The "race of the century" included a special exploit at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: victory for a 100% American driver line-up (Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt) with a 100% American team (Shelby-American Inc.) with an American car, the legendary Ford GT40.

24H Le Mans

Le Mans Legendes

24 Heures du Mans

Historique

As its 14th season approaches apace, the FIA World Endurance Championship is pleased to present groundbreaking new live streaming platform, FIAWEC+, which promises to revolutionise the fan experience all around the globe.

Incorporating cutting-edge technology, an intuitive interface, a fresh identity and a bold new design, FIAWEC+ represents a complete overhaul of the championship&rsquo;s official broadcast product and is truly a game-changer in the endurance racing sphere.

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Far more than a simple update, in FIAWEC+, every aspect has been carefully considered to immerse fans right in the midst of the moment in the most competitive and exciting endurance racing series on the planet, with no fewer than 14 major automotive marques set to battle it out for honours in 2026.

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Offering subscribers an exclusive inside line, standout features include high-definition streaming of the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup with enhanced image quality and fluency, while geo-blocking of FIA WEC races is now notably a thing of the past. Going one step further, Live Timing Pro will enable viewers to follow the action on-track with the benefit of the same data available to engineers on the pit wall.

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Not only that, but a full archive of previous races and qualifying sessions from all three series will be uploaded over the coming months, inviting fans to re-live their favourite moments from past campaigns. That will be complemented by a regular flow of bespoke content, including standalone production, WEC Insider and insightful new documentary series, WEC Originals.

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The first episode of this premium behind-the-scenes project &ndash; focusing on Hypercar newcomer Genesis&rsquo; preparations for its eagerly-anticipated debut in the curtain-raising Qatar 1812km next month &ndash; will be free-of-charge to all FIAWEC+ users, with subsequent episodes available to annual pass-holders.

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By way of rewarding fans for their loyalty to FIA WEC, the all-access 365 Pass will be offered for only 49.99&euro; &ndash; an enticing 10&euro; less than predecessor, FIA WEC TV &ndash; while single Race-by-Race Passes grant maximum flexibility, costing just 9.99&euro; for six, eight or ten-hour races and 19.99&euro; for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. All packages comprise live timing for all sessions and live streaming from FP3 onwards, with the Le Mans Pass including full race week coverage.

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Marius Louvet, Communication and Marketing Director, FIA World Endurance Championship, commented:

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&ldquo;We are thrilled to launch FIAWEC+ &ndash; the brand new home for live and on-demand action from the pinnacle of international endurance racing. A tremendous amount of hard work has gone into this pioneering platform, whose functionalities truly shift the goalposts with regard to the user experience.

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&ldquo;At the same time, we are delighted to have been able to reduce the cost of the annual pass for fans, who we recognise are the lifeblood of our sport and without whom, FIA WEC would not have enjoyed the incredible growth it has seen in recent years.

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&ldquo;We very much believe the best is yet to come, with countless fascinating stories to be told both on and off-track over the course of the coming season and well beyond &ndash; and we look forward to sharing every moment of that excitement with our fantastic fans through FIAWEC+.&rdquo;

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St&eacute;phane Andriolo,&nbsp;Customer and Events Director, Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest, added:

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&ldquo;We have spent the past months working closely with the FIA WEC team on the development of FIAWEC+, and it is wonderful to see it come to life. It really does push the envelope in terms of innovation and technology, and fans will clearly be the major beneficiaries.

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&ldquo;As one of the flagship events on the global motorsport calendar, the 24 Hours of Le Mans continues to attract huge audiences both on-site and remotely &ndash; more than ever in recent years. FIAWEC+ will allow everybody following the event, be they near or far, to feel fully immersed at every moment. It will an indispensable tool for all endurance racing aficionados season-long.&rdquo;

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Following its official online launch today, FIAWEC+ will additionally be made available as a downloadable app on Android and Apple devices soon. The new FIA WEC campaign will get underway at Imola in Italy on 17-19 April. The first race ever to be streamed on the FIAWEC+ platform will be the 4 Hours of Barcelona, the European Le Mans Series season-opener, from 10 April to 12.

FIAWEC+: Endurance racing – but not as you know it!

To mark the launch of the new Legends of Le Mans series in 2026, Peter Auto, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, and Le Mans Endurance Management are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich as the series' official ambassador.

