January 15, 1853 is the birthdate of André Michelin, founder of the tire manufacturer of the same name with his brother Edouard. On May 27, 1923, Michelin won the first edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans thanks to Chenard & Walcker.

24H Le Mans

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Historique

The LMP2 class for the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans (10–14 June 2026) boasts 19 cars, nine with Pro/Am crews. LMP2 always has its fair share of surprises. Inter Europol Competition is back to defend its 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 class title this year.

<h2>What is an LMP2?</h2>

<p>The &ldquo;Le Mans Prototype 2&rdquo; (LMP2) is a closed-cockpit car designed exclusively for racing. LMP2s are the reserve of independent teams participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the European Le Mans Series, the Asian Le Mans Series and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Four constructors have been selected to supply the chassis:&nbsp;Dallara (with the P217), Onroak Automotive (with the Ligier JS P217), Oreca (with the Oreca 07) and Riley/Multimatic (Riley MK30). Gibson is the sole engine supplier. The selling price of a new car, not including engine or homologated electronic equipment, is capped at &euro;483,000.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Crews must include at least one Silver or Bronze-rated driver. Line-ups with a Bronze driver have their own specific ranking: LMP2 Pro/Am.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;<strong>The class at a glance&nbsp;</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>Closed-cockpit prototype&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Category open to private teams only&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Four manufacturers: Dallara, Oreca, Riley-Multimatic and Onroak&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Engine: Gibson V8 4.2 litre naturally-aspirated&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Output: approximately 375 kW&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Minimum weight: 950 kg&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Fuel tank: 65 litres&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Single tyre manufacturer: Goodyear</li>
</ul>

<h2>DKR Engineering</h2>

<p>#3 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; John Farano / Sebastian Alvarez / Renger Van Der Zande (LMP2 Pro/Am)</p>

<p>The Luxembourgers of DKR Engineering are well-used to Le Mans series. The team has four 24 Hours of Le Mans starts to its name in the LMP2 class. Last time, in 2024, the team finished in 21st place overall and seventh in LMP2. DKR Engineering is a European Le Mans Series competitor this season. The team finished 17th in the 4 Hours of Barcelona and 18th in the 4 Hours of Le Castellet and no doubt hope for better fortune at Le Mans. The car is in the hands of Canadian John Farano, Mexican Sebasti&aacute;n &Aacute;lvarez, who took part with IDEC Sport last year, and Dutchman Renger Van der Zande, for whom this will be the ninth Le Mans start.</p>

<h2>Crowdstrike Racing by APR</h2>

<p>#4 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; George Kurtz / Alexander Quinn / Laurin Heinrich (LMP2 Pro/Am)</p>

<p>As winners of the GT class in the 2025-6 Asian Le Mans Series the American team earned an invitation to compete at Le Mans. This is the team&rsquo;s third 24 Hours of Le Mans. After a DNF in 2024, the team supported by Algarve Pro Racing finished in 30th place overall and 13th in LMP2 last year. At the wheel, George Kurtz joins Briton Alexander Quinn and German Laurin Heinrich, the Porsche works driver who won the Rolex 24 at Daytona with a 963 in January.</p>

<h2>Proton Competition</h2>

<p>#9 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Jonas Ried / Kakunoshin Ohta / Harry King<br />
#44 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Horst Jr Felbermayr / Horst Felix Felbermayr / Lorenzo Flux&agrave; (LMP2 Pro/Am)</p>

<p>Like last year, German team Proton Competition has two LMP2 entries for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team also represents Ford in LMGT3, with two Mustangs and is a European Le Mans Series competitor this season with the two Orecas. With the #9 entry, which bears the colours of hotel chain seven x seven, Ford Racing is preparing its Hypercar entry next season. Jonas Ried, who shares the car with Sebastian Priaulx and Mike Rockenfeller in ELMS, will be teamed with Kakunoshin Ohta and Harry King for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.</p>

<p>The #44 driven by Felbermayr father and son duo sports the family&rsquo;s famous colours. Lorenzo Flux&agrave; completes the crew.<br />
Last year Proton Competition finished in fourth and sixth place in LMP2 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.</p>

<h2>TDS Racing</h2>

<p>#14 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Tobias Lutke / Mathias Beche / K&eacute;vin Estre (LMP2 Pro/Am)</p>

