Fans of motor racing – and particularly endurance racing – simulation games will be itching to tackle the Circuit de la Sarthe when it is added to the iRacing package. The publishers have just released a video that reveals the first glimpses of their work.

24H Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans

All 62 cars entered for the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans, round 4 of the FIA WEC, are on track today in preparation for next weekend’s race. Teams have six hours of testing time, split into two sessions.

At 10:00 on the dot the light at the top of the pit lane turned green, indicating that cars may enter the track. The #15&nbsp;BMW M Hybrid V8 of BMW M Team WRT&nbsp;Hypercar&nbsp;was first in line with&nbsp;Raffaele Marciello at the wheel. Les pilotes ont d&rsquo;abord effectu&eacute; un premier tour de reconnaissance du circuit afin de s&rsquo;assurer que leur monture fonctionne bien, avant de regagner leur stand pour d&rsquo;&eacute;ventuelles modifications. Drivers completed a reconnaissance lap first, to make sure their car was running smoothly, and returned to the pits to rectify if necessary. Then each team began their test drills, ticking the boxes on their checklist for the day. Weatherwise, conditions are ideal. Sun is forecast all day, with a comfortable high of 22&nbsp;&deg;C.

<h2>Getting cars and drivers race-ready</h2>

Test Day is crucial for teams, especially at Le Mans, where the particularities of the circuit require specific settings. Today&rsquo;s sessions are an opportunity for a real-life test of the car&rsquo;s performance and reliability in race conditions. Engineers and drivers combine their knowledge and experience to fine-tune every aspect of their strategy: aerodynamics, tyre management, chassis settings and fuel consumption. &ldquo;At Le Mans, you get the impression that with four free practice sessions there&rsquo;s plenty of time, but in fact it&rsquo;s not as much as you think, because it&rsquo;s shared between three drivers,&rdquo; explains Will Stevens, driver of the Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA #12 Cadillac V-Series.R. &ldquo;Test Day is important to give us an understanding of what the Cadillac does and doesn&rsquo;t like about the circuit. We&rsquo;ve got a good idea, based on Cadillac&rsquo;s previous experience here. We&rsquo;re just aiming to get to know the car as quickly as we can and make progress before race week really begins. After that, there&rsquo;s only one session before qualifying. I think the team has been on good form since Spa and we&rsquo;re going to build on that with a good Test Day.&rdquo;

In the Porsche Penske Motorsport camp, there are three cars to be tested. &ldquo;We have different settings and parts to test. This afternoon, we&rsquo;ll be looking for speed&rdquo;, says Mathieu Jaminet, driver of the #4 Porsche&nbsp;963.

It&rsquo;s not all about the cars. Race regulations state that drivers who have not taken part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the last five years must complete at least ten laps, at least five of them timed.

<h2>Follow the Live Timing</h2>

Loyal fans will know that the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the fourth round in this season&rsquo;s FIA World Endurance Championship and are no doubt keen to track their favourite team&rsquo;s performance. If that&rsquo;s you, then the living timing is your best friend for the next six hours! Test Day gives the first clues of performance in the race to come.

<h2>Who was fastest last year?</h2>

At last year&rsquo;s test day, the #6 Porsche&nbsp;963 entered by Porsche Penske Motorsport recorded the fastest lap &ndash; 03:26.907. 
In LMP2, the United Autosports #22 Oreca&nbsp;07-Gibson set the quickest time &ndash; 03:34.704. And in LMGT3, the TF Sport #82 Corvette&nbsp;Z06 LMGT3.R topped the time sheet. 
Which team will show the most speed today? Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Peugeot, Porsche or Toyota?

Read our reviews of each class to help you make your predictions:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/2025-24-hours-of-le-mans-presentation-of-the-hypercar-category-59646" target="_blank">Hypercar</a>, <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/2025-24-hours-of-le-mans-presentation-of-the-lmp2-category-59645" target="_blank">LMP2</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/2025-24-hours-of-le-mans-presentation-of-the-lmgt3-category-59644" target="_blank">LMGT3</a>.

<a href="https://fiawec.tv/page/679a56921229db49627128a6" target="_blank">Watch all the action from the FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, live or on demand with the FIA WEC TV official app!</a>&nbsp; Ne manquez rien ! Don&rsquo;t miss a thing! Check out the app for further information.

Test Day for the 93rd running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans has begun!

The wait is over! The teams entered in the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans will roll out on to the track at long last for Test Day. Two free practice sessions are scheduled with the Ligier European Series also invited to join the day’s action.

<h2>2025 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day</h2>

With the administrative and technical checks completed, the 186 drivers can finally return to the wheel of their Hypercar, LMP2 or LMGT3 for Test Day. The six hours of free practice offers the competitors an opportunity to find their marks and make initial adjustments to their car&rsquo;s settings. The teams will endeavour to optimise each driver&rsquo;s track time while honing performance. The pace will gradually pick up as tyres begin to leave rubber on the asphalt and grip increases. Rookies will use the sessions to familiarise themselves with the challenging circuit while completing the mandatory ten laps, five of which must be timed. Teams and drivers all have something to gain from this eagerly anticipated Test Day.

