Title fight set to intensify in legendary 24 hours of Le Mans
The 94th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is upon us, and the form guide suggests the battle for glory is truly wide open. This iconic test of machine and driver at the 13.626km Circuit de la Sarthe has become an intense 24-hour sprint; in the last two editions, the margin of victory was just 14 seconds, and in 2024, no fewer than nine cars finished on the lead lap.
Survival and strategy remain as critical as raw speed. With drivers pushing at 350km/h and 70 per cent of the lap spent at full throttle, every component of these beasts is pushed to the absolute limit. Following the first two rounds of the 2026 campaign, BMW, Toyota, and Ferrari are separated by only 17 points at the top of the Manufacturers’ standings, having swept every Hypercar podium so far.
BMW arrives with serious momentum after a historic one-two in the Ardennes, but they face a mountain of competition. Toyota, which dominated from 2018 to 2022, showed their class at Imola, while Ferrari has claimed the latest three editions of this legendary race. With double points on offer, this weekend in northern France is set to be a defining moment for the championship.
Elsewhere, the LMGT3 field is in rude health with a 25-car entry, the largest ever seen in the FIA WEC. Manthey and Porsche arrive as the ones to beat, holding a 100 per cent success rate in the class at this event, though they will be hunted by a massive group of rivals including Ferrari, Corvette, and Aston Martin. The action begins on 10 June, with the race starting at 16:00 CEST on Saturday, 13 June.