<p>Xavier Combet&rsquo;s team is a regular on the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid with nine appearances. TDS Racing were runners-up in LMP2 in 2014 and third in 2019. Like last year, the LMP2 Pro/Am crew are contenders for a class victory. Mathias Beche (11 race starts) and Porsche factory driver Kevin Estre are notoriously fast drivers. The crew amateur, Tobias Lutke, is founder and CEO of Canadian company Shopify. Last year TDS Racing finished in fifth place in LMP2 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mathias Beche was member of the crew.</p>

<h2>United Autosports</h2>

<p>#22 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Rasmus Lindh / Gr&eacute;goire Saucy / Mikkel Jensen<br />
#222 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Daniel Schneider / Benjamin Hanley / Oliver Jarvis (LMP2 Pro/Am)</p>

<p>United Autosports is one of the teams to beat in LMP2. Present in the class since 2017, the British outfit boasts two Le Mans class wins (2020 and &lsquo;24), and European Le Mans Series and FIA WEC titles.<br />
The team fields two entries again this year. The #22 is entrusted to Rasmus Lindh and Gr&eacute;goire Saucy who drove the team&rsquo;s McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo in LMGT3 last year, and Mikkel Jensen, former Peugeot TotalEnergies Hypercar driver. Daniel Schneider, Benjamin Hanley and Oliver Jarvis take the wheel of the #222. Jarvis was a member of the 2024 winning crew. The team is among the favourites for the LMP2 title at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.</p>

<p>United Autosports is set to enter a McLaren MCL-HY in the Hypercar class next year.</p>

<h2>Nielsen Racing</h2>

<p>#24 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; David Heinemeier Hansson / Edward Pearson / Jack Doohan</p>

<p>This is the British team&rsquo;s fifth 24 Hours of Le Mans. Last year the car crashed out and failed to see the chequered flag, so a spirit of revenge reigns over the garage this year. The driver crew is composed of David Heinemeier Hansson (12 starts), Edward Pearson, and Jack Doohan, former driver of the Alpine Formula One and son of Michael Doohan, who won five consecutive 500cc Motorcycle World Championships. Nielsen Racing is among the hopefuls for the LMP2 podium.</p>

<h2>Algarve Pro Racing</h2>

<p>#25 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Michael Jensen / Enzo Trulli / Jake Hughes (LMP2 Pro/Am)</p>

<p>The Portuguese team already has nine 24 Hours of Le Mans entries, including three LMP2 Pro/Am victories in 2020, 2022 and 2023. They also won the European Le Mans Series in 2023 and the Asian Le Mans Series six times. Algarve Pro Racing began 2026 by winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Consequently, the team is a contender for the top step at Le Mans in the LMP2 Pro/Am class. Driver Enzo Trulli is the son of ex-Formula One driver Jarno Trulli (252 Grands Prix between 1997 and 2011). The other crew members are Michael Jensen (two starts) and Jake Hughes.</p>

<h2>Vector Sport</h2>

<p>#26 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Ryan Cullen / Vladislav Lomko / Pietro Fittipaldi</p>

<p>Vector Sport is preparing for its fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans appearance on the back of a fourth place in the European Le Mans Series last year. Their best result at Le Mans is fifth place in 2024. So far this season, the team has finished 6th in the 4 Hours of Barcelona and 5th in the 4 Hours of Le Castellet. Vector Sport are hoping to continue the climb to the top at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the same line-up as last year. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it often pays to be consistent.</p>

<h2>IDEC Sport</h2>

<p>#28 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Paul Lafargue / Valerio Rinicella / Job Van Uitert</p>

<p>IDEC Sport will be on the starting grid of the 24 hours of Le Mans for the tenth year running, in LMP2. Paul-Loup Chatin having taken a seat in the Genesis Magma Racing Hypercar, he is replaced by Italian driver Valerio Rinicella. Last year the team lost a wheel and had to retire. This year, everyone at IDEC will be out to write another exciting chapter in their Le Mans story.</p>

<h2>Forestier Racing by Panis</h2>

<p>#29 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Louis Rousset / Esteban Masson / Oliver Gray</p>

<p>Panis Racing and Forestier Racing join forces this year to take LMP2 by storm. The #29 Oreca 07-Gibson fielded by the combined outfit took the honours in European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Barcelona this season. Last year a suspension issue barred VDS Panis Racing&rsquo;s route to victory and the team had to settle for second. No doubt ex Formula One driver and team owner Oliver Panis will be hungry for revenge this year.</p>

<h2>Duqueine Team</h2>

<p>#30 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Doriane Pin / Julien Andlauer / Richard Verschoor</p>

