“More than just a race” – ACO stages 10-day event that incorporates the Le Mans 24 Hours

Hosting not just the most fabled round of the World Endurance Championship but a landmark race in the annals of motorsport over the course of an entire day takes some doing – but for the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, the event is much more than a 24-hour challenge.

Le Mans staged its Centenary edition in 2023 but returned with one of the most memorable races in its storied history a year later.

Held in largely dire weather conditions, the race went down to the final lap as Nicklas Nielsen’s fuel-saving effort proved enough to see Ferrari take victory ahead of Toyota by a gap of less than 15 seconds.

“From a purely sporting point of view, I think that 2024 will go down as one of the greatest races of all time,” ACO president Pierre Fillon told Autosport.

“Nine Hypercars in the same lap at the finish, after a battle in Dantesque conditions, gives a good idea of the level! As spectators are aware that this is a fantastic time for endurance racing, I think it’s only natural that they should want to witness this event with their own eyes.”

A year on from their Centenary race, the Le Mans 24 Hours set a new attendance record as 329,000 spectators flocked to north-west France as an expanded grid of 23 hypercars aimed for victory.

New spectator viewing areas, grandstands and fan facilities were also installed, including a new bank at Porsche Curves and more food offerings than ever before.

Fan offerings have to differ from what a Formula 1 race, for example, would have to provide for those in attendance – but for Fillon it is more than just looking after spectators for the duration of the race.

“I tend to think of it not as a 24-hour event, but a 10-day one,” he added.

“Fans gather in the city centre on Friday, a week before the race, for the traditional Pesage. This is followed by test day, and then the big week of the event.

“Le Mans is more than just a race, it’s four evenings of concerts with international artists, the show with drones, four support races, free practices.

“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is more than just the race weekend. Our role is to make every day a unique event. So, for example, a spectator can come on Thursday and see several hours of racing on the track, the Hyperpole, a concert, stroll through the many fan zones or the village.”

Heading into the 2025 event, scheduled to run between 14-15 June, the future of the sport and the event is as much at the forefront of the ACO collective mind as is its legendary past.

“The 24 Hours of Le Mans are, by their very nature, based on innovation. One hundred years after its creation, this is still true,” said Fillon.

“Today, we are committed to a very strong CSR (corporate social responsibility) strategy, with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality for our event by 2030. On the track, we have made a strong choice for several years, since all 62 cars run on 100% renewable fuel. This means that tyres and fuel account for only 1.4% of the event’s carbon footprint.

“In a few years’ time, hydrogen will enter the racetrack, which will of course be a world first at this level of competition. I believe that it is by continuing to innovate that we respect the heritage of this legendary race.”