Born on June 25, 1964, Johnny Herbert wrote in 1991 one of the great pages in 24 Hours of Le Mans history with Mazda - first (and only to this day) Japanese manufacturer to win in La Sarthe.

The circuit is buzzing more than ever as race week gets in full swing on Wednesday 10 June with support race competitors to hit the track for the first time as well as various exciting free practice and qualifying sessions!

<h2>24 HOURS OF LE Mans FREE PRACTICE</h2>

The&nbsp;Hypercars, LMP2s and&nbsp;LMGT3s will take part in free practices from 14:00 to 17:00 and&nbsp;from 22:00 to midnight. These five precious hours of track time will allow competitors&nbsp;to fine-tune settings, run consecutive stints, test tyres&nbsp;and get a feel for their cars&#39; behaviour under a variety of&nbsp;conditions.

It is often during these sessions that behind-the-scenes reality is revealed. With&nbsp;every run of the Mulsanne Straight and&nbsp;every instance of braking at the Mulsanne Corner are split-second&nbsp;choices, a search for balance&nbsp;and sometimes technical gambles.

As the day carries on, the pace quickens as certain drivers look to set benchmark lap times while&nbsp;others focus on pure endurance. All share the same goal: to be ready for the big race.

<h2>HYPERPOLE&nbsp;QualifYING</h2>

Early evening will signal the transition to&nbsp;qualifying sessions and&nbsp;every tenth of a second will become&nbsp;invaluable.

The <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-new-improved-24-hours-of-le-mans-hyperpole-60613" target="_blank">new Hyperpole format</a>&nbsp;is&nbsp;still across two days and&nbsp;the LMP2 and&nbsp;LMGT3 competitors will open&nbsp;the show with 30 minutes to earn their spots. Only the top 15&nbsp;in each class will move forward.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Hypercars will&nbsp;then take over with their own session, scheduled from 18:45 to 20:00.

This is when Le Mans transforms once again as the sun slowly sets, tension grips the grandstands&nbsp;and engines roar to life. The circuit&nbsp;is unforgiving. It reveals. It separates the contenders. It elevates.

<h2>Road To Le Mans</h2>

Road to Le Mans is the annual highlight of the Michelin Le Mans Cup calendar. Created in 2016, this championship is reserved for&nbsp;LMP3s and&nbsp;GT3s, and represents&nbsp;the ACO&rsquo;s determination to establish and support benchmark events to help train drivers. The MLMC competitors will hit the track for two free practices today: the first from&nbsp;11:15 to&nbsp;12:15 and the second from&nbsp;20:30 to&nbsp;21:30.

<h2>Ferrari Challenge</h2>

Since&nbsp;1993, the Italian constructor&#39;s&nbsp;one-make&nbsp;championship offers drivers from around the world a gateway to motorsport, delivering spectacular challenges and competitive thrills.

The&nbsp;Ferrari Challenge&nbsp;has taken on a global dimension over the years, increasingly making it the go-to&nbsp;for one-make series and an ideal starting point for a career in GT racing. Many champions have honed their skills in this arena, like&nbsp;Nicklas Nielsen, winner of the 2018 series and the 2024 24 Hours at the wheel of a Ferrari 499P.

Today, two free practices are on the schedule from 08:45 to&nbsp;09:30 and from&nbsp;12:45 to&nbsp;13:30.

<h2>Porsche Carrera Cup BrAZil</h2>

Established in 2005, the Porsche Carrera Cup Brazil is one of the leading one-make series in South America and a standard&nbsp;for GT racing in Brazil. All drivers compete in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, meaning the talent of the driver and&nbsp;team makes the difference.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This is one of the most competitive GT championships in the Americas, a stepping stone to international motorsport&nbsp;and a series that often features former single-seater or Brazilian Stock Car drivers.&nbsp;

Free Practice 1 is scheduled from 10:00 to&nbsp;10:45, and Free Practice 2 from 17:30 to&nbsp;18:15.

<h2>Jean-Louis Aubert CONCERT</h2>

After the popularity of PAFINITOUR in 2025, Jean-Louis Aubert is keeping the fun alive&nbsp;with a festival tour this&nbsp;summer! PAFINITOUR&nbsp;is an opportunity to relish&nbsp;Aubert&rsquo;s rich and varied repertoire, ranging from iconic tracks (that have defined several generations) to lesser-known gems. For this tour, the artist&#39;s stage production is more modern and sensational&nbsp;than ever.