<p>Duqueine Team has gradually become a regular in LMP2. A European Le Mans Series contender since 2018, the team founded in 2014 has already competed six times in the French endurance classic. Their best result so far was third place in 2023. The team headed by Gilles Duqueine has joined forces with R-ace GP to find the impetus it needs to reach the top. So far this season, the team has finished 11th in the 4 Hours of Barcelona and 10th in the 4 Hours of Le Castellet. At the wheel of the #30: Doriane Pin (Team Peugeot TotalEnergies development driver), Julien Andlauer (Porsche factory driver), and Richard Verschoor.</p>

<h2>CLX Motorsport</h2>

<p>#37 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Adrien Clomesnil / Ian Aguilera / Theodor Jensen</p>

<p>For the 94th race, CLX Motorsport, formerly Cool Racing, has entrusted its car to three drivers from endurance feeder series. Adrien Clomesnil and Theodor Jensen come to Le Mans as European LMP3 champions, having climbed the ranks of the Michelin Le Mans Cup. Ian Aguilera moves to LMP2 having gleaned experience in LMP3.<br />
CLX Motorsport stands eighth overall in the European Le Mans Series this season. Last year the team founded by Nicolas Lapierre finished in 14 place in LMP2 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.</p>

<h2>Inter Europol Competition</h2>

<p>#43 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Jakub Smiechowski / Tom Dillmann / Nicholas Yelloly<br />
#343 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Bijoy Carg / Reshad De G&eacute;rus / Nico M&uuml;ller</p>

<p>The Polish team are the defending champions. The crew of the #43 are aiming for two titles back to back. And of course, Inter Europol Competition also mounted the top step of the Le Mans podium in 2023. Kuba Smiechowski&rsquo;s team is definitely among the contenders for the LMP2 title. So far this season, the team has bagged three second places, in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 4 Hours of Barcelona and the 4 Hours of Le Castellet.<br />
The second car is also a candidate for victory. It is in the hands of Bijoy Carg (2024 winner with United Autosports), Reshad De G&eacute;rus, and Porsche factory driver Nico M&uuml;ller who took the wheel of the Peugeot Hypercar and currently competes in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.</p>

<h2>RD Limited</h2>

<p>#48 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Fred Poordad / Tristan Vautier / Romain Dumas (LMP2 Pro/Am)</p>

<p>Following great success in the Asian Le Mans Series &ndash; a win and five podiums &ndash; RD Limited is tackling the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time this year. The team is headed by Romain Dumas, winner in 2010 with Audi and in 2016 with Porsche. The #48 joins an extremely open field in which every car has its chances. Thanks to Dumas&rsquo;s 23 Le Mans starts, the team knows the pitfalls of the circuit and the race. He shares the car with Tristan Vautier (three starts) and Fred Poordad, a world-class doctor renowned for liver research, who will be competing at Le Mans for the second time.</p>

<h2>AO by TF</h2>

<p>#99 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; PJ Hyett / James Allen / Dane Cameron (LMP2 Pro/Am)</p>

<p>The American team again joins forces with TF Sport to defend their LMP2 Pro/Am title. After introducing fans to Rexy and Spike, AO Racing presents Rockie, the flamboyant Pegasus figure that is the team&rsquo;s emblem this year. PJ Hyett, founder of AO Racing, shares the car with Australian James Allen and American Dane Cameron. Rockie the Pegasus is ready to take flight.</p>

<h2>AF Corse</h2>

<p>#183 &ndash; Oreca 07-Gibson &ndash; Fran&ccedil;ois Perrodo / Matthieu Vaxiviere / Ben Barnicoat (LMP2 Pro/Am)</p>

<p>AF Corse took the LMP2 Pro/Am class win at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the wheel this year, Fran&ccedil;ois Perrodo, one of the most talented amateur drivers in the class. He shares the car with former Alpine Hypercar driver Matthieu Vaxiviere, and Ben Barnicoat. So far this season the #183 AF Corse has finished 10th in the 4 Hours of Barcelona and 14th in the 4 Hours of Le Castellet.</p>

<p>Check out the <a href="https://assets.lemans.org/explorer/pdf/courses/2026/24-heures-du-mans/uf52uwz03c9qp54byxkb.pdf" target="_blank"><u><strong>entry list</strong></u></a> for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans.</p>

24 Hours of Le Mans – The 2026 LMP2 class preview

On June 11, 2026, shortly after 12:50 PM, a world first will take place on the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit. These 13 kilometers of asphalt are accustomed to being transformed into a technological laboratory for a week in June, so significant is the contribution of endurance racing to the evolution of mobility. In 2026, a prototype storing liquid hydrogen will take to the track for the first time in public. Its driver, Kazuki Nakajima, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will write a new chapter in the history of this endurance classic.

