The community of former 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers lost one of its own this week following the death of Neil Cunningham from a neurological illness at the age of 53. The New Zealander was well-known by motorsports fans thanks in part to the show "Top Gear" and for having doubled for Daniel Craig as James Bond in "Quantum of Solace."

24H Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans

In 2023, during the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a Nascar car was at the start. Produced by NASCAR Studios, ‘American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans’ retraces this adventure in a full-length documentary, broadcast exclusively on Prime Video on 12 June. Check out the trailer.

Prime Video has unveiled the trailer for American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans, a documentary about <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/why-is-there-a-nascar-on-the-2023-24-hours-of-le-mans-grid-57532" target="_blank">a historic Nascar entry in the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours</a>. The film, which will be available in more than 240 countries from 12 June, looks back at Nascar President Jim France&#39;s ambitious plan to enter a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the centenary edition of the classic race.

Produced by NASCAR Studios and Hendrick Motorsports, American Thunder traces the 18 months of preparation needed to transform a car designed for the American oval into a machine capable of enduring 24 hours of racing. The documentary follows this unique adventure with three renowned drivers at the wheel: Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller.

Spoiler Alert! We all remember that the #24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 won the hearts of the fans. The drivers <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/mission-accomplished-for-the-hendrick-motorsports-chevrolet-camaro-zl1-57685" target="_blank">demonstrated the speed of this car</a> by placing it ahead of those in the LMGTE Am category at the end of qualifying. In the end, the car finished 39th overall. Transmission problems at the end of the race hampered its performance. 
 
While you wait for the documentary to be released, take the Hendrick Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for an in-car lap and enjoy the roar of its V8 engine in the video below.&nbsp;

24 Heures du Mans 2023 - FULL ONBOARD LAP I NASCAR CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 56

Profitez du V8 de la Nascar du Garage 56 lors d’un tour de circuit des 24 Heures du Mans

The trailer for the documentary ‘American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans’ unveiled

American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans | Official Trailer

American Thunder : de la NASCAR au Mans | Bande-annonce officielle

The second round of the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) takes place this Sunday 4 May at the Circuit Paul Ricard, as part of the 4 Heures du Castellet. An impressive 44 cars are expected on the grid, with a large French contingent on home soil in terms of both drivers and teams.

No fewer than 33 French drivers and 7 French teams will be competing on the C&ocirc;te d&#39;Azur. Among them, several winners of the opening round in Barcelona will be aiming for another success on French soil: Fran&ccedil;ois Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Mathys Jaubert, C&eacute;lia Martin, Paul Lanch&egrave;re and Adrien Closmenil.

Already victorious in the LMP2 category in Spain, the IDEC Sport team arrives confident with two cars entered. The Mathys Jaubert/Jamie Chadwick/Daniel Juncadella trio in the #18 Oreca 07-Gibson will be aiming for a second consecutive win, while the #28, with Paul Lafargue and Paul Loup Chatin alongside Job Van Uitert, will also be aiming for victory in this home race. 
Frenchmen Charles Milesi and Esteban Masson (VDS Panis Racing) will be looking to improve on their second place in Barcelona. The Duqueine Team, meanwhile, will be hoping to turn Reshad de Gerus&#39; pole position in Spain into a solid result. 
Other French drivers competing in LMP2 include Th&eacute;o Pourchaire (Algarve Pro Racing), Tom Dillmann and Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (Inter Europol Competition), Tristan Vautier (CLX - Pure Rxcing) and Maceo Capietto (Iron Lynx-Proton).

<h2>AF Corse in search of a LMP2 Pro/Am double</h2>

A surprise overall winner in Barcelona, the Pro/Am team in the #83 AF Corse Oreca - Fran&ccedil;ois Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxiviere and now Nicklas Nielsen - will be looking to repeat the feat at Le Castellet. 
TDS Racing, the only French team in the category, is also riding high after a podium finish in Spain for the Cl&eacute;ment Novalak / Mathias Beche / Rodrigo Sales trio. Also to watch is Thomas Laurent, entered in the Oreca #3 DKR Engineering with Laurents Horr and Georgios Kolovos.

