A beginner’s guide to the 2026 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Eight things you need to know about the world’s greatest endurance race
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The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the biggest events in the motorsport calendar. Ahead of the 2026 race – its 94th edition – discover its history and what makes it so special for Porsche
Essential facts about the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans • The 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans race is on 13-14 June 2026 • Practice, qualifying and Hyperpole takes place from 10-12 June 2026 • Porsche has two 911 GT3 R race cars competing with the Manthey team in the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans • Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with 19 overall victoriesWhen it comes to endurance racing, there’s a weekend each year that’s ringed in the calendar of all motorsport fans. Along with the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indy 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the most famous of all motor racing events. Held every June at Le Mans in north-west France, the event is now into its second century of high-speed, incident-packed racing.In advance of the 2026 – and 94th – running of the race, we look at why the 24 Hours of Le Mans is so revered, about its history, its format, the gruelling nature of 24-hour racing and why it holds a special place in the hearts of Porsche and its teams.1. What is the 24 Hours of Le Mans?The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest-surviving and most prestigious endurance racing event. Held annually since 1923 on the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, it’s a race that tests the limits of drivers and machines over a gruelling 24 hours, starting at 4pm on the Saturday and running non-stop, through the night, until the following afternoon.The objective is simple yet challenging – complete as many laps as possible in the allotted time. With the world’s greatest manufacturers, teams and drivers competing, it’s a spectacle unlike any other in endurance motorsport and one that attracts hundreds of thousands of fans who camp out and make the weekend one big motorsport party.Different types of race cars compete in the event – the current categories are Hypercar, LMP2 and LMGT3 – with each class ending up with its own winner. The big one, however, is the battle to decide the overall race champion, which is generally won by the powerful Hypercar class.The #91 car for Manthey DK Engineering Porsche 911 GT3 R race car in the special 75 Years of Porsche Motorsport livery created for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans Photo: PorscheTo avoid fatigue – and the accidents this can cause – each team typically fields three drivers who rotate driving duties, swapping places in the car every few hours. According to Le Mans race regulations, the maximum time a driver can be at the wheel in a single stint is 240 minutes.2. Which Porsche cars are running at Le Mans in 2026?The inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1923 saw 33 entrants line up on the grid. In 2026, the field currently consists of 62 cars across the three categories (as of 4 June 2026). When it comes to Porsche, there will be two Porsche 911 GT3 R cars running in the LMGT3 category.In 2025, three Porsche 963 cars took part in the Hypercar category, with the trio of Matt Campbell, Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor finishing second overall, just 14.084 seconds off first place. This year, Porsche will not be taking part in the Hypercar competition at Le Mans as it is not competing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) this season (although the 963 is being campaigned in North America’s IMSA endurance racing series in 2026).In the 2025 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Porsche secured victory in the LMGT3 category, with Richard Lietz, Ryan Hardwick and Riccardo Pera taking the top place on the podium for the Manthey 1st Phorm in a 911 GT3 R.The two Porsche 911 GT3 R cars running in the LMGT3 category of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans are entered by the Manthey customer team. The #91 car will be driven by James Cottingham, Timur Boguslavskiy and Ayhancan Güven for Manthey DK Engineering. The second of the two cars taking part is the #92 car, which will be piloted for The Bend Manthey by Yasser Shahin, Riccardo Pera and Richard Lietz.Both the 911 GT3 R cars competing at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans will wear a special livery to commemorate 75 years of Porsche Motorsport. The silver livery is inspired by the 356 SL Coupé with which Porsche made its debut in the race back in 1951.The second of the two Porsche 911 GT3 R race cars – the #92 The Bend Manthey – competing at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans Photo: Porsche3. When does the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans take place?Le Mans is held in June 2026 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, a semi-permanent racetrack near Le Mans, France, which also includes sections that at other times of the year are used as public roads.The dates for your diary for 2026 are 10-14 June. The weekend consists of three free practice sessions, interspersed with qualifying and Hyperpole (reserved for the first six qualifiers in each class) over the first three days. The race itself starts at 4pm CET (local time) on Saturday 13 June 2026.Other start times for the race in selected countries:
USA • 10am EDT (US East Coast) • 7am PDT (US West Coast)UK • 3pm BST
Germany/Italy/Spain • 4pm CET
Brazil • 11am BRT (including Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo)
China • 10pm CST (including Shanghai)4. What is the Le Mans circuit? The 13.626km-long track on which the 24 Hours of Le Mans is held every year is called the Circuit de la Sarthe. Sarthe is the name of the French department in which Le Mans is situated, which is in turn named after the river that runs through it.
The circuit itself is a mixture of public roads and dedicated racing sections, featuring 38 turns in total (18 left-hand turns and 20 right-hand turns). It includes four long straights in which drivers can reach speeds of over 340 km/h (in excess of 210 mph). The most famous straight on the circuit is the 6 km-long Mulsanne Straight, which is a regular road – the RD 338 – when it’s not used for the race. Known locally as the Ligne Droite des Hunaudières, it hasn’t been completely straight since 1990, thanks to the addition of two chicanes. It means that the top speed of 405 km/h (252 mph) achieved along it in 1988 is likely never to be topped, but it has made the Mulsanne safer. These changes haven’t diminished its importance, however, as it still offers drivers a brief respite before they enter the trickiest parts of the circuit.
