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This modern and welcoming space is the ideal place to relax while you watch the action on the track. It has a lovely restaurant and a vast terrace that offers stunning views of the famous Corvette Corner. You can even head to the entertainment area on the ground floor, which is equipped with driving simulators, dart boards, a pool table and a host of other activities to keep everyone entertained.

Starter 24

TERRACE WITH VIEW OF THE TRACK

CATERING AND OPEN BAR

24 HOURS OF LE MANS GIFT

GENERALE ADMISSION

PARKING

KARTING SESSION

wednesday, thursday, saturday & sunday 

PRACTICES + RACE

wednesday or thursday 

PRACTICES

ALL_INCLUSIVE

From the grandstand, let yourself be transported by the spectacle on the track: cars skimming the kerbs, the excitement of the start ceremony... An ideal experience to enjoy the magic of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and savour the atmosphere !

Village hospitality

Pavillon 24

GRIDWALK

PADDOCK ACCESS

CATERING & OPEN-BAR

GENERALE ADMISSION AND GRANDSTAND SEAT 

wednesday, thursday, saturday & sunday

wednesday or thursday

In a prime location right by the paddocks and pitlane building, the Le Mans Spirit Club - official FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP hospitality - opens out onto a stunning terrace with outstanding views of the legendary Motul Raccordement Corner. Interested in this VIP package for another FIA World Endurance Championship race? Book now by <a href="https://www.fiawec.com/en/page/welcome-to-our-world/2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">clicking here</a>

360° VISIT

Le Mans Spirit Club

CATERING

LOCATED AT THE RACCORDEMENT

from wednesday to sunday

WEEK 

An exclusive outdoor space allows you to watch the action on the circuit while revelling in the race's characteristic atmosphere. Throughout the day and night, our high-class services and activity schedule keep you entertained for a truly unforgettable event.

Panoramic 24 lounge

Panoramic 24

PITWALK TICKET

EXCLUSIVE VIEXPOINTS

wednesday to sunday

WEEK

Step behind the scenes of this thrilling event, savour the moment in our high-class reception areas and enjoy a carefully-orchestrated event that combines elegance with excitement. From sunrise to sunset, a full schedule of activities will be rolled out just for you, to fully immerse you in the thrill of the race.

Private Pitlounge

Gold experience

PADDOCK & GRIDWALK

EXCLUSIVE VIEWPOINTS

TRACK LAP

HELICOPTER FLIGHT OVER THE TRACK

PIT VISIT

from friday to sunday

RACE

Terrace 24

TERRACE WITH A VIEW OVER THE TRACK

PRIVATE VENUE UP TO 18 GUESTS

CATERING AND BEVERAGE SERVICE

FURNITURE INCLUDED

PRIVATE

Single lounge

Pitlounge 24

CUSTOMISABLE AREA

PRIVATE SUITE

COMMANDING VIEW OVER THE PITLANE

LIVE TV

ACCESS FROM WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY

Discover a Vip experience in the heart of the race. Enjoy a unique moment, with the best views of the track, day and night. Enter the legend.

Hospitality

The grid for the 2026 Michelin Le Mans Cup is the largest ever, with 45 cars across the three classes for the six round series that takes in six of Europe’s most iconic circuits and is firmly established as the proving ground for the Endurance stars of tomorrow.

There are 24 LMP3, 11 LMP3 Pro/Am and 10 GT3 entries, with the three championship winning teams and five of the six driver champions returning to defend their titles.

The international grid will see 30 different teams running the 45 entries, with the teams and drivers representing 24 different nations from all around the world.

<h2>LMP3: 24 Cars for 2026</h2>

With 24 entries, the LMP3 category for Silver and Gold rated driver pairings is the largest of the three classes and features some of the best young professional drivers looking to make their way up the endurance racing ladder.

2025 LMP3 Team Champions R-ace GP will be fielding a pair of Duqueine D09-Toyotas to defend their title with Singapore&rsquo;s Danial Frost and New Zealander Zack Scoular being named as the lead drivers in the no85 and no86 cars respectively.

2025 LMP3 Vice Champions Forestier Racing by VPS also return with a two-car line up, with Denmark&rsquo;s Sebastian Kirch Bach in the no29 Ligier JS P325-Toyota and Lucas Fecury in the no 92 car, who is currently racing with the team in the Asian Le Mans Series.

2024 Driver&rsquo;s champion David Droux also returns to the MLMC with CLX Motorsport. Last year&rsquo;s teammate Cedric Oltramare will also be rejoining the team, and the 2025 Barcelona race winners are ready for the challenge ahead in 2026. CLX Motorsport will also run a second car for Alexander Jacoby and Kevin Rabin.