An iconic figure in modern endurance racing and former director of Audi Sport, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich left his mark on the 24 Hours of Le Mans as the head of Audi&#39;s LMP1 program, notably with the R10, R15, and R18. Under his leadership, the iconic four rings secured 13 victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, establishing one of the most impressive records in the history of the discipline.

<h2>A leading figure to embody the DNA of Legends Of Le Mans</h2>

Launched for the 2026 season, Legends of Le Mans will bring together LMP1, LMP2, and LMGTE cars that raced between 2006 and 2020, a period that profoundly shaped contemporary endurance racing. True icons of modern racing, these legendary prototypes and GTs will make their grand return to the most beautiful international circuits.

The grid will be presented as the curtain-raiser for three WEC rounds (Imola, Spa-Francorchamps, and Bahrain) and will also feature in the program for the new edition of Le Mans Classic &ndash; Legend Edition, in July.

<h2>An active role at the heart of paddock</h2>

As an ambassador, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich will be present at all races throughout the season, putting his experience and expertise at the service of the drivers and their teams. 
His role will include:

<ul>
	<li>Speaking engagements and analysis at the end of track sessions</li>
	<li>Sharing support and experience with drivers</li>
	<li>Participation in interviews</li>
	<li>A sporting consultant role</li>
	<li>A spokesperson role for the drivers and the philosophy of the series</li>
</ul>

His presence will bring strong sporting legitimacy to the Legends of Le Mans series, embodying the technological excellence, strategy, and spirit of innovation that characterized the golden age of modern endurance racing.

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich will be present for the first race of the series on April 18 and 19 for the 6 Hours of Imola.

Photo credit : Vincent Curutchet/DPPI

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich appointed ambassador for Legends of Le Mans series

The FIA World Endurance Championship has finalised the new dates for the 2026 edition of the Qatar 1812km and the series’ pre-season Prologue.

The current geopolitical instability in the Middle East obliged the postponement of the Qatari contest, which had been due to launch the 14th campaign of FIA WEC competition later this month.

Following collaborative and constructive discussions with the Qatar Motor &amp; Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), Lusail International Circuit (LIC) and F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l&rsquo;Automobile, FIA WEC is pleased to confirm that the event is now set to take place from 22-24 October, making it the penultimate round of the 2026 season.&nbsp;

The safety and security of competitors, personnel and fans remain of the utmost importance to QMMF, LIC, the FIA and the FIA WEC organisation, and all parties will continue to monitor developments across the region.

Racing will get underway with the 6 Hours of Imola in Italy&rsquo;s Emilia-Romagna region on 17-19 April. The iconic Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari will similarly host the traditional Prologue group test on Tuesday, 14 April, allowing competitors to settle into the groove and fine-tune their cars in advance of the race weekend.

Dates confirmed for rescheduled Qatar 1812 Km and FIA WEC Prologue

With a few weeks to go before the Genesis GMR-001’s maiden Hypercar race, the team principal of Genesis Magma Racing shares details of the fast-paced programme, the car’s excellent pedigree and the team’s approach to the race – a mixture of hope and humility. They have clearly defined goals: to learn from their experience, to demonstrate reliability and to lay the foundations for the project to develop further and for Genesis to hold its own against the best endurance racing manufacturers.

What is the team&rsquo;s mindset with less than a month to go before the maiden Hypercar race?

&ldquo;We can&rsquo;t wait. Our plan was to be ready within 500 days, from the announcement of the programme to the first race. Everything is going to plan, but we remain humble and realistic. We&rsquo;re eager to see how it turns out. We&rsquo;re looking forward to going into battle with the other manufacturers. We want to gauge our limits as a team, and see what the car can do, what the engine is capable of and where we need to make progress.&rdquo;

Do you feel you&rsquo;ve achieved your objectives concerning the development of the Genesis GMR-001?

&ldquo;Yes. Although we have yet to see how we measure up to the others. Don&rsquo;t forget that Genesis is a young brand, and a newcomer to motorsport. But still, I think we can be proud of our car and our drivers. We managed a lot in a short time.&rdquo;

What do your drivers think of the Genesis GMR-001&rsquo;s potential at this stage in its development?

