24 HOURS OF LE MANS 2023. The centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2023 will take place on the weekend of June 10 and 11 on the famous Sarthe route. Here is all the info you need to know.
From 1923 to 2023… This year marks the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the most prestigious of endurance races. On the famous Sarthe circuit, open once a year since it combines portions of permanent layout and portions of national roads where motorists travel throughout the year, 62 cars, divided into three categories, will contest for victory on June 10 and 11. Who will succeed Toyota, five-time outgoing winner and once again big favorite to take the top step of the podium? With an extremely prestigious line-up (Porsche, Cadillac) and highly anticipated returns (Peugeot, Ferrari), this anniversary edition promises spectacle and emotions. All during a weekend (and even a week) full of festivities.
Wednesday 7 June – 2 p.m./5 p.m.: Free Practice 1 7 p.m./10 p.m.: Qualifying practice June – 4 p.m.: Start of the race
The start of the 91st edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be given on Saturday June 10 at 4 p.m. French time. 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., it all depends on the year and other sporting events. Several times, the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans had thus been postponed due to the concomitance with football, World Cup or Euro matches in particular. It won’t be this year, but the departure schedule in 2023 will be the same as in 1923, which is probably no coincidence. The checkered flag signifying the finish will therefore be lowered at 4 p.m. on Sunday 11 June. Note that for the 100th anniversary of the most famous endurance race, many events will take place throughout the week, including concerts (Zazie, Bob Sinclar, Mika, etc.) and a pyrotechnic and drone show on Saturday night.
This year, two TV channels will broadcast the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Eurosport, a broadcaster for many years, will broadcast in full via Eurosport channels 1 and 2 (as well as on the paid app Eurosport Player). The airing should take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday June 10, one hour before the start, for a broadcast until Sunday, with a part reserved for the post-race. Eurosport is accessible by subscription.
The L’Equipe Channel will provide free retransmission. Available on TNT (channel 21) or via the internet (connected TV or internet box), La Chaîne L’Equipe should broadcast the pre-race and of course the start at 4 p.m. We will soon have more information about their precise monitoring of the race.
62 teams of three drivers each are entered in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. Here is the complete list of entries (PDF document) by clicking here. Five-time defending champion, Toyota will once again be the huge favorite this year. For the centenary race, Peugeot and Ferrari sign their big comeback, after 50 years of absence for the brand with the prancing horse, and will be surrounded in particular by Porsche and Cadillac in the premier category.
The ranking of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is based on the number of laps covered between Saturday 4 p.m. and Sunday 4 p.m. There is a general classification but also a classification by categories. Three categories coexist: the Hypercars group together the favorites (Toyota, Glickenhaus, Porsche…), the LMP2 prototypes a little less powerful and the LMGTE am, the only GT category now. Note that a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be the only competitor in the Innovative Cars category.
Hypercar category1. Toyota Gazoo Racing (Buemi, Hartley, Hirakama)2 Toyota Diesel Racing (Conway, Kobayashi, Lopez)3. Glickenhaus Racing (Briscoe, Mailleux, Westbrook)Category LMP21. Jota (Felix da Costa, Gonzalez, Stevens)2 Prema ORLEN Team (Kubica, Defender, Colombo)3. Jota (Aberdein, Jones, Rasmussen)LMGTE Category Pro1. Porsche GT Team (Bruni, Lietz, Makowiecki)2 AF Corse (Guidi, Straight, Serra)3 AF Corsica (Molina, Rigon, Fuoco)LMGTE category am1. TF Sports (Keating, Chaves, Sorensen)2. WeatherTech Racing (McNeil, Andlauer, Merrill)3. NorthWest AMR (Lana, Pittard, Thiim)
