John Surtees has been made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year

24H Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans

At this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans (10-15 June), the Automobile Club de l’Ouest spectators will feel part of the race. Five Fan Zones and two villages open on Tuesday 10 June in the circuit grounds, offering masses of things to do for all the family.

FIVE FAN ZONES IN ALL, TWO NEW FOR 2025 
Designed to make fans feel part of the race, these special themed areas offer a variety of activities suitable for all.

<ul>
	<li>Family Fan Zone&nbsp;The ideal place to introduce youngsters to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.</li>
	<li>Concert Fan Zone The place for movers and shakers. You&rsquo;ll find a zip line, a football pitch, a casino and live music on several evenings.</li>
	<li>Porte Est/East Gate Fan Zone&nbsp;Head here to wind down and reflect. Have a break in the Relax zone by Au F&eacute;minin and raise your environment and well-being awareness thanks to the Impact &amp; Nous booths:&nbsp;Restos du C&oelig;ur, SAMJI&nbsp;and La Ligue contre le cancer.</li>
</ul>

NEW FOR 2025

<ul>
	<li>Karting Fan Zone&nbsp;Dedicated to motorsport, this zone boasts a Racing Avenue paddock, simulators, retrogaming and the 24H Inside set. A hilltop vantage point offers splendid views of the Porsche Curves and the Karting turn.</li>
	<li>Tertre Rouge fan zone&nbsp;An area for adventures! This zone offers a rock-climbing wall, big air, laser game, rope course and a dance floor, not to mention direct views of the track between the Dunlop Footbridge and the Forest Esses.</li>
</ul>

All the fan zones have big tv screens, snack bars and toilets. See the <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/program">spectator information page on our website for full details</a>.

TWO VILLAGES FOR THE FULL RACING SPECTRUM 
The two race villages are both not-to-be-missed attractions.

<ul>
	<li>The Manufacturers Village Featuring major players in the automotive industry:&nbsp;Alpine, BMW M, Ford, Genesis, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, Toyota Gazoo Racing and Iron Dames.</li>
	<li>ACO H2 Hydrogen Village&nbsp;The cutting-edge hydrogen prototype and its key components are displayed in a futuristic bubble. Symbio will be exhibiting the car&rsquo;s fuel cell and Michelin its tyres, while McLaren Applied, Multimatic, Bosch, Isoclima, Sobek, Momo and Brightloop share their expertise with visitors. Thanks to TotalEnergies, the village will have a 700-bar mobile H2 filling station where refuelling demonstrations will take place on Wednesday and Friday. Don&rsquo;t miss that! On Wednesday, ACO president Pierre Fillon and H24Project president Jean-Michel Bouresche will officially open the ACO H2 Hydrogen village. Note 11:30 on 11 June in your diary! They will be making some important announcements!</li>
</ul>

IMPACT CHALLENGE: TAKING RESPONSIBILITY TOGETHER

This year, the ACO&rsquo;s commitment to social responsibility shifts up a gear with the Impact Challenge. A step on from the Green Ticket, the game involves our spectators in our sustainability policy. The Impact Challenge gives new meaning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans spectator experience. Included in the 24H EXPERIENCE app, the challenge comprises 170 missions to defend the interests of the planet and those who live on it.

New fan zones and an even better spectator experience

The 24 Hours of Le Mans saw the light of day on 26 May 1923. Over a century later, the race continues to fuel the legend. In 18 days, Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche and Toyota will all fight for a prestigious victory in the 93rd edition of the French endurance classic.

The inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans was held on 26-27 May 1923 &ndash; precisely 102 years ago! Devised as an open-air testing laboratory for motor cars, this new type of event would revolutionise racing and shape a legend. Over a century later, the race constantly reinvents itself while remaining true to its roots.