Wednesday 10 June Programme

08:45 &ndash; 09:30 |&nbsp;Ferrari Challenge Europe Free Practice 1 
09:00 &ndash; 00:00 |&nbsp;M24 &ndash; Motorsport Museum open 
10:00 &ndash; 00:00 |&nbsp;Fan Zones, Kids Zone, Hydrogen&nbsp;ACO H2 and&nbsp;Constructors Villages open 
10:00 &ndash; 10:45 |&nbsp;Porsche Carrera Cup Brazil Free Practice 1 
11:15 &ndash; 12:15 |&nbsp;Road to Le Mans&nbsp;Free Practice 1 
12:45 &ndash; 13:30 | Ferrari Challenge&nbsp;Free Practice 2 
14:00 &ndash; 17:00 |&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans&nbsp;Free Practice 1 
17:30 &ndash; 18:15 |&nbsp;Porsche Carrera Cup Brazil&nbsp;Free Practice 2 
18:45 &ndash; 19:15 | 24 Hours of Le Mans&nbsp;Hyperpole Qualifying &ndash; LMP2 &amp; LMGT3 
19:30 &ndash; 20:00 |&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans Hyperpole Qualifying &ndash; Hypercar 
20:00 &ndash; 23:00&nbsp;| Jean-Louis Aubert concert 
20:30 &ndash; 21:30 |&nbsp;Road to Le Mans&nbsp;Free Practice 2 
22:00 &ndash; 00:00 |&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans&nbsp;Free Practice 2

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday 10/06 Programme

Fans have several convenient options to follow all the action at the legendary race this year. Whether on T.V., social media or FIAWEC+, everyone can watch the main event of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) season no matter where they happen to be.

<h2>On T.V.</h2>

In the host country of France, Eurosport will broadcast all free practice and qualifying&nbsp;sessions. The race will also be available on free-to-air TV on the L&#39;&Eacute;quipe channel, notably featuring Thursday&#39;s Hyperpole,&nbsp;a new addition this year,&nbsp;starting at 19:55. 
 
In Europe, the sport&#39;s long-standing broadcaster Eurosport&nbsp;will provide extensive coverage by airing every free practice and qualifying session. Other channels are taking up the broadcast in various countries: RTL Nitro in Germany, Discovery Turbo in Italy&nbsp;and TNT Sports in the UK, with a significant portion of the coverage available for free on Quest. 
 
And in the U.S., the entire event will be broadcast on TruTV with all free practice and qualifying sessions also&nbsp;available on HBO Max.

In Asia, in South Korea, SPO TV and SPO TV Now have joined the broadcast lineup, providing coverage in Korean for the first time. Another new development is that beIN Sports will broadcast all sessions and the race across the Asia-Pacific region and New Zealand. In Japan, J Sports will air all sessions, with the added novelty of selected sessions being streamed on YouTube and the arrival of ABEMA as a new broadcaster. In China, Tencent serves as a major digital distribution partner for the championship in a market with significant potential for audience growth and automotive industry development. 
 
Check out the full&nbsp;<a href="https://mcusercontent.com/b5f125906fc10a7f9e846de69/files/f7de3e57-8d60-47be-a01b-07e3331c21ca/FIA_WEC_24_Hours_Of_Le_Mans_V12_1_.pdf" target="_blank">Broadcast Schedule</a>&nbsp;so you don&#39;t miss a thing.

<h2>Watch the 2026 24 Hours of le&nbsp;Mans live with&nbsp;FIAWEC+</h2>

Available worldwide, the FIAWEC+ 365 pass allows you to follow the entire FIA ​​World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) season for &euro;49.99, while an offer dedicated solely to the 24 Hours of Le Mans allows&nbsp;you watch the full 94th running&nbsp;for &euro;19.99. 
&nbsp; 
The FIAWEC+ package for the 94th&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans includes:

<ul>
	<li>Free practices, qualifying sessions and the race live</li>
	<li>On-board camera feeds during the race</li>
	<li>Full replays of the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans</li>
	<li>Stream&nbsp;FIA WEC races</li>
	<li>The Road to Le Mans race on Friday&nbsp;12 June&nbsp;10:00-13:00</li>
</ul>

The FIAWEC+ is available&nbsp;<a href="https://plus.fiawec.com/en" target="_blank">online</a>&nbsp;and as an app at the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/fr/app/fiawec/id6758774317" target="_blank">App Store</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.staylive.fia&amp;utm_source=emea_Med" target="_blank">Google Play</a>. 
&nbsp; 
Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://plus.fiawec.com/en" target="_blank">FIAWEC+</a>.

<h2>with Live Timing</h2>

<a href="https://plus.fiawec.com/en" target="_blank">Live Timing</a>&nbsp;allows you to track the times and standings of the teams competing in the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans in real time.