&ldquo;We had good feedback from the start. The car has a good pedigree. It&rsquo;s sound and well-balanced. There are no unwelcome surprises at the wheel, and it responds well to new settings. It&rsquo;s remarkably well built. Oreca&rsquo;s experience really shows. We&rsquo;ve done a lot of work on the engine. It&rsquo;s powerful, with plenty of torque. Now we&rsquo;re focusing on the software aspect.&rdquo;

Where do you think you rank in the Hypercar class?

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s difficult to say, as we&rsquo;ve only done private tests so far. We have no comparison points. Our first goal, as a new team, is to be reliable and to adhere to regulations. We must be sure to make no mistakes, and hope our whole package is reliable. That said, once we get over the first learning hurdle, there&rsquo;s no reason we should be completely outpaced by our competitors.&rdquo;

What is your goal for your first 24 Hours of Le Mans?

&ldquo;We&rsquo;re aiming for reliability and a mistake-free run. A two-car finish would be out of this world. The postponement of round one, the Qatar 1812 km, means we&rsquo;ll have fewer races under our belt before the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 8 Hours of Imola and the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps will be even more important in our preparation.&rdquo;

Are you prepared to take strategic risks to make an impression at your maiden 24 Hours of Le Mans?

&ldquo;In such a long race, I&rsquo;m not sure you can play poker. We&rsquo;ll be concentrating on the end of the race. Our engineers are experienced. They&rsquo;ll make the right decisions once they&rsquo;ve weighed up the risks involved. They&rsquo;re not afraid to stick out their necks. We saw so last year when we won three European Le Mans Series races with IDEC Sport. Our number one objective is to learn from our experience and to cross the finish line every time.&rdquo;

You&rsquo;re familiar with Formula One and WRC. What motivates you most about this endurance racing challenge?

&ldquo;As a motor racing fan, it&rsquo;s great to try a third discipline. It&rsquo;s a privilege. I&rsquo;m a fan of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and I&rsquo;m happy and proud to be taking a major Korean manufacturer to the start of the world&rsquo;s greatest endurance race. Another challenge I find interesting is the interaction, the rapport between crews. In endurance racing, the sense of unity is important and I&rsquo;m curious to see how it plays out.&rdquo;

What do you think of Jamie Chadwick&rsquo;s progress in endurance&nbsp;racing?

&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s great. We&rsquo;re staying together this season because Jamie is racing in the European Le Mans Series with IDEC Sport as well as being reserve driver for Genesis Magma Racing. I&rsquo;m also demanding, because we want to go further. We want to give her the means to do even better. Potentially, we are looking at including her in the Hypercar line-up. For Jamie, it would be an achievement, but she has to pass a few milestones first. She knows what&rsquo;s expected of her. It&rsquo;s great to witness her progress at the wheel. She recently tested the GMR-001 and she&rsquo;s already at the same level of performance as she ended last season.&rdquo;

The Sound of the GMR-001 Hypercar

Découvrez le son de la Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar

Cyril Abiteboul (Genesis): “A two-car finish would be out of this world”

24 Heures du Mans 1967

This year, Ford is celebrating the&nbsp;50th&nbsp;anniversary of the second of its four consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans. On Thursday evening for the&nbsp;occasion, the American marque awarded the Spirit of Ford trophy (Dan Gurney won it in 1999) to&nbsp;A.J. Foyt (read&nbsp;<a href="http://www.lemans.org/en/News/a-j-foyt-winner-at-le-mans-in-1967-with-ford-awarded-the-spirit-of-ford-trophy/46051">article</a>) and reunited the duo with the winning car in Long Beach, California. A.J. Foyt, in his inimitable Texas accent, and&nbsp;Dan Gurney, took part in an interview conducted by the American&nbsp;magazine RACER, and described&nbsp;their memories of that very special&nbsp;35th edition of the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans.

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Video: YouTube - RACER Channel

24H LE MANS

Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt talk about their win at 1967 24 Hours with Ford (video)

Related News

FIAWEC+: Endurance racing – but not as you know it!

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich appointed ambassador for Legends of Le Mans series

Dates confirmed for rescheduled Qatar 1812 Km and FIA WEC Prologue

Cyril Abiteboul (Genesis): “A two-car finish would be out of this world”

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