<h2>LMP3: CLX Motorsport leads the way after Barcelona</h2>

In LMP3, the Spanish victory of Paul Lanch&egrave;re, Adrien Closmenil and Theodor Jensen (CLX Motorsport) gives them the status of favourites at the start of the 4 Hours of Le Castellet. 
Reigning champions RLR MSport are also serious contenders, with Gillian Henrion among their ranks. Three 100% French teams - Racing Spirit of L&eacute;man, Ultimate and M Racing - will be keeping a close eye on the action. The public will also be able to count on Fabien Michal (Eurointernational) to carry the hopes of the French.

<h2>Iron Dames aim to repeat</h2>

Winner in Barcelona, C&eacute;lia Martin (Iron Dames) will be looking to repeat the feat in the company of Sarah Bovy and Michelle Gatting in the #85 Porsche 911 GT3 R. 
The French clan is well represented in the LMGT3 category, notably with Racing Spirit of L&eacute;man (#59 Aston Martin) and its three French drivers: Cl&eacute;ment Mateu, Erwan Bastard and Valentin Hasse Clot. Lilou Wadoux will be sharing the wheel of a Ferrari 296 with Riccardo Agostini and Custodio Toledo. 
Charles-Henri Samani will also be on track with AF Corse, while the much-anticipated James Calado, winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2023, will drive the #57 Kessel Racing Ferrari.

The 4 Hours of Le Castellet is shaping up to be a major event in the ELMS 2025 season, both for the fans and for the French drivers in search of home success. This second round could prove decisive in the race for the title and will provide a great spectacle on the Var circuit, just a few weeks before endurance racing&#39;s showpiece event: the 24 Hours of Le Mans, on June 14 and 15.

See the <a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/doc-prod/m033Wu4h6nyxoP-mLXE2uoiA.pdf" target="_blank">entry list</a> for the 4 Heures du Castellet 2025.

ELMS: 44 cars on the starting grid for the 2025 4 Hours of Le Castellet

For the 93rd edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours (11-15 June 2025), the #59 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo entered by United Autosports in the LMGT3 class will feature a unique livery: the Meningitis Flag. The aim of this livery is to raise awareness of a disease that is all too often overlooked: meningitis.

Sanofi, in collaboration with McLaren Racing and United Autosports, has chosen the 93rd Le Mans 24 Hours, the fourth round of the FIA WEC Endurance World Championship, to convey a powerful message: &lsquo;When every second counts&rsquo;. Because that&#39;s what it&#39;s all about: bacterial meningitis, the most serious form of the disease, can be fatal in just 24 hours. It&#39;s a medical emergency that the public needs to be made aware of.

The #59 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo, driven by Gr&eacute;goire Saucy, S&eacute;bastien Baud and James Cottingham, will carry the colours of the Meningitis Flag, a global symbol co-created by Sanofi with para-athletes affected by the disease, the Meningitis Research Foundation and the CoMO network (Confederation of Meningitis Organisations). The flag represents unity and hope in the fight against this infectious disease, which still kills too many people.

<h2>A strong message for spectators and television viewers</h2>

With over 300,000 spectators expected on site and more than 140 million television viewers worldwide, the Le Mans 24 Hours is a global showcase. Sanofi intends to use the event to raise public awareness of the importance of vaccination, the early detection of symptoms and the need to act quickly.&nbsp;&ldquo;Le Mans is the ultimate race against time &mdash; just like our fight against meningitis. At Sanofi, we believe science is our engine, partnerships our fuel, and awareness our finish line. By bringing the Meningitis Flag to the world stage, we&rsquo;re not just backing a car &mdash; we&rsquo;re supporting a movement. Because when every second counts, we choose to race for lives&rdquo;, says Thomas Triomphe,&nbsp;Executive Vice President, Vaccines, Sanofi

For Louise McEwen, Chief Marketing Officer at&nbsp;McLaren Racing, the brand&#39;s commitment to this campaign takes on a special resonance:&nbsp;&ldquo;We&rsquo;re proud to be working closely with our Official Partner Sanofi to support this exciting campaign 30 years since McLaren&rsquo;s historic victory in 1995. I can&rsquo;t wait to see the #59 car out on the iconic Le Mans track in support of this great cause.&quot;

In addition to their cars, the drivers will also be wearing the meningitis flag, which will be visible at several points around the circuit throughout the race week. The aim of this visual campaign is to provoke discussion, spread vital information and, above all, remind everyone that in the fight against meningitis, quick action can save lives.

