A brief history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
From the first race in 1923 to Ferrari's 2023 comeback, run through the great eras and key records of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in minutes.
First held in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the oldest endurance race still run today and one of the three legs of motorsport's Triple Crown, alongside the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500. Staged by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest on the Circuit de la Sarthe, the event has always rewarded reliability as much as speed: the goal is to cover the greatest possible distance in twenty-four hours.
The early years: 1923 and the inter-war period
The first edition, in May 1923, was won by André Lagache and René Léonard in a Chenard et Walcker. Through the 1920s and 1930s, Bentley emerged as the first great winning marque, with several victories that built its legend. The race took shape around the idea of a production-based car pushed to its limit, on a layout that uses public roads for the rest of the year.
The 1960s: the Ferrari-Ford duel
After the Second World War, Ferrari dominated the early 1960s with a run of victories. Stung by a failed takeover, Ford launched the GT40 programme to beat the Italian marque. The gamble paid off: Ford won four consecutive editions from 1966, including the famous staged finish. The contest remains one of the most iconic rivalries in the event's history.
The 1970s-1980s: the Porsche era
Porsche then became the most successful manufacturer at Le Mans. The 917 led the way in the early 1970s, followed by the 936 and the 956/962, which strung together wins. That dominance rested on durable prototypes and the arrival of turbocharging. Porsche still holds the record for the most outright victories.
Group C and the GT regulations
In the 1980s, the Group C category brought spectacular, very fast prototypes, marked notably by the distance record set in 1971 and long left unbeaten because of the chicanes added to the Mulsanne straight. The 1990s saw prototype and GT wins alternate, with successes for marques such as Jaguar, Mazda — the first Japanese manufacturer to win — Peugeot and then McLaren in 1995.
The Audi era and diesel
From 2000, Audi established a lasting dominance. The German marque introduced petrol direct injection and then, in 2006, won the race with a diesel engine, a first that shifted the technological landscape. Audi piled up victories over the decade, challenged by Peugeot and its own diesel programme.
Hybrids, Toyota and Ferrari's return
The 2010s brought the hybrid prototypes of the LMP1 category, with Audi, Toyota and Porsche. Porsche won several times before the big manufacturers withdrew. Toyota finally took its first victory in 2018, after years of effort, and went on to win repeatedly. In 2023, for the event's centenary, the new top Hypercar category drew many marques and saw Ferrari return to outright victory, half a century after its previous win.
A few landmarks
- First edition: 1923, on the Circuit de la Sarthe.
- Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the overall standings.
- Diesel won for the first time in 2006.
- The 2023 centenary coincided with Ferrari's return and the rise of the Hypercar category.
To go further, see the full roll of honour and the list of records, or explore our history section to relive each great period in detail.