2023 Team Champions Team Virage have entered a pair of Ligier-Toyotas for the 2026 season, with 2021 Champions Nielsen Racing switching from Adess to Duqueine and 2025 LMP3 Driver&rsquo;s Champion Hadrien David joining the British team for the 2026 season.

Road To Le Mans winners 23Events Racing will run a pair of Ligiers in LMP3 this season, with former Ligier European Series Vice Champion Natan Bihel racing in the sole M Racing Ligier.

MLMC regulars ANS Motorsport, High Class Racing, Inter Europol Competition, Bretton Racing and More Motorsport all return with LMP3 entries. RLR MSport have teamed up with fellow British team Vector Sport to form Vector Sport RLR and another British team Steller Motorsport, makes a welcome return to the series.

There are three teams making their MLMC debuts this season. German team BWT Muecke Motorsport will run a Duqueine-Toyota for Mattis Pluschkell and Maksymillian Angelard. Spain&rsquo;s Brutal Fish Campos Racing and French team Trajectus Motorsport both join the grid, with the former runner a pair of Ligiers and the latter a single car.

Collective RTLM photo during t....jpg

<h2>LMP3 Pro/Am: 11 Cars Entered for Full Season</h2>

The 11 strong LMP3 Pro/Am grid is made up of ten Ligier and one Duqueine.

2025 Champions Motorsport 98 return with driver champions Eric De Doncker and Gillian Henrion back to defend the title they won in dramatic fashion in Portugal in October last year.

Rinaldi Racing narrowly missed out on clinching the title in 2025 and the German team are back with two cars to try and secure the crown this year. Driver&rsquo;s Vice Champion Steve Parrow will drive the no68 Ligier alongside Mikkel Pedersen, while the racing winning crew of Stefan Aust and Felipe Fernandez-Laser will once again be in action in the no71 car.

2022 LMP3 Champions Racing Spirit of L&eacute;man will field a single entry for Oskar Kristensen and Christian Gisy. Former champions Nielsen Racing will also enter the sole Duqueine D09 in the LMP3 Pro/Am category, with Matthew Bell being named as the lead driver.

P4 Racing, Inter Europol Competition, GG Classics, High Class Racing and Bretton Racing will all return to the series with a single entry once again.

There is one new team that will make their MLMC debut this season and that is Belgian team Ajith Redant Racing. The driver crew will consist of former Indian F1 racer Narain Karthikeyan and his Tamil Cinema actor teammate Ajith Kumar. The Indian duo is currently competing in the Asian Le Mans Series, where there has been massive interest in Ajith Kumar&rsquo;s race programme, ahead of their move to Europe to take on the challenge of the Michelin le Mans Cup.

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<h2>GT3: 10 Cars for 2026</h2>

The GT3 grid will see the return of the 2025 champions, with Alessandro Cozzi and Eliseo Donno racing for a second season for AF Corse, with the Italian team looking to secure their third GT3 Team title in a row.

AF Corse will also run a second Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo for American Rey Acosta III and his Italian teammate Marco Bonanomi.

Two-time GT3 Team champions Kessel Racing will also field a pair of Ferrari 296 GT3 Evos, with 2025 Vice Champion David Cleto Fumanelli being joined by Lorenzo Ferdinando Innocenti in the no17 car.

2025 race winners Code Racing Development return with one of the three Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3s that will be on the grid this season, with former GT3 champions Racing Spirit of L&eacute;man and British team Blackthorn fielding the other two.

Spanish team Biogas Motorsport will also enter a Ferrari 296 GT3, with Marc Carol Ybarra once again driving for the team.

There are two new teams to the MLMC GT3 field this year, with Italian team Dinamic GT running the only Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo in the field for Loek Hartog and Reinhold Gerhard Krahn, while Spanish team SMC Motorsport will run a McLaren 720S GT3 Evo for Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer and Gonzalo De Andres Martin.

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest:&nbsp;&ldquo;With 45 cars on the grid, the Michelin Le Mans Cup reaches a historic milestone and reaffirms its pivotal role in the endurance racing ecosystem. This record underscores the teams&rsquo; trust and the appeal of a championship that has truly become a springboard to the highest level. It promises exceptionally competitive fields, hard-fought races, and a season more intense than ever for both drivers and fans.&rdquo;

Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequien, Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM) CEO:&nbsp;&ldquo;It is great to witness an exceptional assembly of teams and drivers for the 2026 Michelin Le Mans Cup, with more entries than ever before. We would like to extend a warm welcome to the new teams who will be making their debut in Barcelona and to say thank you to the teams who are returning for their continued support for the series. With a great line-up in both the Michelin Le Mans Cup and the European Le Mans Series, the 2026 season promises to be exciting. We look forward to welcoming all of you this year.&rdquo;

<a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/doc-prod/vRtbKcLp6hnsUhpqpLOTmJ8I.pdf" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for the provisional entry list for the 2026 Michelin Le Mans Cup.