<h2>A competition designed to improve&nbsp;motoring</h2>

From the outset, the 24 Hours of Le Mans was perceived as a technological challenge&nbsp;for manufacturers and a sporting challenge for drivers. Unlike pure speed races, endurance was intended to test the cars&rsquo; reliability, fuel consumption, lighting and roadholding quality. A philosophy that still holds true today.

Many new technologies have been tested down the years at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including disc brakes, LED then laser headlamps, road surfacing, hybrid systems and a 100% renewable fuel. Several have found their way into production cars. Tomorrow, a clean, efficient fuel will be at the heart of innovation thanks to the MissionH24 initiative &ndash; hydrogen.

<h2>Outstanding moments throughout history</h2>

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is also a compendium of emotions, heroic exploits and events that have shaped the legend. Who can forget Bentley&rsquo;s domination of the 1920s (five wins between 1923 and 1930), the head-to-head between Ferrari and Ford in the sixties, Mazda&rsquo;s 1991 triumph with its rotary engine, the Audi era with its all-conquering prototypes or, more recently, Ferrari&rsquo;s stunningly successful comeback in Hypercar?

Each decade has brought its share of feats and surprises. They have all helped make the 24 Hours of Le Mans the world&rsquo;s greatest endurance race and a benchmark in motorsport alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix.

<h2>And tomorrow?</h2>

Since the Centenary in 2023, the race attracts a crowd of over 300,000 spectators from all over the world. Drivers, engineers, fans and volunteers alike are all drawn to the circuit to live their dream and share their passion. And tomorrow? Looking to the immediate future, the 2025 race will see some of the biggest carmakers on the planet &ndash; Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche and Toyota &ndash; fight for victory among a field of 62 cars, almost twice as many as in 1923 (33).

While the cars, the racetrack and the technologies have all evolved, the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans has remained unchanged: push oneself to the limit, drive back the boundaries of what humans and machines can accomplish and write a page of history, day and night. 
On 26 May 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans came into being. On 26 May 2025, the race is looking to the future with the same ambition:&nbsp;to be the theatre of all manner of achievements.

24 Heures du Mans 2024 - 100 ans d'histoire et d'activité racontée par Stéphane Bern

24 Hours of Le Mans – 102 years of endurance, innovation and passion

A few days before the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans, the chain of events resulting from Mike Conway’s accident led to Akkodis ASP Team calling up Jack Hawksworth – 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD Pro champion – to stand in for José María López in the Lexus RC F GT3. Hawksworth will be back in 2025.

Jack Hawksworth&nbsp;will replace&nbsp;Ben Barnicoat for the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans (11-15 June 2025), with the Chesterfield-born driver still recovering from a bike accident. Hawksworth will share the wheel of the #78 Lexus RC F GT3 with Finn Gehrsitz&nbsp;and Arnold Robin. 
Last year, Esteban Masson, Takeshi Kimura and Hawksworth drove the #87 Lexus to 10th place in the LMGT3 class after entertaining hopes of a podium for a while.

The #78 Lexus RC F GT3 currently lies third in the chase for the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams on the back of a fourth place in the Qatar 1812 Km and a third place in the 6 Hours of Imola.

Jack Hawksworth to replace Ben Barnicoat for Akkodis ASP Team

As a key player in the field of braking technologies, Brembo is tackling a whole range of challenges in its quest to improve the efficiency and reliability of Hypercar brakes.

The brake systems fitted to the Hypercars competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans call for specific materials that can withstand the demands of the race. While carbon-ceramic materials are used on sporty street-legal models, Hypercar brake discs are made of carbon. This element, specifically designed for racing, requires a temperature of at least 200&deg;C for optimum performance, making it inappropriate for use on everyday vehicles. Carbon-ceramic discs, however, offer road cars an excellent compromise between light weight, heat resistance and efficiency, even at lower temperatures.

<h2>Up to 1000&deg;C for brake discs</h2>

During a race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, brake disc temperature fluctuates around 400&deg;C&nbsp;on average, but can exceed 1000&deg;C in heavy braking situations. Materials like carbon can withstand such extreme temperatures without compromising safety or braking performance.