<h4>To remember:</h4>

<ul>
	<li>The United Autosports McLaren 720S LMGT3 #59 features a novel decoration to raise awareness of meningitis.</li>
	<li>Every 15 seconds, someone in the world contracts the disease.</li>
	<li>A serious disease, but largely preventable through vaccination.</li>
	<li>The Le Mans 24 Hours is becoming a global platform for raising awareness of a medical emergency.</li>
</ul>

24 Hours of Le Mans 2025: the #59 McLaren sports a livery committed to fighting meningitis

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest is proud to announce that Roger Federer, the revered champion and global sporting icon, will don the mantle of official starter at the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans, the fourth round of the FIA WEC World Endurance Championship, at 16:00 on Saturday 14 June.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Roger Federer has left an indelible mark on sporting history with an outstanding record of 20 Grand Slam&reg; titles and 310 weeks as world number one, and a style of play that has captivated generations of fans. Beyond his achievements, Federer exemplifies elegance, respect and dedication&thinsp;&ndash;&thinsp;values that mirror the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He has also been a long-standing Rolex Testimonee.

Each year, the role of official starter is given to a well-known international personality whose presence adds to the unique allure of the legendary race. Hence, in 2025, Roger Federer will lower the flag to start the world&rsquo;s greatest endurance test, an occasion that promises to be filled with emotion.

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest: &ldquo;It will be a tremendous privilege to welcome Roger Federer as the official starter of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His influence extends far beyond tennis. He is a living legend, admired as much for his achievements as for his human qualities. His involvement will further boost the appeal of this year&rsquo;s race, which is already gearing up to be outstanding.&rdquo;

Roger Federer: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a huge honour to have been invited to start the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an iconic but extremely gruelling race. I&rsquo;ve always been fascinated by the commitment, precision and resilience it demands. Being at the heart of this emblematic event will be a remarkable experience.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Continuing a long tradition of honouring the greatest figures in sport and culture, Roger Federer&rsquo;s appearance will bring an additional layer of excitement to an event already eagerly awaited by fans across the globe.

<h4>FINAL FEW TICKETS AVAILABLE!</h4>

Enjoy the free practice, qualifying and new-look Hyperpole sessions before the trackside concerts! Ticket prices start at &euro;23 for students and &euro;62 for the Green Ticket offer, designed to encourage sustainable mobility.

<a href="https://ticket.24h-lemans.com/selection/event/date?productId=10229239928157&amp;gtmStepTracking=true&amp;lang=en">&gt;&gt;&gt; TICKETS &lt;&lt;&lt;</a>

Roger Federer to flag the start of the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans

After having debuted in single-seaters like most young drivers, Neil Cunningham then successfully branched out in GT in the U.K. and in Europe. His first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2004 in a Morgan ended in a retirement, but he crossed the finish line in 21st place (sixth in LM P2) in a Courage C65-AER entered by Barazi Epsilon in 2006 along with Juan Barazi and Michael Vergers.

	The New Zealander then turned to vintage car racing before the diagnosis of his degenerative disease came when he was just 47. He fought courageously and raised funds for research before finally succumbing early this week.

	A time believed to be the famous Stig from &quot;Top Gear,&quot; Neil Cunningham doubled for Daniel Craig in the James Bond film &quot;Quantum of Solace.&quot;

	To his family and loved ones, the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest extends its sincerest condolences.

	C&eacute;cile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

	PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY JUNE 17 2006, PARADE. Neil Cunningham (at right) participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006 with Juan Barazi and Michael Vergers.

24H LE MANS

24 Hours of Le Mans - Neil Cunningham (1962-2016)

Related News

The trailer for the documentary ‘American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans’ unveiled

ELMS: 44 cars on the starting grid for the 2025 4 Hours of Le Castellet

24 Hours of Le Mans 2025: the #59 McLaren sports a livery committed to fighting meningitis

Roger Federer to flag the start of the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans

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