John Horsman has died at the age of 85. He contributed to the development of many legendary and/or victorious racing cars, namely at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, working with Aston Martin, the Ford GT40, the Mirage GR8 and the Porsche 917 to name a few.

With more than 8,000 participants and 16 million points collected at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Impact Challenge is a hugely successful and innovative initiative returning in 2026.

Launched during the&nbsp;93rd&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans, the Impact Challenge delivered on all its potential.&nbsp;Designed to offer spectators an&nbsp;entertaining, interactive and safe experience, this one-of-a-kind&nbsp;challenge has thoroughly won over fans. With more than&nbsp;8,000 participants, 205,000 QR codes scanned and&nbsp;16 million&nbsp;points collected, the Impact Challenge has already skyrocketed to the top of spectator to-do lists. More importantly,&nbsp;&euro;12,000 were donated to the M&eacute;c&eacute;nat Chirurgie Cardiaque association to benefit&nbsp;children with heart defects from disadvantaged countries to be welcomed and treated in France.

<h4>Impressive stats</h4>

<ul>
	<li>8,000+ active participants</li>
	<li>205,000 QR codes scanned at the circuit</li>
	<li>16 million&nbsp;points collected</li>
	<li>4,000 lots distributed</li>
	<li>&euro;12,000 donated to&nbsp;M&eacute;c&eacute;nat Chirurgie Cardiaque thanks to unused&nbsp;points</li>
	<li>61 partners mobilised</li>
	<li>14 restaurateurs involved</li>
</ul>

<h2>Enhancing&nbsp;the&nbsp;Spectator&nbsp;Experience</h2>

From Tuesday 1 June to&nbsp;when the chequered flag was waved on Sunday&nbsp;15 June, participants&nbsp;could collect points by completing as many missions as possible at&nbsp;the circuit.

The missions:&nbsp;participate in EngageMans quizzes, answer questions on partner spaces by scanning a QR code or carry out proposed activities. For each mission, spectators collected&nbsp;points&nbsp;to win special&nbsp;prizes (VIP concert passes,&nbsp;private tours of competing team garages, a ride over the circuit in the&nbsp;Goodyear blimp, a NEOMOUV electric bike and more).

<h2>A Group Effort</h2>

The success of the Impact Challenge is due&nbsp;to a&nbsp;massive commitment on the part of&nbsp;partners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, namely TotalEnergies, Michelin, Motul, Goodyear, Bosch, DHL, Brembo, MMA, Kronembourg, Milwaukee, Paprec, Nestl&eacute; Waters, Alpine Hearing Protection and&nbsp;Bordeau Chesnel, as well as&nbsp;constructors like Alpine, BMW, Ferrari, Genesis, Peugeot, Porsche and&nbsp;Toyota.

The initiative was also supported by media outlets such as&nbsp;Ouest-France, Le Journal de Mickey, RTL2, L&rsquo;&Eacute;quipe,&nbsp;Au F&eacute;minin;&nbsp;charity partners like Les Restos du C&oelig;ur, la Ligue contre le cancer, MCC and more;&nbsp;training organisations such as ACO Formation, ANFA and&nbsp;SAMJI; and&nbsp;14 restaurateurs at the&nbsp;circuit.

<h2>Rendez-vous in 2026</h2>

On the back of this wildly successful first edition, the Impact Challenge is already on the programme for the 94th&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans on&nbsp;10-14 July&nbsp;2026!

The Impact Challenge a massive success at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans

During the Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, a conference dedicated to hydrogen and the decarbonization of racing brought together Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO and Co-President of MissionH24; Marek Nawarecki, FIA Senior Circuit Sport Director; Kazuki Nakajima, Vice President of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe; Bruno Famin, Director of Motorsport for Alpine; and Philippe Tramond, Technical Director of Michelin Motorsport. Journalists, partners, and spectators were able to attend this presentation of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA WEC's strategy for a zero-CO2 emission competition.

As the model of the <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-h24evo-is-revealed-58765" target="_blank">H24EVO, the latest MissionH24 prototype</a>, a program developed in collaboration between the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest and H24Project, sits in the front row of the conference room, the tone is set from the outset. With qualifying for the 5th round of the FIA WEC taking place in a few hours, hydrogen will monopolize the attention for a few moments, in order to present the future of Endurance; From 2028, hydrogen prototypes will be able to participate in endurance events, competing with conventional combustion engine machines, while releasing no CO2 emissions from the exhausts!