Michelin Le Mans Cup reveals largest ever full season grid for season 11

Rétromobile is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary (28 January to 1 February 2026). As usual, cars from the 24 Hours of Le Mans figure prominently at the Paris show. We’ve picked out nine models you’ll be able to see there.

Aside the ex-Hertz Team JOTA Porsche 963&nbsp;and the 1957 Maserati 250F V12&nbsp;displayed on the M24 &ndash; Museum of Motorsport stand, other cars that have raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans are waiting to be admired. Strap yourself in for a virtual tour of Pavilion 7.3 at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre!

As is befitting, we begin our visit with a 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning hypercar: the #51 Ferrari 499P of Ferrari AF Corse. This is the car in which Alessandro Pier Guidi,&nbsp;James Calado&nbsp;and Antonio Giovinazzi scooped the 2025 FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers&#39; Championship. It can be viewed on the stand of celebrated watchmaker Richard Mille. A 1970 Ferrari 512 S&nbsp;and a 1972 312 PB&nbsp;are among the models surrounding the hypercar.

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A wonderful surprise is in store for visitors to the JMB Classic stand: the BMW V12 Le Mans. This LMP1 competed in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, driven by Hans-Joachim Stuck,&nbsp;Steve Soper&nbsp;and Tom Kristensen. This 66th running of the French endurance classic was the second appearance in the race of the man who went on to win a record nine times. 
The BMW V12 Le Mans had been put together in Didcot (UK) by a select group of 34 specialists employed by BMW Motorsport&nbsp;and Williams Motorsport. The six-litre engine, derived from the V12 that triumphed in 1995, was however built in Munich. Team Rafanelli ran the two cars in 1998. The #1 BMW V12 LM was forced to retire after three hours of the race due to vibration in the front and rear axles.

&nbsp;

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The #1 BMW V12 LM is displayed at R&eacute;tromobile alongside the #7 Peugeot 908 HDI&nbsp;of Team Peugeot Total, driven by Nicolas Minassian,&nbsp;Marc Gen&eacute;&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jacques Villeneuve at the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 1997 Formula One world champion was making his Le Mans d&eacute;but that year for the French carmaker who was Audi&rsquo;s chief rival for the second time. Three 908s were entered following an overhaul of the 2007 model, most notably to the car&rsquo;s aerodynamics. The trio of Minassian-Gen&eacute;-Villeneuve finished second on the same lap as the triumphant Audi R10 TDi.

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Fans of the McLaren F1 GTR&nbsp;will be able to feast their eyes on not one, but two magnificent models at R&eacute;tromobile 2026! Firstly, there is the #44 entered in 1997 by Team Lark McLaren.&nbsp;Akihiko Nakaya,&nbsp;Gary Ayles&nbsp;and Keiichi Tshuchiya&nbsp;teamed up in this long-tailed F1 GTR. Sadly, it was forced to retire from the race. The car has since been restored and homologated for the road. Registered in the UK, it will shortly be auctioned by RM Sotheby&rsquo;s.

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The other McLaren F1 GTR was chassis 025R that also competed in the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans. Entered by Gulf Team Davidoff, the #39 car was driven by Ray Bellm,&nbsp;Andrew Gilbert Scott&nbsp;and&nbsp;Masanori Sekiya who, two years earlier, became the first Japanese driver to win at Le Mans. During the race, the car suffered a water leak that caused the engine to overheat, resulting in a spectacular fire on the Mulsanne Straight. It was sent back to the factory for a complete rebuild.

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An LMGT1&nbsp;takes pride of place on the Fiskens Historic Automobiles&nbsp;stand: the #007 Aston Martin DBR9&nbsp;that raced in the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans, driven by a trio of GT specialists:&nbsp;Tomas Enge,&nbsp;Darren Turner&nbsp;and Andrea Piccini. The car was entered under the Aston Martin Racing&nbsp;banner that brought together the British carmaker, Prodrive who designed and prepared the DBR9s, and Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Dor, the man behind the Ferrari 550 who got the DBR9 project off the ground. Aston Martin intended to see off the LMGT1 challenge from Corvette Racing, but the Chevrolet Corvette C6.R won the day. The #007 finished second in class and sixth overall.

