With five different manufacturers in the first six places on the starting grid, the stakes are high for this 2024 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The legendary endurance race promises to be more competitive than ever.
A fanfare start this Saturday, June 15
The 92nd edition of 24 hours of Le Mans will start this Saturday, June 15 at 4 p.m. local time (10 a.m. Eastern Time in the United States). After a 2023 race full of twists and turns, which saw Ferrari to win for his big comeback, the competition promises to be even tougher this year. Testing and qualifying over the past week have confirmed that victory will be hard-fought.
Surprises during practice and qualifying
While Toyota GR010 Hybrid No. 8 dominated the tests for a good part of the week, including during the last night session, she will not start in pole position. Following mistakes and bad luck during qualifying, the Toyotas didn’t even make the top 10!
There BMW M Hybrid V8 No. 15, driven by Dries Vanthoor, led the first qualifying session, securing her a place in Hyperpole on Thursday. Unfortunately, an accident eliminated her from the race for pole.
Finally, it is the Porsche Penske 963 No. 6 which will start at the head of a peloton of 23 hypercars and 62 cars in total, after being ahead of the Cadillac V.Series R #3.
A very close competition despite the hazards
Despite the disappointments of certain cars during qualifying, the level of performance remains very uniform. Both Ferraridefending champions, place themselves just behind the No. 3 Cadillac, closely followed by a Alpine.
Let’s not forget that this is a 24-hour race, where pure speed is not everything. Many parameters come into play, starting with the capricious weather of Le Mans, renowned for its sudden downpours.
A royal platter, worthy of the finest hours
This 2024 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the one I have been waiting for for decades: a massive commitment from the major manufacturers in the premier category, with remarkable competitiveness between them. We are far beyond the battle Audi–Peugeot of the 2000s, to return to the level of open and closed prototypes of the late 90s.
Without forgetting the battle in GT, who long carried the race during Toyota’s solo dominance. Here again, five different cars monopolize the first places, led by the McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo from Inception Racing. And for the first time in a long time at Le Mans, a Mustang will start in 4th position in this category!
Whether you are a fan of motorsport or simply curious, don’t miss this unmissable event on the sporting calendar. The 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans promise to be an exceptional vintage, living up to the legend of this legendary race. See you this Saturday, June 15 for a departure that promises to be thrilling!
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