Decarbonizing racing and mobility is the mission carried out by the ACO, represented by Pierre Fillon, and the FIA, by Marek Nawarecki. &quot;It&#39;s the DNA of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship,&quot; explains Pierre Fillon. &quot;First, we reduced fuel consumption by almost 50% with hybrids. Today, hydrogen, which is one of the solutions and not the solution, allows us to introduce machines with the same autonomy and pit stops, similar to those of conventional combustion engine cars, but with zero CO2 emissions.&quot; 
&#39;&#39;For the FIA, participating in this energy transition, or I would even say, in this diversification of energies, is important. We are working with the ACO on the regulations to introduce liquid hydrogen. The work is well underway, since last June, we validated a regulatory basis, including safety conditions, for future categories. The role of the FIA is to take into account the state of the art in the development of hydrogen and to create the relevant regulations, with the ACO and interested manufacturers. Hydrogen will be a testing ground for sport but also for mobility.&#39;&#39;

As proof of the progress of the work carried out by the ACO, the FIA and the manufacturers, prototypes are already running, such as Alpine&#39;s Alpenglow Hy6, or the Toyota GR Corolla H2 with liquid hydrogen. The latter &quot;participated in the 24 Hours of Fuji last May, in the hands of Akio Toyoda (president of Toyota), among others,&quot; explains Kazuki Nakajima, vice-president of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe. &quot;It did not experience any major problems during the event. We were able to improve the refueling system. These are crucial points for deploying hydrogen, a technology that already exists, and which is promising for competition and mobility. It&#39;s a great challenge, to be met together.&quot;

At the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/toyota-reveals-liquid-hydrogen-gr-lh2-racing-concept-at-2025-24-hours-of-le-mans-59729" target="_blank">Toyota Gazoo Racing presented the GR LH2 Racing Concept</a>, an endurance-oriented prototype, and announced a partnership with MissionH24, concerning the aerodynamics and cooling of the future H24EVO, a prototype using a fuel cell. For both Toyota Gazoo Racing and Alpine Racing, the choice of the hydrogen combustion engine was retained: &quot;Hydrogen is an interesting solution, it complements all-electric,&quot; says Bruno Famin, director of competition for Alpine. In the Alpenglow, hydrogen powers a combustion engine, which requires a specific combustion process and a dedicated storage and filling system. The advantage of the combustion engine? It remains a combustion engine with all its sensations, noise, and vibration, but beyond this passion aspect, there is a real technical interest in this engine, which requires a lot of torque and is therefore suited to the demands of a racing car as well as certain utility vehicles for mobility.&quot;

Last June, on the legendary 13.6 km circuit, the Alpenglow Hy6 completed several demonstrations, recording a speed of 313 km/h in the Mulsanne Hills. A challenge for the tires? Philippe Tramond, technical director of Michelin motorsport, responds: &quot;The forces generated by these vehicles, heavier at first, are different and represent a real challenge for the tire. We contribute by providing simulations, then more precise models to help build the vehicle. We are offering new tires, such as the 71%, made from 71% recycled or renewable elements. They will have the properties worthy of a racing tire, respectful of the planet.&quot;

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest and Co-President of MissionH24, underscores the reality of this challenge, initiated in 2018: &quot;We need to decarbonize racing. Our mission is to bring hydrogen to competition with mobility applications. It&#39;s about producing green hydrogen, studying the entire production chain, storage, and more. We&#39;re living in an extremely exciting time. We&#39;re preparing the future for future generations.&quot;

To complement this presentation, H2 animations were offered to the public at the Sao Paulo circuit.

Hydrogen in Endurance Racing in Brazil

One month on from the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the FIA World Endurance Championship heads off to Brazil where Ferrari will be on the hunt for another win at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace.  However, the Le Mans winners will undoubtedly face a strong challenge from Toyota, Porsche, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, Peugeot and Aston Martin.

Four weeks after the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans, S&atilde;o Paulo (Brazil) awaits the FIA World Endurance Championship field at its famous circuit, more commonly known as Interlagos. The Rolex 6 Hours of S&atilde;o Paulo marks the start of the second half of the season. 
Thirty-six cars&nbsp;make up the entry list split equally between the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes. Aston Martin THOR Team, Porsche Penske Motorsport and Peugeot TotalEnergies will go with two-driver line-ups. Toyota Gazoo Racing&rsquo;s S&eacute;bastien Buemi will also be missing from the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid. The Swiss will be in Berlin for a round of the Formula E world championship.

&gt;&gt;&gt; <a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/ecm-prod/assets/1/course/4934/2025-fia-wec-rolex-6-hours-of-sao-paulo-provisional-entry-list-v1_9ca6fe.pdf" target="_blank">Rolex 6 Hours of S&atilde;o Paulo entry list</a> &lt;&lt;&lt;

<h2>A fourth consecutive win for Ferrari?</h2>

Ferrari will aim for a fourth win on the bounce with the #50 and #51 factory 499Ps as well as the AF Corse #83 entry that triumphed in the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans last month. The Prancing Horse tops the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers&rsquo; Championship standings with a 77-point lead over Toyota, with Porsche a further 11 points behind.