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A few metres away stands the #97 Aston Martin Vantage GTE&nbsp;from the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans. Darren Turner,&nbsp;Stefan M&uuml;cke&nbsp;and Rob Bell shared the wheel of the LMGTE Pro entry with a special &ldquo;art car&rdquo; livery created by Tobias Rehberger. The unique design gave the illusion of movement and speed even when static.&nbsp;&ldquo;My design for the Aston Martin art car is rooted in my interest in distorted perception and related phenomena like auto moving patterns, optical effects, camouflage and visual confusion,&rdquo; explained the German artist. However the art car did not reach the chequered flag. Interestingly, the same chassis (GTE-002) had already been treated to special artwork&nbsp;job in 2013 when Gulf ran a design competition.

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Staying in the LMGT1 era, we now step back a few years to 2010 and the Ford GT&nbsp;of Marc VDS Racing Team&nbsp;that sported the number 70. Matech Concepts, a Swiss engineering consultancy, was the private initiative behind Ford&rsquo;s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car was driven by three Le Mans rookies who, nonetheless, had forged plenty of endurance experience at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. Unfortunately, Bas Leinders,&nbsp;Markus Palttala&nbsp;and Eric De Doncker did not make the finish line.

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Finally, we round off our virtual tour with the #71 Ferrari F458&nbsp;of AF Corse&nbsp;that took part in the 81st 24 Hours of Le Mans (2013). Who recalls that Kamui Kobayashi&nbsp;made his 24 Hours d&eacute;but in the LMGTE Pro class? The Japanese racer who went on to break the lap record at the wheel of the Toyota TS050 Hybrid in 2017 was partnered by two GT specialists in the F458:&nbsp;Toni Vilander&nbsp;and Olivier Beretta. They finished 20th overall and fifth in the LMGTE Pro class.

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The R&eacute;tromobile show continues until Sunday 1 February. You can book tickets on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.retromobile.com/en/box-office/buy-my-ticket" target="_blank">official website</a>.

Rétromobile 2026 – check out our selection of nine cars from the 24 Hours of Le Mans

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and Richard Mille have taken the wraps off a major transformation: in May, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Museum will become M24 – Museum of Motorsport.

The venue has been completely redesigned as a cultural and emotional experience that tells the story, encapsulates the influence and depicts the future of global motorsport.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Internationale de l&rsquo;Automobile (FIA), was in attendance as ACO President Pierre Fillon unveiled the project at the R&eacute;tromobile show alongside Richard Mille, ACO Culture &amp; Heritage Director Fabrice Bourrigaud and Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Audevard, the M24 architect.

M24 is a response to two facts: our heritage is absolutely unique, and today&rsquo;s visitors expect something different. They no longer come just to see one car after another. They want to understand and feel what it was like. They want to be part of a story. M24 stands at the crossroads between our heritage and our future.&nbsp;&ndash;Pierre Fillon 
&nbsp;

Designed to deliver an experience

M24 has been in gestation since 2022 when the ACO and Richard Mille formed a dedicated company, MACO, with the remit of taking the museum, built in 1961 and redeveloped 30 years later, into a new era.

The newly extended museum aims to become an international benchmark for automotive heritage, enriched by the unique pedigree of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

M24 is underpinned by the strongly held belief that history can only really be passed on through experience. Its purpose is to move from a display case where cars are merely on show to a story that tells us what they are about &ndash; the people involved, the technological challenges, the moments of grace, and the major historical breakthroughs in sport and society.

Le Mans is not just a race. It&rsquo;s a living legend, a unique tale of human and technological endeavour. M24 will not look on the past with nostalgia but with ambition, stimulating communication between our heritage and our future.&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Richard Mille 
&nbsp;

An outstanding legacy brought to life

M24 will be home to one of the richest collections in world motorsport, including iconic cars, unique prototypes, rare objects and precious archives stretching back over a century. Over 120 vehicles will be exhibited alongside remarkable artefacts such as the suit worn by Ayrton Senna, revealed at today&rsquo;s press conference.&nbsp;

The scenography born from the imagination of Rapha&euml;l Daguet takes visitors on an immersive two-stage tour:

&bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; firstly, a space devoted to the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Endurance, the backbone of the story;

&bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; and, secondly, a space dedicated to other major disciplines: Formula One, rallying, rally-raids, IndyCar and American culture.