<p>Since 2018, the <strong>Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest (ACO)</strong>, in partnership with <strong>MissionH24</strong>, has been contributing to <strong>the deployment of hydrogen in motorsport</strong>. Proof of the program&#39;s real progress is the demonstration run of hydrogen prototypes for several years now, just minutes before the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.</p>

<p>MissionH24&#39;s <strong>LMPH2G</strong> paved the way, followed by the H24 (which entered the Road To Le Mans series in 2022), then the <strong>Alpine Alpenglow</strong> and the <strong>Ligier Bosch JS2 RH2</strong>.</p>

<p>In 2026, on <strong>Thursday at 12:50 pm</strong> and <strong>Saturday at 12:45 pm</strong>, two hydrogen sessions are scheduled, starting from <strong>Maison Blanche</strong> and including one or two passes along the pit straight.</p>

<p>The first demonstration, on Thursday, will feature the <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"><u><strong>Toyota TR LH2 Racing Prototype</strong></u></a> and the Alpine Alpenglow. Storing liquid hydrogen (for the former) and gaseous hydrogen (for the latter), they will showcase the potential of this energy carrier. The hydrogen combustion engines of these two vehicles will allow the public to experience the &quot;sound&quot; of hydrogen.</p>

<p>On <strong>Saturday at 12:45 PM</strong>, a third prototype will take to the track alongside the Toyota TR LH2 Racing Prototype and the Alpine Alpenglow: the Ligier Bosch JS2 RH2. The future of sustainable endurance racing will thus be presented, just hours before the start of the 94th edition of the Le Mans classic.</p>

<p>In the hydrogen village, <strong>a 700-bar hydrogen refueling station (TotalEnergies)</strong> will be operational. Don&#39;t hesitate to come and watch the prototypes being refueled on Wednesday and Friday evenings.</p>

<h2>HIGHLIGHTS H2</h2>

<p><u><strong>Wednesday, June 10, 10:30 AM:</strong></u> Official inauguration of the Hydrogen Village by the official delegation of Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, and all participants in the H2 Village.</p>

<p><u><strong>Wednesday, June 10, 11:30 AM:</strong></u> Idec ACO conference at the Welcome Center, dedicated to the crucial contributions of motorsport to mobility. Numerous speakers will be present and available for interviews.</p>

<p><u><strong>Thursday, June 11, 12:50 PM: </strong></u>White House, demonstration of H2 prototypes on the track, including a &quot;premiere&quot; with the Toyota TR LH2 Racing Prototype and the remarkable Alpine Alpenglow.</p>

<p><u><strong>Thursday, June 11, 2:00 PM:</strong></u> M24 Museum, Sustainable Innovation Series by the FIA. Two hydrogen roundtables are offered. Saturday, June 13, 12:45 p.m.: White House, demonstration of H2 prototypes, including the Alpine Alpenglow, the Ligier Bosch JS2 RH2 and the pioneer, Toyota TR LH2 Racing Prototype.</p>

A first on the track with the Toyota TR LH2 Racing Prototype!

The big winner of the Hot Wheels™ Legends Tour France will be decided at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans (10-14 June). After receiving applications from across the country, the world's best-selling model carmaker unveils its four French finalists.

<p>Hot Wheels&trade; announced in March the kickoff of the&nbsp;fourth French edition of the international&nbsp;Hot Wheels&trade; Legends Tour.&nbsp;Through this competition in France, the marque&nbsp;invites car and customisation enthusiasts to present creative, authentic and personalised vehicles that not only represent&nbsp;the Hot Wheels&trade; spirit, but&nbsp;can potentially be turned into&nbsp;collectible miniatures.</p>

<p>The winners were decided by a jury &ndash; to include&nbsp;members of the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest (ACO), &Eacute;tienne Moustache (content creator and contest ambassador), the MATTEL teams and&nbsp;the public vote.&nbsp;This year, not three but four exceptional cars have been selected to go on display during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.</p>

<h2>meet the four finalists</h2>

<p>Judged according to precise specifications evaluating authenticity, creativity and degree of personalisation, four outstanding&nbsp;vehicles that best embodying the Hot Wheels&trade; attitude were chosen!</p>