<h2>on the 24 hours of le mans social media</h2>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/24heuresdumans/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/24heuresdumans/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @24heuresdumans</li>
	<li><a href="https://x.com/24hoursoflemans" target="_blank">X (formerly</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/24hoursoflemans" target="_blank">Twitter)</a>&nbsp;@24hoursoflemans</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@24heuresdumans" target="_blank">YouTube</a>&nbsp;channel</li>
</ul>

Also follow the race with the hashtag&nbsp;#LEMANS24

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Where to watch the race!

As part of their preparation for the pinnacle of endurance racing, the 62 cars entered for the 24 Hours of Le Mans engaged in a Pit Stop Challenge for the fifth year running. The mechanics of the #83 Ferrari 499P were the quickest team today.

The Pit Stop Challenge is an exercise in rapid execution. Teams of four perform a tyre change only. There is no refuelling or driver change-over. The referee announces the start and stops the clock when the last mechanic crosses the line that separates the garage from the intervention zone, having changed all four tyres. A loose nut, a dodgy wheel gun, or a misstep, spells game over. The record to beat, set last year by the crew of the Peugeot TotalEnergies #93 Peugeot 9X8, was 8.830 seconds.

The first time to beat this year was set by the #91 Porsche 911 GT3 R whose crew completed the operation in 8.910 seconds. Their technique is to send a mechanic to change the tyres on the lefthand side first &ndash; front, then rear. Another method is to send a pair of mechanics to operate on a diagonal: front right and rear left, then front left and rear right. TDS Racing changes both tyres simultaneously on the lefthand side first, followed by the right. Whatever the order, the golden rules remains the same: not a foot wrong! To triumph at Le Mans, you have to excel on all fronts, including in the pit lane.

This year, the best in the Hypercar and LMGT3 recorded exactly the same time, a few tenths off the record.

Winners in each class (94th 24 Hours of Le Mans, 5th Pit Stop Challenge:

<ul>
	<li>Hypercar: #83 Ferrari 499P &ndash; Ferrari AF Corse 8.870 seconds</li>
	<li>LMP2: #37 Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; CLX Motorsport 10.600 seconds</li>
	<li>LMGT3: #69 BMW M4 LMGT3 &ndash; Team WRT 8.870 seconds</li>
</ul>

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans: Ferrari wins the 5th 24 Hours of Le Mans Pit Stop Challenge

Jamie Chadwick drove a Hypercar on the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans for the first time on Test Day, the first woman racer to take the wheel in the top class of endurance. The British driver was enamoured, and is looking forward to being back on track.

Like all topflight categories, the Hypercar class attracts the world&rsquo;s best. Three-time champion in W Series between 2019 and 2022, Jamie Chadwick has since joined the Genesis Magma Racing Hypercar programme. As reserve driver, she was honoured to drive five laps in the #17 <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/2026-24-hours-of-le-mans-the-low-down-on-the-genesis-magma-racing-hypercar-60714">GMR-001-Hypercar </a>on 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day. It was not her first time on the circuit, <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/jamie-chadwick-intends-to-work-her-way-up-to-hypercar-59730">she competed in last year&rsquo;s 24 Hours of Le Mans</a> in LMP2 with IDEC Sport, teamed with Mathys Jaubert and Andr&eacute; Lotterer.

<h2>A whole new world</h2>

Hypercar is significantly different to LMP2. Everything is more extreme, faster, both in a straight line and on corners. Traffic is more of an issue, on the Mulsanne Straight and in the trickier sections. Power management is subtler. The prototype requires sharper reflexes. &ldquo;It was incredible. I think it&rsquo;s only a question of time before we see many women on the Hypercar grid at Le Mans. I hope so. It&rsquo;s a step in the right direction anyway,&rdquo; she declared in a recent interview.

Chadwick is the first woman to take the wheel of a Hypercar at Le Mans. Women have always played a part at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and she follows in their footsteps. The first women to participate were Marguerite Mareuse and Odette Siko, in 1930. Siko took fourth place overall in 1932. Since then, many women have made their mark on the race. Among them, Christine Beckers, who won her class in 1974 with Yvette Fontaine and Marie Laurent, and more recently, Doriane Pin, Mercedes-AMG Formula One development driver on the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 grid in the Duqueine Team #30 Oreca 07-Gibson.

With this appearance in Hypercar, Jamie Chadwick, who already has a long list of achievement, is leading the way. She&rsquo;s showing that her seat in a Hypercar is within reach.

Happy Birthday Johnny Herbert!

Related News

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Wednesday 10/06 Programme

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Where to watch the race!

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans: Ferrari wins the 5th 24 Hours of Le Mans Pit Stop Challenge

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans: Jamie Chadwick makes history in the Hypercar class

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