Sounds, pictures, interactive features and human accounts whisk the visitor &ldquo;into the race&rdquo;. Each car is an entry point to a different era and adventure: from the 1924 Le Mans-winning Bentley 3 Litre to the 1965 Ford GT40, from the Matra 670B to contemporary Hypercars, from the Ferrari F2002 driven by Michael Schumacher to the Lancia Stratos, icon of the rally world.

The idea is not to amass cars, but to tell stories. To spotlight outstanding pieces in the same way as we exhibit works of art, to arouse emotion, curiosity and awe.&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Richard Mille

 
Architecture to stir emotion

The work of Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Audevard combines tradition and innovation. The extension design is influenced by the motor car &ndash; aluminium, sleek lines and visitor flows inspired by racing aerodynamics &ndash; with a strong focus on natural light to allow the collections to show their true value.

Adopting a responsible mindset from the drawing board, the designer has incorporated a green roof, optimised rainwater management and sustainable materials into the building.

The project has involved 23 mainly local firms to showcase the skills available in the area and make a direct contribution to the Sarthe economy.

M24 is one of the very real embodiments of our CSR approach. This project harnesses valuable heritage, economic and human elements and is deeply rooted in our territory.&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Pierre Fillon

 
A living, perpetually evolving museum

Dust will have no time to settle!

M24 will regularly welcome new pieces, focusing on loans from manufacturers and international institutions &ndash; such as the 1986 Dakar rally-winning Porsche 959 borrowed from the Porsche Museum &ndash; and will host around two temporary exhibitions per year.

M24 expects to attract initially over 300,000 visitors per year and become one of Europe&rsquo;s leading cultural and tourist attractions.

With its modular facilities, fully equipped rooms and luminous spaces, M24 is also set to become Le Mans&rsquo; primary venue for hosting seminars, conferences, training days and bespoke events at the heart of the legendary circuit.

M24 is a place where these stories will live on. It&rsquo;s where a kid can fall in love with a car and maybe decide one day to be an engineer, designer or racing driver. If anyone comes out with their eyes sparkling a bit brighter than when they went in, then M24 will have served its purpose.&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Richard Mille

With M24, the ACO and its partners are creating something unique &ndash; a museum that harnesses legacy and innovation, heritage and emotion, the past and the future of motorsport.&nbsp;This ambition is already shared by partners committed to the project from day one. Four such partners of M24 were announced at the press conference: Rolex, Goodyear, CA Mobility and Michelin.&nbsp;

Their involvement illustrates the cultural scope of M24 and the project&rsquo;s ability to bring together motorsport&rsquo;s most emblematic sponsors around a common vision: to transmit and disseminate the history of motorsport to inspire present and future generations.

We look forward to welcoming you to this exceptional venue on 28 May.

M24 – Motorsport Museum set to open on 28 May 2026

From July 2 to 5, 2026, the first edition of Le Mans Classic Legend will take place at the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans. As in 2025, two evenings of concerts will be organized. Discover the lineup.

At Le Mans Classic, the show goes beyond the track! Once again this year, the village will be buzzing with a host of activities and exhibitions to delight young and old alike. And just like in 2025, spectators can look forward to a program of concerts, with Contrecoeur, Purple Disco Machine and Etienne de Cr&eacute;cy on Friday, July 3 and Baccus, Superbus and Bon Entendeur on Saturday, July 4.

Concert schedule:

Friday, July 3, 2026:

<ul>
	<li>8:00 pm &ndash; 10:00 pm: Contrecoeur</li>
	<li>10:30 pm &ndash; 11:30 pm: Purple Disco Machine</li>
	<li>12:00 am &ndash; 1:30 am: &Eacute;tienne de Cr&eacute;cy</li>
</ul>

Saturday, July 4, 2026:

<ul>
	<li>8:00 pm &ndash; 10:00 pm: Baccus</li>
	<li>10:30 pm &ndash; 11:30 pm: Superbus</li>
	<li>12:00 am &ndash; 1:30 am: Bon Entendeur</li>
</ul>

Book your tickets for Le Mans Classic Legend <a href="https://www.lemansclassic.com/en/ticketing/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.

Le Mans Classic Legend: concerts to keep the excitement going late into the night

Robert Kubica, Phil Hanson and Yifei Ye will once again share the wheel of the #83 Ferrari 499P for AF Corse in the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship including the flagship event, the 94th 94 Hours of Le Mans (10-14 June 2026).

AF Corse has announced the racers who will drive the #83 Ferrari 499P at this year&rsquo;s 24 Hours of Le Mans and throughout the 2026 FIA WEC campaign. Unsurprisingly, the Italian hypercar will once again be in the capable hands of Robert Kubica, Phil Hanson and Yifei Ye. Last season, the trio won the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished as runners-up in the Hypercar World Endurance Drivers&rsquo; Championship.

