Motor
24 Hours of Le Mans: How to watch on TV, race categories and schedule
by Samarth Kanal
3min read
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the flagship event of the World Endurance Championship and one of the pillars of the ‘triple crown of motorsport’ – an unofficial achievement that includes winning the Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. Graham Hill is the only driver to have completed the triple crown as of 2024.
The famous Dunlop Curves at Circuit de la Sarthe
There are three classes in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, all of which comprise multiple machines that compete on the Circuit de la Sarthe that is located in Le Mans. This circuit measures 13.626 kilometres in length and features 38 turns including the Dunlop Chicane, Tertre Rouge and the Porsche Curves.
The 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place on June 7-16.
The 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans schedule
Scrutineering for this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans – in which stewards conduct technical and administrative checks – takes place in central Le Mans on Friday, June 7, and Saturday, June 8, 2024.
On Sunday, June 9, teams enter test day that includes a three-hour free practice session in the morning and another three-hour session in the afternoon. Rookie drivers must complete a minimum of 10 laps, including five timed laps, to ensure they are up to the required speed.
The field conducts another free practice session on Wednesday, June 12, before the first qualifying round – Qualifying Practice – begins.
The start of the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans
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Porsche will enter three of its 963 LMH prototypes in the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours
While the LMH regulations are published by the European FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile), Le Mans Daytona (LMDh) regulations are published by the North American body IMSA (International Motor Sports Association). LMDh cars are designed to be able to compete in the WEC and IMSA SportsCar Championship.
LMDh cars are built around a chassis - based on the LMP2 platform - from either Dallara, Multimatic, Ligier or Oreca. The cost of this base, or ‘spine’ as it is called in the regulations, is €345 000.
There are specific areas on the car in which LMDh manufacturers may develop the bodywork, including a bound area around the engine cover and the area ahead of the front-axle line.
LMDh cars must include a hybrid system. The battery is provided by Williams Advanced Engineering, while the electric motor is supplied by Bosch Motorsport. The hybrid system provides 50kW/67hp of constant output. The gearbox is supplied by Xtrac.
LMDh competitors include BMW, Lamborghini and Cadillac.
Michelin provides tyres to the LMH and LMDh cars. LMH cars are generally faster, given the rules are less constrained. Balance of Performance – weight and torque adjustments – is applied to the Hypercar class to help level out the field.
The Hypercar class is expected to compete for overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
LMP2 cars testing in Barcelona in April 2024
LMP2
LMP2s are closed-cockpit cars with no requirements for manufacturer homologation or minimum production. These cars compete not only at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but in the European Le Mans Series, Asian Le Mans Series and IMSA SportsCar Championship. They do not however compete in the non-Le Mans rounds of the World Endurance Championship.
LMP2 cars comply with FIA rules and are sold at a maximum price of €483,000. The aforementioned quartet of Dallara, Ligier, Oreca and Multimatic supply LMP2 chassis. They have a maximum length of 4,750mm, and a maximum width of 1,900mm.
Gibson supplies engines to the teams in LMP2. The 600bhp GK428 is a 4.2-litre, naturally-aspirated engine that is configured in a V8 pattern. It produces a maximum torque output of 555Nm and a maximum power output of 600bhp.
LMP2 teams compete to be the fastest in their class. While you might see an LMP2 car ahead of a Hypercar car at some point in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an LMP2 car has never won the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright.
LMGT3 cars including the Ferrari 296 GT3 racing around Imola in April 2024
LMGT3
The LMGT3 class makes its debut in 2024. This platform replaces the previous LMGTE class that debuted in 2012.
These new competitors are based on road-legal GT3 sports cars including the Porsche 911, BMW M4, Aston Martin Vantage and Ferrari 296. LMGT3 cars compete in the full WEC season along with the Hypercar class.
Amateur drivers race alongside professional drivers in the LMGT3 class, with the cars using Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) this year.
LMGT3 cars are also affected by Balance of Performance regulations to ensure a closer field. They will compete for a class victory, rather than overall victory, as they aren’t as fast around the Circuit de la Sarthe as Hypercars or LMP2 cars.
Mission H24 prototype at Le Mans in 2022
What is MissionH24?
The FIA World Endurance Championship aims to introduce a hydrogen class – H2 – in the future. Mission H24 will therefore demonstrate its H24 prototype on the Circuit de la Sarthe at 12pm on June 15, 2024, to show how zero-carbon emission cars can compete at the legendary 24-hour race.
MissionH24 will also enter its H24EVO in the Le Mans Cup – an endurance racing series – in 2025, as it aims to compete against LMGT3 cars.
How can I watch the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans?
The 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans is broadcast live via the paid official FIA WEC app.
This app can be downloaded at https://discover.fiawec.tv/.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is also broadcast live by Eurosport across Europe and in Australia. 