<p>The&nbsp;jury will reconvene for the French&nbsp;final on Saturday&nbsp;13 June during the 24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans! Expert Hot Wheels&trade; designer Craig Calum&nbsp;will play a crucial role in selecting the&nbsp;French winner. Again&nbsp;this year, visitors stopping by the stand located in the Family Fan Zone will also be eligible&nbsp;to vote for their favourite vehicle! The champion&nbsp;of the 2026 Hot Wheels&trade; Legends Tour France will be named on Saturday&nbsp;13 June at&nbsp;18:00 by&nbsp;the French jury members and contest&nbsp;ambassador&nbsp;&Eacute;tienne Moustache!</p>

<h2>Toyota Yaris GR4 Rocket Bunny &ndash; North</h2>

<p>Sophie is a major automotive&nbsp;enthusiast from&nbsp;Valenciennes. She and her husband J&eacute;r&eacute;my&nbsp;completely overhauled&nbsp;a Toyota Yaris GR, tuning and modifying it with a focus on performance and extensive customisation.&nbsp;Sophie&#39;s goal is to become the first woman to win the French&nbsp;Hot Wheels&trade; Legends Tour final. She hopes to&nbsp;see her car miniaturised (1:64 scale) and added to the Legends Garage!</p>

<h2>Volkswagen Golf 4 &ndash; Oise</h2>

<p>Guillaume from&nbsp;Plessis-Belleville specialises in automotive restoration and has been sharing his projects &mdash; which blend classic style with performance &mdash; for several years. He had the original idea of transforming a&nbsp;Volkswagen Golf into a vehicle with extreme proportions, featuring oversized tyres and salvaged parts, resulting in an aesthetic inspired by the world of Hot Wheels&trade;. Initially&nbsp;destined for the scrapyard, the car has become one of the sensations of the 2026&nbsp;Hot Wheels&trade;&nbsp;Legends Tour. The public&#39;s enthusiasm from the outset of this year&#39;s contest has now propelled the car&nbsp;into the final.</p>

<h2>Nikke &ndash; Haute-Loire</h2>

<p>Hailing from Le Puy-en-Velay, L&eacute;o navigates the automotive world with a highly personal approach. Together with a friend, he designed an unconventional creation named&nbsp;&quot;Nikke&quot;, an extraordinary mashup of&nbsp;a Honda Acty and a Gold Wing motorcycle. The project is&nbsp;situated somewhere between passion and DIY founded on a philosophy of customisation inspired by the world of toys and extreme transformations.&nbsp;L&eacute;o is now one of the finalists in the Hot Wheels&trade; Legends Tour France and dreams of winning the final to see his vehicle transformed into a 1:64 scale Hot Wheels&trade; miniature.</p>

<h2>Renault 5 GTL &ndash; Moselle</h2>

<p>Domenico is a car tuning enthusiast from Moselle who&nbsp;has spent nearly five years building his&nbsp;Renault 5 GTL&nbsp;inspired by the legendary&nbsp;Group B Maxi 5.&nbsp;The project combines an aesthetic faithful to the rally model with extreme mechanical preparation, notably featuring an Audi V6 turbo engine and running gear from Audi S3&nbsp;and&nbsp;S6 models.&nbsp;Wider at the rear and designed for the track, the car nevertheless retains its historic visual cues, featuring a Philips-inspired livery reimagined in blue, white&nbsp;and red.&nbsp;Domenico hopes to win the French final in order to see his vehicle transformed into a scale Hot Wheels&trade; miniature and added to the marque&#39;s official collection.</p>

<h2>Hot Wheels&trade; at the 24 Hours of Le Mans</h2>

<p>From&nbsp;8-14 June, head to the Family Fan Zone at the circuit to experience thrilling moments and discover the four finalist vehicles of the 2026 Hot Wheels&trade; Legends Tour! All week, kids and adults can check out&nbsp;the&nbsp;Hot Wheels&trade; pop-up store on-site, vote for their favourite contest finalist&nbsp;and discover the new Mattel Brick Shop models, as well as participate in building challenges offered throughout the event.</p>

<p>On Saturday&nbsp;13 June, the day of the final, fans can meet the French contest ambassador,&nbsp;Etienne Moustache, during an autograph session at&nbsp;11:00.&nbsp;In the evening at 18:00, the big winner of the third Hot Wheels&trade; Legends Tour France will be announced with the French jury in attendance!</p>

The four Hot Wheels™ Legends Tour France finalists

Having locked out the front of the grid last year, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA are back with the same goal, to start from the front and be first across the line.