Kubica and Ye are about to embark on their third consecutive season at the wheel of the #83 Ferrari. Hanson &ndash; the recently appointed Ferrari works driver &ndash; joined them in 2025 after showing his worth in the Hertz Team JOTA Porsche 963. The British racer also has a Le Mans LMP2 class win with United Autosports to his name.

AF Corse will be keen to defend its 24 Hours of Le Mans crown while the illustrious line-up will endeavour to go one better in the Hypercar World Endurance Drivers&rsquo; Championship. Undoubtedly&nbsp;Kubica, Ye and Hanson are already looking forward to the mighty challenge.

AF Corse stick with Le Mans-winning line-up in #83 Ferrari 499P

Fifty years after the first BMW Art Car, the German marque honoured its legacy at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a living work of art Hypercar. The 2024 BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car decorated by Julie Mehretu fused contemporary painting and endurance racing, transforming the track into an open-air gallery.

With a massive&nbsp;painting transposed onto the&nbsp;Hypercar, close collaboration between artist and engineers, and&nbsp;racing as the final stage of creation, in 2024 the&nbsp;BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car decorated by Julie Mehretu&nbsp;embodied the carmaker&#39;s return to the highest level of endurance racing and carried on&nbsp;the remarkable history of BMW Art Cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

<h2>Born for the Track</h2>

In 2024, BMW celebrated a double anniversary: 50 years since the creation of the first Art Car, and the constructor&#39;s return to the top level of endurance racing via the Hypercar category at the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans and in the FIA World Endurance&nbsp;Championship (FIA WEC). To mark the occasion, BMW entrusted the livery of the #20&nbsp;M Hybrid V8 to New York artist&nbsp;Julie Mehretu.&nbsp;Known for her monumental abstract paintings&nbsp;exhibited in major international institutions, Mehretu drew&nbsp;inspiration from her work Everywhen (2021-2023)&nbsp;which was presented in 2024 at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice before joining the MoMA permanent collection in NYC.

Her approach surpasses simple&nbsp;decoration. Julie Mehretu:&nbsp;To me, the car is a living painting. It was created for the circuit rather than the museum. As such, the&nbsp;BMW transformed into a moving canvas, a work of art&nbsp;whose final form could only be achieved after 24 hours of racing

Julie Mehretu imagined the&nbsp;M Hybrid V8 as an extension of her canvas. Mehretu: I saw the&nbsp;BMW M Hybrid V8&nbsp;in front of the finished painting in my studio and thought about what would happen if the car could move through the picture and merge with it. Now the BMW Art Car is another version&nbsp;of my painting and it looks like its grille has inhaled the paint.&nbsp;

The project was born from a close collaboration between the artist&nbsp;and BMW Motorsport designers&nbsp;and engineers. The challenge was&nbsp;to preserve&nbsp;artistic identity while respecting the aerodynamic and technical constraints of a Hypercar competing at the highest level of motorsport.

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<h2>Racing Activates the Design</h2>

At the&nbsp;92nd 24 Hours, the #20&nbsp;BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car was shared by&nbsp;Sheldon van der Linde, Robin Frijns and&nbsp;Ren&eacute; Rast. The car qualified in P16 in&nbsp;03:26.223 and then navigated impactful setbacks early on.&nbsp;After suffering a punctured tyre in the first hour, the #20&nbsp;managed to claw its way into the top 10 before a violent collision with a&nbsp;stack of tyres at the Motul Chicane.&nbsp;Frijns returned the car to pit lane on three wheels resulting in a 24-minute delay.

After starting from last place in the Hypercar category, the #20 BMW&nbsp;finally returned to the track shortly before the finish&nbsp;after a long pit stop. It passed&nbsp;under the chequered flag&nbsp;having completed 96 laps, unclassified, but nonetheless praised for having seen through a project where the race itself was an crucial&nbsp;part of the endeavor.

The M Hybrid V8 Art Car continued&nbsp;BMW&#39;s&nbsp;unique tradition of melding&nbsp;art and motorsport at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fifty years after the first Art Car entered the race, Julie Mehretu left her mark on the&nbsp;lineage&nbsp;while simultaneously propelling it into the present.

