The French department of Sarthe is gearing up to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans race, which takes place from 10-11 June 2023 (4pm to 4pm) at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
First run in 1923, the endurance race is part of the “triple crown” of motor sport – alongside the Indianapolis 500 and F1 Monaco Grand Prix.
Expect an epic battle between Toyota, Ferrari (back in the top-tier category after a 40-year hiatus), Porsche (record holder for the most Le Mans wins), Peugeot and Cadillac.
To mark the centenary, the 24 Hours Museum on the circuit is hosting a special exhibition (1 June-2 July) of 86 cars that have either won the race or left a mark on its history.
Event organisers have also announced that after record sales, all tickets for the centenary edition are now sold out. Only practice session tickets are left.
Facts about the 24 Hours of Le Mans
There have been 90 editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans races to date, some of which have left a lasting mark on the event’s history.
1923: the first race
On 26-27 May 1923, 33 cars lined up for the first 24-hour race on the Sarthe circuit. It rained for much of the event, which was won by the Chenard & Walker driven by André Lagache and René Léonard at an average speed of 92kph.
1930: the first women takes part
On 21 June 1930, Odette Siko and Marguerite Mareuse took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a Bugatti Type 40. They finished seventh after 132 laps. Two years later, Siko and teammate Louis Charavel did even better, finishing fourth in Siko’s own car. Her exploit remains the best result for a woman at the circuit to date. A total of 65 women have raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
1955: Le Mans disaster
The 23rd running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was the scene of an unimaginable motor sport tragedy. On 11 June, the Mercedes-Benz 300, with French driver Pierre Levegh at the wheel, went airborne and crashed into the crowd. The car’s explosion and the debris it projected killed 84 people. The scale of the tragedy shocked the world. Several countries temporarily banned races on open roads and more stringent safety rules were introduced. Mercedes pulled out of all motorsport and only returned to Le Mans in 1998.
1980: only win for a driver/constructor
Having previously entered a handful of Le Mans races, local driver Jean Rondeau set about building his own racing cars. Produced in five short months, two cars lined up for the 24 Hours in 1976 and made it to the chequered flag, finishing eighth and 21st. In 1980, up against manufacturers with much bigger resources, Rondeau clinched the win and put two M379s bearing his name and design on the podium. An exploit that remains unique to this day.
2016: quadri-amputee driver makes history
Frédéric Sausset lost both arms and both legs to a serious infection. While in recovery, he set himself the ultimate challenge: competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2016, he took to the track in a specially adapted car, with two rods connecting the pedals to his thighs and a device fitted to the steering wheel enabling him to accelerate, brake and steer. The team finished 36th (out of a grid of 60 cars) and Sausset became the first disabled driver to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
10-11 June 2023: the race of the century
The 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary will be a historic event. With the new regulations introduced in 2020 replacing the LMP1 (Le Mans Prototype) class with hypercars (LMH and LMDH), the big-name manufacturers who helped shape the Le Mans legend are back!
See more at 24h-lemans.com