<p>A year on from <strong>Cadillac</strong>&rsquo;s first 24 Hours of Le Mans <strong>Hyperpole</strong> win &ndash; 75 afters the manufacturer&rsquo;s first time at Le Mans &ndash; the team continues its progress. The alterations to the<strong> V-Series.R</strong> are subtle, yet they correspond to a particularity of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: the devil is in the details. With gaps of only tenths of a second separating the Hypercar competitors, aerodynamics, traffic management and simulator preparation can make all the difference.</p>

<h2>Designed to be competitive in traffic</h2>

<p>At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, pure speed is never enough. A Hypercar must navigate dense traffic, like a swimmer who sustains her pace in a swirl. Cadillac have worked to improve this aspect. <strong>&ldquo;For this year we redesigned the aero package to improve our ability to follow cars closely with less loss of downforce than the previous aero package&rdquo;</strong>, explains Moore.</p>

<p>The rear wing is lower than the 2025 version of the Cadillac V-Series.R, to retain efficient aerodynamics when the car is in a slipstream and improve overtaking performance. <strong>&ldquo;We should be more competitive in traffic and so lap times should be improved from last year as we have traffic every lap [at Le Mans]. We hope to be more competitive in top speeds also.&rdquo;</strong></p>

<p>It is particularly difficult to strike a balance on the unique circuit. Le Mans is a very drag-sensitive track with the long straights and high top speeds, but downforce is important in the high-speed Porsche Curves for example.</p>

<h2>Le Mans influences the whole season</h2>

<p>Contrary to other classes where teams can change aerodynamics settings according to the track, Hypercars are only allowed one configuration for the whole season. Le Mans is therefore uppermost in engineers&rsquo; minds. <strong>&quot;As we have just one aero configuration for the whole season what we choose affects all tracks. We targeted to have an aero config that can be competitive at all tracks but of course Le Mans has a high priority,&rdquo;</strong> says Moore.</p>

<p>The homologation window set by the FIA/ ACO/ IMSA is quite small, such that there are no big compromises from one track to the next. As the competition is tight, small details make a big difference.</p>

<h2>The 24 Hours of Le Mans always has surprises in store</h2>

<p>Preparation for a race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place on simulators as much as on track. <strong>Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA</strong> did a test session at Silverstone in May in preparation for Le Mans.</p>

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<p>However, even the most sophisticated simulators cannot replicate the unique race conditions. <strong>&ldquo;It is hard to fully simulate what we get during the 24 Hours of Le Mans,&rdquo; admits Moore. The track changes throughout the event with grip building up as the road is cleaned and rubber is put down from the cars.&quot;</strong></p>

<p>Drivers and engineers spent four full days on the simulator to tweak settings and prepare for every possible scenario. A necessity given the strict regulations applied to track tests.</p>

<p>Yet despite the technological advances, one thing is still true. <strong>&quot;The simulator is a vital tool for preparation but nothing can match testing and racing on the real circuit.&rdquo;</strong></p>

<p>There lies one of the greatest strengths of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite the algorithms, data sets, and digital models, the circuit always has a surprise in store. Just like the journey home that you think you know by heart, until you drive it at sunrise.</p>

<p>Cadillac will be attempting to overcome the unknown elements in the race on <strong>13/14 June</strong>, and turn qualifying session speed into sustained performance.</p>

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Jeromy Moore (Cadillac): “Nothing can match the real circuit"

24 Heures du Mans 1923

<p>Fifty-five years: that is how much time went by between the French tire manufacturer&#39;s first victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and its second! Michelin would wait another 11 years for a&nbsp;third win. Since then, the Michelin Man has caught up with a whopping current total of 25 victories, yet is still behind&nbsp;Dunlop with&nbsp;its&nbsp;34&hellip;</p>

<p><strong>Photo: The #9&nbsp;Chenard &amp; Walcker that allowed&nbsp;Michelin to win the 24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans in 1923 thanks to Ren&eacute; L&eacute;onard and&nbsp;Andr&eacute; Lagache.</strong></p>

Today's Photo Story - Michelin wins the 1923 24 Hours of Le Mans with Chenard & Walcker

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2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Jeromy Moore (Cadillac): “Nothing can match the real circuit"

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