&nbsp;

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To celebrate R&eacute;tromobile&#39;s 50th anniversary and the half-century mark of BMW Art Cars, the&nbsp;2026 show will present a <a href="http://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/all-seven-le-mans-bmw-art-cars-on-display-at-retromobile-2026-in-paris-60209">special exhibition in France</a> from 28 January&nbsp;to 1 February. The seven BMW Art Cars seen at Le Mans will be brought together at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, including the #20&nbsp;BMW M Hybrid V8 fielded by&nbsp;BMW M Team WRT in the 2024&nbsp;24 Hours.

BMW Art Cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – M Hybrid V8 by Julie Mehretu: living canvas

In 2010, the BMW Art Car saga renewed the Pop Art theme with the help of Jeff Koons. Thanks to the American artist, the BMW M3 GT2 (entered in the LMGT2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans) displayed its power on the outside in a splash of visual energy. The spectacular work, ideally suited to racing, was an immediate hit with fans.

The BMW M3 GT2 by Jeff Koons entered in the LMGT2 class at the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans was another flamboyant example of Pop Art in the Art Car series. Designed as an expression of speed, power and movement, it turned heads on track before its race was ended prematurely.

<h2>Designed for speed</h2>

No mention of BMW Art Cars could miss a reference to Jeff Koons. One of the most influential artists of his generation, the American was directly inspired by <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/bmw-art-cars-at-the-24-hours-of-le-mans-bmw-320i-turbo-the-pop-art-performer-60214" target="_blank">Roy Lichtenstein</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/bmw-art-cars-at-the-24-hours-of-le-mans-bmw-m1-andy-warhol-absolute-icon-60222" target="_blank">Andy Warhol</a>.His BMW M3 GT2 was the 17th Art Car, and completely in keeping with the spirit of the series. His design expressed a simple, universal message: speed.

With bright colours and vibrant lines with graphic fragments projected from back to front, this livery spelled raw energy. Even at a standstill, the car appeared ready to pounce. &ldquo;These race cars are like life, they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,&rdquo; said Koons. &quot;I want to let my ideas transcend with the car &ndash; it&rsquo;s really to connect with that power.&rdquo;

However, an&nbsp;impression of speed was not enough; the BMW M3 GT2 by Jeff Koons was intended for real pace on track. Koons worked alongside the BMW teams in Munich to ensure that the paintwork would not interfere with the car&rsquo;s aerodynamics and weight. Using 3-D computer-aided design models and digital simulations, he adapted his graphic design to the complex shapes of the bodywork. 
The artist was keen to experience racing speed for real, donning a helmet for tests at Sebring with Rahal Letterman Racing, enjoying laps in a classic BMW M1 as a passenger and driving a road-legal BMW M3. His intention was to get a feel for speed to inspire his design.

Decorating the Art Car was a challenge. Time was short &ndash; there were only two months between the first sketches and the premiere &ndash; so BMW opted for digital printing on car wrapping vinyl, protected by a double clear-coating. Hundreds of dynamic lines were carefully applied to the car and individual spare parts, a pattern of debris was added to the rear sides and two graphic rings on the rear represented supersonic acceleration.

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<h2>&ldquo;I would love to give it another chance and have it compete again.&rdquo;</h2>

The BMW M3 GT2 Art Car was unveiled on 1 June 2010 at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in front of 300 guests from all over the world. The venue was symbolic, Roy Lichtenstein having presented his Art Car there in 1977.

Entered for the 78th 24 Hours of Le Mans, the BMW M3 GT2 Art Car competed under the BMW Motorsport banner. Driving duties were entrusted to Dirk M&uuml;ller, Dirk Werner and Andy Priaulx. On track, it attracted immediate attention from spectators and journalists. But the race proved cruel and the car was not destined to cross the finish line. However, the #78 BMW M3 GT2 finished sixth, with J&ouml;rg M&uuml;ller, Augusto Farfus and Uwe Alzen at the wheel.

Despite the disappointment, Jeff Koons remembers the human element of the race. &ldquo;This race has been a very invigorating experience. It&rsquo;s amazing to see the commitment of all the people involved. The fans sleep in tents and stay awake for far more than 24 hours to celebrate this event. This has me really going, as I understand that it is something truly special for all the people to be here.&rdquo; 
Talking of the team: &ldquo;Yes, I would have loved to see the team win, but it wasn&rsquo;t to be. I know how committed they are and how much precision and care they put into their work. Of course we would have loved to see the car win. I would love to give it another chance and have it compete again.&rdquo;

To Koons, race cars are metaphors: &quot;These race cars are like gladiators out there. They are performing with full power and full impact.&rdquo;

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It may not have run the full course, nevertheless Jeff Koons&rsquo; BMW M3 GT2 remains one of the most emblematic Art Cars ever to have entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Its explosive look and performance-oriented design are the perfect embodiment of the BMW Art Car spirit: to strike up a conversation between contemporary art and endurance racing.