<h2>Ligier European Series</h2>

The Ligier European Series is one of the four support races on the the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans bill. Free practice, qualifying and the race itself will all be held on Test Day. Launched in 2020, this one-make series sees the Ligier JS P4, a futuristic-looking prototype, share the track with the Ligier JS2 R, a small GT purpose-built for racing. Thirty-three competitors &ndash; 16 in the JS P4 class and 17 in JS2 R &ndash; will line up for this exceptional third round of the 2025 season.

<h4>Sunday 8 June Programme</h4>

08:00 &ndash; 08:45 | Ligier European Series Free Practice 
08:00 &ndash; 19:00&nbsp;| 24 Hours of Le Mans Museum open 
09:15 &ndash; 09:35&nbsp;| Ligier European Series Qualifying 
10:00 &ndash; 13:00&nbsp;| 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day &ndash; Free Practice 1 
14:00 &ndash; 15:00&nbsp;| Ligier European Series Race 
15:30 &ndash; 18:30&nbsp;| 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day &ndash; Free Practice 2

2025 24 Hours of Le Mans – Sunday 8 June programme

The 3rd annual city centre tour saw 19 racing cars – representing every constructor and category – loop twice in front of an overjoyed crowd. Aude, Aimie, Matéo and Jade didn't miss a thing.

Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lexus, Mercedes, Peugeot, Porsche and&nbsp;Toyota all showed up thia afternoon in the heart of the endurance racing capital of the world.&nbsp;The crowd&nbsp;came out in force to catch glimpses of these stunning cars snaking between&nbsp;between shops, banks&nbsp;and restaurants, slipping under&nbsp;balconies and passed the town&#39;s famous&nbsp;cathedral, a setting so familiar to residents of&nbsp;Le Mans.

Refreshing breezes&nbsp;kept fans cool this Saturday afternoon as they watched the Hypercars, LMP2s and LMGT3s parade through&nbsp;the city. Spectators in front of the prefecture flew&nbsp;a&nbsp;&quot;46&quot; flag for nine-time&nbsp;Grand Prix Moto champion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/valentino-rossi-to-take-part-in-the-24-hours-of-le-mans-for-the-second-time-59256" target="_blank">Valentino Rossi</a>. The entire city centre flooded the streets&nbsp;of Le Mans to wish the teams and cars luck as the returned to the circuit after two days at the place de la R&eacute;publique.

Sisters Jade, Aimie and&nbsp;Aude came with friend and car enthusiast&nbsp;Mat&eacute;o. They found a great vantage point&nbsp;further away near the place du Jet d&#39;Eau. Jade (age 21):&nbsp;We arrived an hour early to get a good spot.&nbsp;Alen&ccedil;on native&nbsp;Mat&eacute;o is a diehard fan who follows the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and 24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans religiously.

360 Onboard AO by TF in Le Mans City Center | 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025 | ELMS

L'Oreca 07-Gibson #199 d'AO by TF dans les rues du centre-ville du Mans

The first cars come into view with the Peugeot 9X8&nbsp;in electric mode gliding along the tram tracks. The BMW M Hybrid V8 heats things up when its driver roars the 8-cylinder turbo. A prelude to the upcoming race or a reminder of the close finish of 2024, the Toyota GR010 Hybrid is stuck trailing&nbsp;the Ferrari 499P. A newcomer to the Hypercar category this year, the Aston Martin Valkyrie turns heads, but&nbsp;Jade (age 14) is more into the&nbsp;Iron Dames&nbsp;#85 Porsche: Their car is so gorgeous!&nbsp;Thunderous applause showed that&nbsp;the crwod agrees with her. Local hero&nbsp;S&eacute;bastien Bourdais and&nbsp;defending champion Ferrari were also showered with endless cheers.

<h2>This is Le&nbsp;MANS</h2>

Aimie loves that the racing cars are allowed to parade through the city centre:&nbsp;They sound louder.&nbsp;She says Mat&eacute;o has influenced her enthusiasm.&nbsp;I&#39;m a&nbsp;Ferrari fan because he&#39;s a Ferrari fan.&nbsp;He is a true fan,&nbsp;remembering&nbsp;that the #50 Ferrari won the race last year and that the Italian carmaker has dominated the 2025 season so far with three wins in as many races). &ldquo;It is fantastic!&rdquo; he concludes when the 1920s Chenard &amp; Walcker brings up the rear of the motorcade.

Mark your calendars for next year when official 24 Hours commentator&nbsp;Bruno Vandestick will once again proclaim: This is Le Mans!

Le Mans city centre tour: a warm-up for the 24 Hours

Hypercars under the microscope | The Alpine A424 Hypercar bears the expectations of the French constructor among fierce competition. Alpine is back in La Sarthe with renewed ambition, building on its initial FIA World Endurance Championship learning experience last season. Focus on Alpine’s artful blend of style and technology.