Put simply, the Circuit de la Sarthe is an utterly unique and challenging circuit, one that tests the grit and endurance of even the most seasoned of competitors.The 75 Years of Porsche Motorsport livery of the two Porsche 911 GT3 R race cars competing at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans is inspired by the Porsche 356 SL Coupé. In 1951 it was the first Porsche to compete at the legendary endurance race Photo: PorscheOther iconic sections of the circuit include the Porsche Curves – a favourite among drivers for their demanding nature – and the Dunlop Curve and Dunlop Chicane at the start of the lap. These areas not only challenge the drivers but also boast stunning views, as well as giving drivers the opportunity to pass under the famous Dunlop Bridge.
As the 24 Hours of Le Mans is about completing as many laps as possible in 24 hours, there’s no set number of laps to complete. It all depends on the speed of the cars and the team’s pit stop and refuelling strategies. The current record to beat is 397 laps, first set in 1971 but matched at the 2010 race. If everything goes perfectly, teams can cover over 5,000km during the race. The current distance record is 5,410km, which was set in 2010.5. Legendary Porsche drivers at the 24 Hours of Le MansThroughout its first 100 years, some of the greatest-ever race drivers have left their mark at Le Mans, with many of them behind the wheel of a Porsche race car. These include Belgium’s Jacky Ickx, who won Le Mans six times, four of them with Porsche. Germany’s Hans Herrmann – who hails from the Porsche hometown of Stuttgart – and his British driver, Richard Attwood, played a key role in the Porsche Le Mans legacy in 1970. This was the year that Porsche secured its first overall victory, when Herrmann and Attwood took the chequered flag first in a Porsche 917 KH. This historic win marked the start of the company’s dominance in the endurance race.
Another name that will be forever associated with Porsche and the 24 Hours of Le Mans is Attwood’s fellow Briton, Derek Bell, who boasts five Le Mans victories – four of them with Porsche. His triumphs driving a Porsche – in 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987 – underlined not only the ex-Formula 1 star’s talent but also the enduring reliability of generations of Porsche racecars.The #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R Manthey 1st Phorm 911 GT3 R on its way to victory in the LMGT3 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2025 Photo: Porsche6. How fast do cars drive at the 24 Hours of Le Mans?Speed, of course, is a critical element at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Over the years, advances in technology and aerodynamics have pushed the limits of what’s possible on the historic track.
One of the most phenomenal laps of all-time was by Hans-Joachim Stuck. In 1985, the legendary German driver averaged 251 km/h (156 mph) during qualifying while driving a Porsche 962C. That converted to the fastest-ever lap time – up until that point – of 3 mins 14.8 seconds. “I made virtually no mistakes, and the braking points were spot-on,” Stuck told Porsche customer magazine, Christophorus, in 2023. Such was the brilliance of Stuck’s performance, it would remain a record for 32 years.7. Who has the most 24 Hours of Le Mans wins?As a manufacturer, Porsche holds the record for most overall victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with 19 wins. The manufacturer’s triumphs range from that first win in 1970 in the Porsche 917 KH by Herrmann and Attwood, to its most recent triumph in 2017. Here, a 919 Hybrid was piloted to victory by Germany’s Timo Bernhard and New Zealanders Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley.
The record for the most race victories by a driver is nine, held by Denmark’s Tom Kristensen. His debut victory, in 1997, was in a TWR Porsche WSC-95 Le Mans Prototype race car. Next, on six, is Jacky Ickx – five with Porsche – with Derek Bell one of three drivers on five race wins (four for Porsche). Ryan Hardwick, Richard Lietz and Riccardo Pera (left-right) on the winner’s podium at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans after their victory in the LMGT3 class in the Manthey 1st Phorm 911 GT3 R Photo: Porsche8. How can I watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans online or on TV?You can follow all the events at Le Mans on the Porsche Motorsport Le Mans website as well as the Porsche Motorsport Instagram channel. FIA WEC TV is the official streaming home, globally, of the 24 Hours of Le Mans – you will need a subscription to view.Here’s how to watch it live in selected countries and regions:USA• HBO Max• TruTV• Motor TrendUK/Germany/Italy/Spain• Eurosport/Discovery+/Max/TNT Sports (depending on market)France• La chaîne L’Équipe• EurosportBrazil• Grande Prêmio• Bandplay • Band Sports China• TencentAustralia• Stan SportAfrica/Middle East• SuperSport (Sub-Saharan Africa)• beIN SportsPlease check the schedules of broadcasters in your region for full details. Some regions offer free-to-view coverage. Geo-blocking applies in select territories including the USA. Certain broadcasters cover the entire event, including practice, qualifying and Hyperpole while others will carry the full race only.The 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place from 13-14 June 2025. You can keep up to date with the latest Porsche news from the race at the dedicated Porsche Motorsport Le Mans website and follow the race live on the Porsche Motorsport Instagram channelThis article was updated in June 2026
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