In a tribute to a half-century of fantastic liveries, this year&rsquo;s R&eacute;tromobile show (28 January to 1 February at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles) will be <a href="https://www.retromobile.com/en/news/bmw-art-car-world-tour">showcasing the seven 24 Hours of Le Mans BMW Art Cars</a> including the BMW M3 GT2 by Jeff Koons.

BMW Art Cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – BMW M3 GT2 by Jeff Koons: the colour of speed

In 1999, BMW Art Cars entered the prototypes era and American artist Jenny Holtzer transformed the BMW V12 LMR into a rolling political declaration. Through to striking slogans, chrome lettering and fluorescent overlays, the car itself became a message, and its speed a medium for reflection at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The&nbsp;BMW V12 LMR Art Car decorated by Jenny Holzer, commissioned during prequalifying at the 1999&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans, represented a new&nbsp;form of expression in the&nbsp;BMW Art Car series. On the V12&nbsp;prototype (top speed of&nbsp;340 kph), the artiste inscribed famous phrases from the&nbsp;Truisms&nbsp;and&nbsp;Survival&nbsp;series, transforming the racing car into a textual and political work of art.

<h2>Jenny Holzer, When an Art Car delivers a&nbsp;message</h2>

Known for her works projected onto urban facades and monuments, Holzer brought a unique dimension to the BMW Art Car saga in 1999.&nbsp;Her weapon of expression: words. Her goal: to provoke thought. On the BMW V12 LMR&#39;s body, she applied statements in reflective chrome lettering&nbsp;and fluorescent overlays to challenge the viewer directly:

<ul>
	<li>Protect me from what I want</li>
	<li>Lack of charisma can be fatal</li>
	<li>The unattainable is invariably attractive</li>
	<li>Monomania is a prerequisite of success</li>
	<li>You are so complex you don&rsquo;t respond to danger</li>
</ul>

Working in a male-dominated field, she&nbsp;stood up for what she believed. Jenny Holzer:&nbsp;I thought it would be nice if women could participate in ways other than just standing around in bikinis.&nbsp;Thanks to&nbsp;Holzer, this Art Car became&nbsp;a work of art, a social message&nbsp;and a feminist manifesto all in one.

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<h2>BMW V12 LMR: Winning&nbsp;prototype at the 24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans</h2>

The&nbsp;BMW V12 LMR represented the peak of endurance racing&nbsp;technology at the end of the 1990s with a&nbsp;nearly 6-litre V12 engine, 580 hp&nbsp;and a top speed of 340 kph and was designed&nbsp;to conquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1999, three V12 LMRs were entered by BMW in prequalifying. The #16 Art Car decorated by Jenny Holzer&nbsp;was entrusted to Joachim Winkelhock and Tom Kristensen.

The car&#39;s performance did not disappoint, qualifying in seventh position with a time of&nbsp;3:34.493 and&nbsp;showing real potential for the big race. Unfortunately, BMW&#39;s sporting strategy required withdrawing the Art Car to focus&nbsp;its efforts on the two other official prototypes.

Though Holzer&#39;s&nbsp;BMW V12 LMR did not take the start in the 1999&nbsp;24 Hours, it left a lasting impression in Art Car history. Twist of fate:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/24-hours-of-le-mans-bmws-astonishing-1999-v12-lmr-56547" target="_blank">the #15 BMW sister car</a>&nbsp;driven by&nbsp;Joachim Winkelhock, Pierluigi Martini and&nbsp;Yannick Dalmas won that&nbsp;67th running of the race.

Thanks to Holzer&#39;s V12 LMR, BMW&#39;s Art Cars saga entered a new chapter. Artistic expression&nbsp;was no longer limited&nbsp;to colour or form: it questioned and challenged, all at more than&nbsp;300 kph. Even without having participated the race, this Art Car remains one of the most conceptual in the history of Le Mans.

To celebrate R&eacute;tromobile&#39;s 50th anniversary and the half-century mark of BMW Art Cars, the&nbsp;2026 show will present a <a href="http://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/all-seven-le-mans-bmw-art-cars-on-display-at-retromobile-2026-in-paris-60209">special exhibition in France</a> from 28 January&nbsp;to 1 February. The seven BMW Art Cars seen at&nbsp;the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be brought together at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, including none other than&nbsp;Jenny Holzer&#39;s BMW V12 LMR.

BMW Art Cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – BMW V12 LMR by Jenny Holzer: Art Car manifesto

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