In the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 teams, Manthey 1st Phorm (#92 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3) leads the way ahead of Vista AF Corse (#21 Ferrari 296 LMGT3), a mere five points in arrears. TF Sport (#33 Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R) lies in third place. Iron Dame Michelle Gatting, who missed out on the 24 Hours of Le Mans after injuring her foot on Test Day, should be fit enough to return to the wheel of the #85 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3.

<h4>Rolex 6 Hours of S&atilde;o Paulo schedule</h4>

Friday 11 July

11:00&ndash;12:30&nbsp;&ndash; Free Practice 1 
15:45&ndash;17:15&nbsp;&ndash; Free Practice 2

Saturday 12 July

10:10&ndash;11:10 &ndash; Free Practice 3 
14:45&ndash;14:57&nbsp;&ndash; LMGT3 Qualifying 
15:05&ndash;15:15 &ndash; LMGT3 Hyperpole 
15:25&ndash;15:37&nbsp;&ndash; Hypercar Qualifying 
15:45&ndash;15:55&nbsp;&ndash; Hypercar Hyperpole

Sunday 13 July

11:30&ndash;17:30 &ndash; Race

<a href="https://web.fiawec.tv/offers" target="_blank">Watch all the action from the FIA World Endurance Championship</a>, 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.

FIA WEC –The championship race heads to São Paulo

As the curtain came down on Le Mans Classic 2025, all eyes turned immediately towards 2026. On the strength of the huge popular success of this year’s meeting that attracted over 238,000 people to the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, the traditional biennial gathering is set to give way to a new annual format from next year.

The inaugural edition of Le Mans Classic Legend will be held from 2 to 5 July 2026. The new gathering will spotlight the cars that flew the endurance flag from 1976 to 2015 &ndash; a period synonymous with technical innovations, spectacular performances and emblematic figures of motorsport.

<h2>A new impulse for Le Mans Classic</h2>

From 2026, Le Mans Classic will be held annually, alternating between two complementary events:

<ul>
	<li>Le Mans Classic Heritage (1923-1975): a journey back to the golden age of endurance, with legendary grids and a decidedly vintage atmosphere&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Le Mans Classic Legend (1976-2015): a celebration of more recent eras featuring prototypes and GTs that wrote the contemporary history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans</li>
</ul>

Relive the magic of retro endurance every year! The new schedule will create more track opportunities for collectors and drivers, and offer a chance for a whole new generation of fans to become smitten with this unique passion!

<h2>Tickets on sale soon</h2>

The tickets for the first Le Mans Classic Legend will go on sale soon. Sign up now to be informed of the date before the public announcement:

&gt;&gt;&gt; <a href="https://f1.np6.com/form.aspx?GV1=ASP00B80000000000000000000001QO3&amp;LANGUE=FR&amp;ob_hash=106c1bedc840ed15f8451e96838cc236ccaaa35ac723914ed0ce067d9054078b&amp;h3=51564E514D4442434F4441774D444177" target="_blank">Stay in the loop for 2026</a> &lt;&lt;&lt;

To find out more about what&rsquo;s in store, read our story on this turning point in the meeting&rsquo;s history: <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/le-mans-classic-to-become-an-annual-event-59842" target="_blank">Le Mans Classic to become an annual event</a>.

Continue to experience the emotion of Le Mans Classic 2025 with the official collection of clothing, accessories and collector&rsquo;s items. Check out the range in the <a href="https://boutique.lemans.org/en/73-le-mans-classic?ob_hash=106c1bedc840ed15f8451e96838cc236ccaaa35ac723914ed0ce067d9054078b&amp;utm_source=EMAILING&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=APP_TICKET&amp;utm_campaign=LMC_MERCI_GP_FR_001VSY" target="_blank">official online store</a>!

Le Mans Classic Legend – New chapter to begin 2-5 July 2026

John Wyer&#39;s technical director for many years, John Horsman started out with Aston Martin where he formed a bond&nbsp;with the famous owner of the British team. Together, they contributed to the success of the Ford GT40, namely under the banner of Gulf, before he dedicated himself to the&nbsp;Porsche 917 (K) and the&nbsp;Mirage GR8 at Le&nbsp;Mans. In 2018,&nbsp;Horsman graced the&nbsp;&#39;&#39;Blue &amp; Orange, une &eacute;curie, un mythe&#39;&#39; exhibition organized by the 24 Hours Museum.

Born on 22 November&nbsp;1934, Horsman passed away at the age of 85. The ACO extends its warmest condolences to his family and loved ones.&nbsp;

24H LE MANS

Legendary engineer John Horsman has passed away

Related News

The Impact Challenge a massive success at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans

Hydrogen in Endurance Racing in Brazil

FIA WEC –The championship race heads to São Paulo

Le Mans Classic Legend – New chapter to begin 2-5 July 2026

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