The Alpine A424 was introduced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary as the A424_&beta; concept. Always destined to evolve, the prototype has kept its striking visual identity designed by a team headed by Alpine design manager Antony Villain, and Rapha&euml;l Linari, head of external design and racing.

Inspired by the Alpenglow concept car, the Hypercar has the same clean lines. Its futurist front lights are a signature feature of Alpine production cars. Anyone tailing behind the A424 will be treated to the two arrow-shaped As as a parting salute. The triangular motif, reminiscent of Alpine snowflakes, decorates the fins and rear aerofoil.

<h2>Structured for performance</h2>

The lithe bodywork harbours high-precision mechanics. The carbonfibre monocoque chassis with honeycomb shell was developed with Oreca, a well-respected player in the endurance racing field. It&rsquo;s both light and tough: ideal for a racecar.

A 3.4-litre V6 monoturbo engine producing up to 675hp, in keeping with the current Balance of Performance, powers the Alpine A424. The engine is paired with a standard Bosch hybrid system, affording a surge of electric power. The BMW, Cadillac and Porsche Hypercars are fitted with the same system. Reliable, precise Magneti Marelli electronics supervise the whole.

<h2>Unyielding aspirations</h2>

Introduced to the track in 2024, the Alpine A424 has had a full season&rsquo;s experience. Alpine Sport director Bruno Famin says: &ldquo;By the end of the season, we were in a position to fight for the podium, which was truly satisfying. Performance consistency and optimising the use of Michelin tyres throughout a race are key points. We know we still have a lot of work to do in all areas in an environment that will be even more competitive this season. Continuing our progress is our primary target.&rdquo;

The gradual progress led to two third places, at the 6 Hours of Imola and the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, for the #36 of Mick Schumacher, Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Makowiecki and Jules Gounon. Alpine Endurance Team principal Philippe Sinault is clear: &ldquo;The goal is to build on what we&#39;ve learnt and consolidate our foundations to be better prepared for Le Mans than we were a year ago.&rdquo; Last year both Alpines were retired due to mechanical issues.

<h2>Don&rsquo;t let the Alpine A424 Hypercar out of your sight!</h2>

Alpine rejoined the 24 Hours of Le Mans top class in 2021 but its relationship with the race dates back much further. In 1978, the make won Le Mans with the A422B in the hands of Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi. The Alpine Endurance Team cherish the dream of reiterating the feat with the A424.

It has to be said that the Alpine A424 is both elegant &ndash; it&rsquo;s French! &ndash; and engineered for endurance. Buoyed by an encouraging 2024 season, Alpine comes to this year&rsquo;s race armed with experience, a solid technical foundation and the ambition it takes to lift a trophy.

Don&rsquo;t miss the next episode in our &ldquo;Hypercars under the microscope&rdquo; series in which we shall continue our analysis of the prototypes in <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/2025-24-hours-of-le-mans-presentation-of-the-hypercar-category-59646" target="_blank">the high-quality field</a>.

Next up: The Aston Martin Valkyrie entered by Aston Martin THOR Team 
Already published: The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-cadillac-v-series-r-under-the-microscope-ready-to-roar-for-america-at-le-mans-59659" target="_blank">Cadillac V-Series.R</a>

<a href="https://fiawec.tv/page/679a56921229db49627128a6" target="_blank">Watch all the action from the FIA World Endurance Championship,</a>&nbsp;including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, live or on demand with the FIA WEC TV official app! Don&rsquo;t miss a thing! Check out the app for further information.

The Alpine A424 Hypercar under the microscope: more precise, more reliable, more ambitious

The mammoth task of scanning the track with lasers designed to reproduce accurate visuals in the video game was undertaken in June 2015. The first images produced as a result of this meticulous process have now been released and, it has to be said, they are spectacular. In the video uploaded by iRacing, an interview with five-time Le Mans winner Frank Biela is interspersed with&nbsp;snippets of the simulated circuit.

Although it is still a work in progress, the teaser reveals a remarkably faithful pit straight and superb light in the grandstands. iRacing prides itself on being ultra-realistic with a product pitched at high-end gamers. A host of features such as car set-ups and on-track behaviour forges an immersive gaming environment and many drivers (including Biela) use this simulator to prepare for races. Check out this video and see what&rsquo;s in store!

Photo: iRacing&rsquo;s 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit could well have the most realistic visuals ever. Scheduled for release later this year (date to be confirmed).&nbsp;

Go the extra mile and get exclusive content with myACO.&nbsp;<a href="https://myaco.lemans.org/" target="_blank">It&rsquo;s free to join</a>!

24H LE MANS

Le Mans coming to iRacing in 2016

Related News

Test Day for the 93rd running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans has begun!

2025 24 Hours of Le Mans – Sunday 8 June programme

Le Mans city centre tour: a warm-up for the 24 Hours

The Alpine A424 Hypercar under the microscope: more precise, more reliable, more ambitious

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