24 Hours of Le Mans

Picture from this championship

Les Ving Quatre Heures du Mans is the oldest and most famous sportscar race in the world. First Le Mans was held in 1923 as an endurance test for touring cars. From that times year after year many manufacturers try to win the race because it is the best advertising for the mark..

It became a sportscar race especially after second world war when a new prototype category was introduced. First post-war race was in 1949 and brought first victory of Ferrari - the most successful make during fifties and sixties, when Ferrari scored together nine victories. So Ford gave much effort to beat Ferrari and won four times (1966-69). Ford's last victory in 1969 was the first for Jacky Ickx who is with six wins the most successful driver, and also the shortest margin of victory ahead of second Porsche. Then Porsche took a baton after Ferrari and became the most successful mark with twelve victories during seventies and eighties. Three last victory for Porsche were done by Dauer (1994) and TWR (1996-97) which were Porsche powered.

But among the winners we can find many other big manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Mercedes, Jaguar, Renault, Mazda or Peugeot. Although Le Mans was one of impulses to form World Endurance Championship during the years it wasn't always a part of WEC and also now it is organised only as an international race, it is still the most important race of the year.


    1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930
1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1937 1938 1939 1949 1950
1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000