24 Hours of Le Mans 2026: Another edition to remember

[Photos: Sergio Sérgio de Almeida Correia]

As the butterflies fly again and the birds chirp in the welcoming silence of the fields of La Sarthe, after another epic journey of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), while teams, drivers, and cars prepare to head to Brazil for the next stage, it is appropriate to analyze some figures from the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

For a circuit with a total length of 13.626 km (8.47 miles), extensive straights, and 38 curves, occupying a variable area of between 3 and 4 square kilometers, 1,200 public employees, 478 military personnel from the Gendarmerie Nationale, 250 national police officers, 25 municipal police officers, 30 military personnel from Operation Sentinelle, 70 health professionals (including 20 to 25 doctors), and 1 helicopter were mobilized, with 1,300 people receiving assistance.

At an event of this magnitude, only 4 drivers were fined for speeding and 4 drivers were sanctioned for drunk driving.

This year, 350,105 spectators attended the Le Mans 24 Hours, which is equivalent to the entire population of the city permanently remaining at the circuit. The race had 48 leaders and covered 5,190.033 km, at an average speed of 215.8 km/h (134.1 mph). In the LMP2 class, there were 52 leadership changes, and there were 48 in LMGT3. At the end of 24 hours, the winner finished with a lead of just over 10 seconds over second place. There was no way to get bored.

This year’s fastest lap was set by the Toyota TR010 Hybrid, which completed its 306th lap in 3:25.041. This is 1.022 seconds faster than last year’s record, but still far from the fabulous 3:14.791 set by Kamui Kobayashi in 2017. The record for the distance covered dates back to 2010 and continues to belong to Romain Dumas, Timo Bernhard, and Mike Rockenfeller in the Audi R15 TDI plus, at 5,410.713 km (397 laps).

There are ten tram and shuttle lines to transport spectators free of charge to various points around the circuit. The fireworks and drone show could contend with any Macau competition for many years to come. Between Wednesday and Saturday, there are live rock and pop music shows by renowned musicians and bands. The pits are open to the public, as is the track on certain days, and the circuit can be explored on foot, roller skates, bicycles, scooters, or skateboards – whatever is most convenient.

Of the 62 cars that started, only 13 did not finish, a sign of the vehicles’ exceptional reliability and endurance.

The vehicle that reached the highest speed was the No. 38 Cadillac from the Hypercar class, driven by Earl Bamber, which was timed at 351.8 km/h (218.6 mph) on the Mulsanne straight. In LMP2, the No. 14 TDS Racing car, the Oreca 07-Gibson, reached 326.5 km/h, and in LMGT3, the fastest was the No. 79 Mercedes-AMG of Iron Lynx, which reached 304.5 km/h.

In the 94th edition, there were 16 former Formula 1 drivers present, 13 of whom competed in Hypercars, 2 in LMP2, and 1 in LMGT3. The races of the European Le Mans Series, Porsche Super Cup Brazil, and Ferrari Challenge were in themselves another spectacle within the packed program.

With the withdrawal of the Iron Dames team from the competition, only 2 women were at the start of this year’s race: Doriane Pin, 22, a Mercedes F1 development driver who competed in LMP2 for the Duqueine team alongside Richard Verschoor and Julien Andlauer, and Lilou Wadoux in LMGT3, driving the No. 150 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari.

The gastronomic and entertainment offerings within the circuit perimeter remain impressive. And I’m not referring to the dozens of VIP areas hosted by sponsors and teams. There are over 80 restaurants, many with live music, offering top-quality food – from salads to the best grilled steaks, delicious, well-stuffed sandwiches with impeccable bread, magnificent ice cream and desserts, churros, exquisite sweets, and fruit salads, to roast suckling pig. These venues, including various osterias, always use fresh products ranging from traditional to the most refined cuisine, with complete menus that generally cost between 20 and 50 euros. Drinks, including natural juices, beers, and wines, are available at more affordable prices – within the circuit – than in many Macau restaurants during the off-season.

[Photos: Sergio Sérgio de Almeida Correia]

It would be good if the Macau Grand Prix organization one day sent someone to the 24 Hours of Le Mans to understand the secret of its warm welcome, excellent food, and public satisfaction. That’s why there aren’t long stretches of empty stands on race day – quite the opposite of what is regularly seen here, and was even seen last year, right in front of the pits.

There are things that can only be done well by learning from those who know best and gaining experience abroad. But for that, one cannot be averse to change and to foreigners. Sergio Sérgio de Almeida Correia, MDT, Le Mans