As well as ensuring high levels of performance in its brake systems, Brembo is seeking to improve their durability throughout the 24 hours of racing. The Italian manufacturer is therefore working on developing friction materials offering lower wear rates and pioneering caliper concepts to reduce drag resistance. These innovations help maintain a high level of braking performance throughout the race, thus eliminating the need for frequent replacements and improving the car&rsquo;s overall efficiency.

<h2>Energy recovery and regenerative braking: a hybrid system</h2>

Brembo has integrated energy recovery systems (ERS) into the braking mechanism on hybrid Hypercars. On decelerating, an electric motor converts the vehicle&rsquo;s kinetic energy into electricity which is then stored in batteries for reuse. However, the electric motor alone cannot supply all the braking force required. A conventional system based on brake-by-wire technology is therefore used to supplement the action of the electric motors. This system ensures precise control of the pressure applied and optimises braking performance in all situations.

The main challenge with hybrid systems lies in striking a balance between traditional hydraulic braking and regenerative braking as energy recovery is not constant throughout the race. It depends on several factors such as battery charge and the changing cell temperature. The brake system must therefore adapt to these variations to offer constant performance and optimum durability.

<h2>Aerodynamics and brake cooling: a technological dilemma</h2>

Hypercar aerodynamics have&nbsp;a significant impact on brake cooling. Although airflow is channelled through ducts towards the brakes, it generates extra drag that can affect the car&rsquo;s top speed. The engineers must therefore find a compromise between efficient brake cooling and optimised aero performance to minimise air resistance without sacrificing braking efficiency.

To maximise brake performance throughout a stint, it is vital for drivers to be able to control disc and pad temperatures. Keeping the brakes within an optimum temperature window guarantees consistent performance and avoids the risk of overheating or failure. The drivers must also adapt their braking to race conditions and modulate the pressure to avoid premature wear&nbsp;and tear on the components.

The brake systems designed for Hypercars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans are a perfect illustration of the ingenuity and innovation that characterise motorsport. When it comes to managing extreme temperatures, improving energy recovery and resolving aerodynamic issues,&nbsp;Brembo constantly pushes the boundaries of technology&nbsp;in the quest for outstanding performance. These developments, honed through tackling the challenges of endurance racing, are finding their way into production vehicles, illustrating the direct impact of the sport on tomorrow&rsquo;s motorcars.

Brembo sheds light on 24 Hours of Le Mans Hypercar brake systems

John Surtees is still the only person to be crowned world champion on both two and four wheels, an achievement that is deserving of a knighthood in the eyes of many motorsports fans. While downplaying such suggestions, the British motorsport legend does however regret never having tasted victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Out of four starts, Surtees managed to cross the finish line just once, in 1964 in a Ferrari 330P, clinching third place in the process.

	A fuel pipe broke in the final hours of the race, depriving Surtees and Lorenzo Bandini of victory, as the 1964 Formula One World Champion explained:&ldquo;Twenty-four hours is a long while so it is rather pleasing to get onto that podium. It was frustrating because the car was running perfectly and we could have so easily won the race had the petrol pipe in the tank not broken when we were well advanced in the race causing us to be able to use only half a tank of fuel at a time.&rdquo;

	After being made a Member (MBE) in 1959 and then an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2008, Surtees has now been awarded the more senior rank of CBE recognising in particular his charity work with the Henry Surtees Foundation, set up in honour of his son who lost his life while racing in 2009.

	C&eacute;cile Bonardel / ACO (quote taken from an interview recorded for an article) &ndash; Translated by David Goward

	PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, 20 &amp; 21 JUNE 1964. John Surtees in the #19 Ferrari at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 
	&nbsp;

24H LE MANS

John Surtees awarded CBE in New Year’s Honours

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