24 Hours that Last Forever: The Le Mans Legend

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the unmissable event for any true motorsport enthusiast — an ultimate test of endurance, speed, and survival for both man and machine. The event itself holds an almost mystical quality; the moment you set foot in the small town of Le Mans in northwestern France, you can sense the magic and weight of a place so steeped in history. During the 24 Hours period, Le Mans is transformed into a true Woodstock for motorsport lovers, with ten days packed with can’t-miss experiences that immerse you fully in automotive passion.

The 2025 edition officially kicks off on Friday, June 7th with the traditional “Pesage” at Place de la République, the administrative and technical scrutineering of the 93rd running of the 24 Hours. It’s a unique chance to get up close to the participating cars and drivers, who on Saturday afternoon, June 8th, further ignited fans’ hearts with a parade of 30 cars along a 2.1-kilometer loop through the city center, lined with thousands of cheering supporters.

The famous “Pesage” ritual at Place de la République allows fans to get a close look at the race cars in downtown Le Mans.

Today, Sunday, June 9th, the Circuit de la Sarthe comes to life with the closing of public roads that make up the track — the Hunaudières straight and Mulsanne are usually open to regular traffic — for the first day of testing. It’s a great chance to admire the cars and their liveries. To see more on-track action, fans will have to wait until Wednesday, June 11th, but don’t worry — there’s never a dull moment in Le Mans. A visit to the “Musée des 24 Heures du Mans” is a must. It offers a journey starting with the very first race in 1923, featuring cars that have gone down in history by winning this legendary endurance race.

The “Musée des 24 Heures du Mans” is a magical place showcasing the winning cars from the world’s most famous endurance race. Unmissable!

And that’s not all — there are many support races to enjoy: from the Porsche Sprint Challenge to the Ford Mustang Challenge, and especially the Road to Le Mans, a support race that allows up-and-coming GT3 drivers to gain experience on the circuit, dreaming of one day competing in the big race. From Thursday, June 12th, the atmosphere will grow electric with qualifying sessions and the Hyperpole, where the fastest teams battle for pole position and the honor of appearing on the front page of the local paper, “Le Maine Libre”, on Saturday.

Friday, June 13th brings “La Grande Parade Des Pilotes” in the city center, where race crews parade in classic and modern cars. Along the route, souvenirs and giveaways are handed out to the thousands of spectators in attendance.

There’s a lot going on in the city center of Le Mans, including car exhibitions and “La Grande Parade Des Pilotes” where race crews parade for fans.

The campsites along the track, already packed for days, are now completely full: spectators from all over the world, of every social background, united by a unique passion. Every year you’ll see supercars like the Ferrari Testarossa, Jaguar E-Type, or Porsche 911 parked next to tents and RVs of varying comfort levels — proving that Le Mans is more than a race, it’s an experience that stays with you forever. There are concerts, vendor stalls, and shops catering to every interest, from model cars to automobilia to official race merchandise. The grandstands are also starting to fill up as everyone counts down to the iconic 4:00 PM Saturday start time, when 62 cars and 168 drivers will push themselves to the limit for 24 hours on the 13.6 km Circuit de la Sarthe.

The Le Mans start ceremony is one of the most exciting moments of the entire race. Helicopters, the Patrouille de France and the Marseillaise. A unique experience.

The start ritual is nothing short of spectacular: mechanics push the cars into position on the grid to the roar of over 250,000 fans in the grandstands while “La Marseillaise,” the French national anthem, plays. Moments later, paratroopers leap from a military helicopter and land on the track to hand over the French flag to the official starter. Finally, the Patrouille de France flies over the pit straight, trailing blue, white, and red smoke — the colors of the national flag. Pure magic.

This year, tennis legend Roger Federer will say the iconic words “démarrez vos moteurs” — start your engines — before giving the official start to the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans. Who will win this year? Will Ferrari claim a third consecutive victory, or will Alpine triumph on home soil? And don’t count out Toyota, Porsche, Cadillac, and the rest. Just 24 intense hours will decide it all!

At 4 p.m. on Saturday 14 June, the 93rd Le Mans 24 Hours will start. May the best team win!