The 10-day long 24 Hours of Le Mans extravaganza will kick off on Friday 7 June, with the start of the scrutineering sessions. These technical and administrative checks take place at Place de la République in central Le Mans and are one of the highlights of the Le Mans experience. Scrutineering will continue on Saturday 8 June, and there’s a surprise in store for 24 Hours of Le Mans fans in the city centre. More news on this in a few weeks’ time – watch this space!

Sunday 9 June is Test Day, when the cars will get their first taste of track action. For the second year running, there will also be a support race on Test Day, with the Ligier European Series.

After a day’s rest, there’ll be a pit walk, autograph session and the Pit Stop Challenge on Tuesday 11 June. This challenge, back for the third year running, showcases the mechanics’ skills during a series of wheel changes and is always a fan favourite.

Then, on Wednesday 12 June, the serious stuff begins! In the morning, there will be the free practice sessions for the support races, including the début of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo in La Sarthe. Then come the first Free Practice and Qualifying sessions for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The week’s first concert will take place at the circuit that evening.

Since 2020, Thursday has been Hyperpole day. This spectacular session sees 24 competitors (8 in Hypercar, 8 in LMP2 and 8 in LMGT3) go head-to-head on the 13.626-km circuit in a test of sheer speed, unimpeded by traffic. To train the spotlight on amateur drivers, this session is reserved for Bronze drivers in the LMGT3 class.

Like Tuesday, Friday 14 June will be all about the fans. After the Fun Cup in the morning, all the volunteers involved in the race will be honoured in a special ceremony on track. The track then opens to the public at 3 pm, offering spectators a rare opportunity to step out on the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit. Anyone can come along and explore the track on foot or using an eco-friendly form of transport, such as a bicycle, a kick scooter or rollerskates. From 4 pm, the ever-popular Drivers Parade organised by Classic Automotive will take to the streets of Le Mans. The day will end with another concert.

The moment everyone will have been waiting for, the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is scheduled for 4 pm on Saturday 15 June. However, there’ll be an array of entertainment in the lead-up to the main event, including a series of support races such as Road to Le Mans and the spectacular delivery of the French flag, by helicopter. At nightfall fans can look forward to a concert from Simple Minds followed by the “24 Hours of Le Mans Show”. At last year’s Centenary event, spectators were wowed by the fireworks and drone display and now the show is back with a new story to tell – the rivalry between the big manufacturers.

Meanwhile, the race goes on through the night, ending at 4 pm on Sunday 16 June. Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, Peugeot, Porsche, Alpine, BMW, Isotta Fraschini, Lamborghini... Who will lift the trophy at the end of what promises to be another historic race?

 

BRACE YOURSELVES FOR FOUR EPIC CONCERTS

One of the highlights of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the selection of top-notch bands and performers that grace the trackside stage.

For 2024, the ACO can reveal a stellar line-up of headline acts, supported by Crédit Mutuel*.

Wednesday 12 June 2024, from 8 pm: opening act followed by LOUISE ATTAQUE

Did you know? Despite being relatively unknown at the time, French rock band Louise Attaque sold a record 3 million copies of their self-titled début album in 1997. They followed that phenomenal achievement with a further four albums and toured the world, as far afield as Asia and South America. The band – Gaëtan Roussel (guitar and vocals), Robin Feix (bass) and Arnaud Samuel (violon) – released their latest album,

Planète Terre in April 2022. After a career spanning 27 years and another triumphant tour last year, Louise Attaque will be back on the road in 2024.

Thursday 13 June 2024, from 8 pm: opening act followed by BIGFLO & OLI

Les autres, c’est nous, the fourth album from French hip-hop duo Bigflo & Oli dropped in 2022, after a two-year creative journey taking them from Toulouse to Barcelona and Los Angeles. With over a billion views on YouTube, over a billion streams, over a million albums sold, three Victoires de la Musique trophies and 10 NRJ Music Awards, no one can contest Bigflo & Oli’s phenomenal success. In a few short years, they have become a landmark on the French music scene. After a sell-out tour of the country’s Zénith venues in 2023, the duo has announced a stadium tour for 2024.

Friday 14 June 2024, from 8 pm: opening act followed by OFENBACH

DJ duo Dorian and César, better known as Ofenbach, are now the most streamed French group/duo in the world. With two Diamond, 22 Platinum and 21 Gold certifications to their name, the Parisian electro duo are firmly on an upward trajectory and look set for a long and prosperous career. They are never happier than when DJ-ing on stage and touring the globe. In 2023, Ofenbach hit the road again with a brand-new set and exclusive performances across the world.

Saturday 15 June 2024, from 8 pm: opening act followed by SIMPLE MINDS

Simple Minds have enjoyed a remarkable career since the release of their début album Life in a Day in 1979. Their musical style has changed constantly over the years, but their catchy choruses and atmospheric sound soon earned them icon status in the 1980s. Along the way, they’ve had five chart-topping albums and a host of No. 1 singles on both sides of the Atlantic, sold over 60 million albums and filled stadiums around the world. Following their hugely successful “40 Years of Hits” tour in 2022, which was a sell-out at La Seine Musicale in Paris and in Lille, Bordeaux and Lyon, Simple Minds are back in France for a leg of their new “Global Tour 2024”, stopping off at the Zénith venues in Paris, Nantes, Clermont-Ferrand, Strasbourg and Dijon!

* Subject to ticket availability.