inclement weather (82.3mm of rain in ten days - a record in Le Mans for this time of year).

Thank you all for playing your part in making the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours a unique, legendary, magical race!

24H LE MANS

24 Hours of Le Mans: 263,500 spectators

Related News

FIA WEC 2026 entry list revealed

Toyota introduces the GR GT3

Aston Martin – High expectations after a promising first season

Alpine Endurance Team: one win in 2025. How many in 2026?

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