24 Hours of Le Mans 2026

The Circuit de la Sarthe ranks among the most venerable venues in motorsport and is inextricably linked to the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) organized the first Grand Prix d’Endurance on May 26 and 27, 1923, a then-revolutionary concept: instead of a short sprint race, driver teams would drive continuously for 24 hours, with the distance covered determining victory or defeat. Winners of this inaugural event were Andre Lagache and Rene Leonard in a Chenard-Walcker. In the early years, the track was still completely unpaved; only in 1927 was the section from Pontlieue to Mulsanne asphalted and the first grandstands erected.

Since its founding, the organization of the race has been in the hands of the ACO, which operates and continues to develop the track and the event to this day. Over the decades, the race has been embedded in various international championships; from 1953 to 1992 it was usually part of the World Sportscar Championship, in 2011 it was part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. Today, the 24 Hours of Le Mans represents the pinnacle of the FIA World Endurance Championship and attracts the world’s most renowned automotive manufacturers year after year, including Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, and Toyota, who compete on this demanding circuit.

The Circuit de la Sarthe is a unique combination of permanent race track sections and public roads that are closed only during the race. The current layout length is 13.626 kilometers, making it one of the longest circuits in all of motorsport. The centerpiece is the legendary Ligne Droite des Hunaudieres, the Mulsanne Straight, which at approximately six kilometers is considered the longest straightaway of all active racing circuits in the world. To curb the enormous speeds on this stretch, chicanes such as the Daytona and Michelin chicanes were added over time, which significantly altered the track profile and race tactics.

The history of the circuit is also the history of spectacular speed records. At the start of the 1988 race, Roger Dorchy in the Welter Racing bullet Project 400, a vehicle designed purely for maximum speed and deliberately less reliable for that reason, was clocked by radar at 407 km/h on the Mulsanne Straight, a milestone frequently cited to this day in Le Mans history. Such moments underscore why the circuit has long been regarded as an extreme testing ground for man and machine.

With over a century of tradition, the Circuit de la Sarthe remains the gold standard in endurance motorsport. The combination of historical roots, continuous technical development, and a track layout that demands both top speed and precise braking management makes Le Mans a unique proving ground. When the lights go out again in 2026, the world’s best factory teams and drivers will face a venue that has forged legends since 1923 and will continue to demand everything from future generations of pilots.