Step into the history of Le Mans

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the oldest and biggest car races in the world. In 1923, the first race was held on the regular public roads around Le Mans and along the river Le Sarthe. Today, more than 250,000 spectators and 2,500 journalists attend every year. Until 1970 there was the famous Le Mans start, where the drivers had to run to their cars after the starting signal. Several classes compete, with the Hypercar as the top category. Since 2018 the circuit has been modernized, which was badly needed because of the many dramatic accidents. Until then, speeds of nearly 400 kilometers per hour were reached.

Graham Hill at Le Mans on his way to victory for the Triple Crown

Triple Crown of Motorsport: the ultimate achievement

The 24 Hours of Le Mans, together with the Indy 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix, is part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport. Many drivers see winning these races as the ultimate achievement. Fernando Alonso, Jacques Villeneuve and Juan Pablo Montoya came close, but only Graham Hill (father of Damon Hill) has all three races on his record.

A Bentley 4 1/2 Litre by Vanden Plas wins Le Mans in 1928 from the Louwman Museum

Bentley 4 1/2 litre Vanden Plas Le Mans 1928

From the very first 24 hour race in 1923, Bentley was already on the grid. And in 1924 Bentley took the first of a total of five victories. A Bentley 4 1/2 Litre by Vanden Plas wins Le Mans in 1928. This example was built by Bentley for the private market.

Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Le Mans Touring 1933

With this car designed by Touring, the legendary driver from Monaco Louis Chiron takes part in Le Mans for the Scuderia in 1933. It is the year that Alfa Romeo hands over the racing department to former works driver Enzo Ferrari, who sets up his own team, the Scuderia Ferrari.

Lagonda V12 Le Mans Works Team Car 1939

This Lagonda V12 is the class winner at Le Mans in 1939. Bentley modifies the V12 and increases the original 180 hp to 206. Because of its starting number, the car is nicknamed 'Old Number 5'.

Lagonda M45R Le Mans 1935

With hardly any oil in the engine and with damaged steering, caused by a collision in a downpour with a spinning Aston Martin, this Lagonda won in 1935 with only one lap to spare. This Lagonda still has its original upholstery and bodywork.

Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti 1954

This 750 Monza is the first racing Ferrari to be fitted with disc brakes. The car was designed by Dino Ferrari and built by coachbuilder Scaglietti. Big names such as Mike Hawthorn and Maurice Trintignant drove this racer to countless successes. With the Dreyfus/Lucas team, this car also took part in the tragically fated 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955.

Aston Martin Nimrod Le Mans 1982

In 1981 Nimrod Racing Automobiles builds five Group C racers on a Lola chassis with a 5.3 liter eight cylinder engine prepared by tuning company Tickford. In 1982 they achieve seventh place at Le Mans, and in 1983 Nimrod goes bankrupt.

Jaguar D-Type XKD 606 Le Mans 1957

In 1957, Jaguar wins the 24 Hours of Le Mans with this D-Type XKD 606. So in 1957, the XKD 606 completes the hat trick for Jaguar with three consecutive Le Mans victories. The car covered a record distance of 4,397 kilometers at an average speed of 183 km/h, a record that stood for four years.

Mazda 737C Le Mans 1985

This Mazda 737C, equipped with a twin rotor Wankel engine, took third place in its class at Le Mans in 1985. It marked the beginning of a successful period; in 1991 Mazda even managed to win the Le Mans race outright with a 787B fitted with a four rotor Wankel engine.

Toyota TS-010 Le Mans 1993

In 1992, Toyota took part in the Le Mans race with a new TS0101 and finished in second place. For Le Mans 1993, three lighter and more powerful versions were built, including the car in the museum that was driven by the Dutchman Jan Lammers.

Toyota TS050 HYBRID WEC 2019

The Toyota TS050 HYBRID with starting number 7 won the 2019-2020 World Endurance Championship. With a lap time of 3:14.791, this car still holds the record for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.