Ferrari may be struggling in Formula One, but the Italian marque heads into this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans as the favorite, eyeing a third straight victory in endurance racing’s crown jewel.
Tennis legend Roger Federer will serve as the celebrity starter, waving the flag to kick off the 93rd edition of the legendary race at 4 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. GMT) on Saturday.
Over the next 24 hours, 21 elite hypercars will battle through daylight, darkness and dawn, covering more than 300 laps – over 4,000 kilometers – in front of a sellout crowd of 320,000 fans fueled by caffeine and beer.
Ferrari ended a 50-year hiatus with a stunning win in the centenary race in 2023 and successfully defended its title last year.
The Prancing Horse stable ended Toyota’s run of five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2022. The Japanese manufacturer now seeks to reclaim its crown 40 years after its first Le Mans appearance.
A shake-up in regulations for 2023 sparked renewed interest in the premier class. This year, Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche face stiff competition from Aston Martin, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine and Peugeot.
Ferrari’s position as the team to beat is bolstered by a strong start to the season, reeling off wins in the first three World Endurance Championship races in Qatar, Imola and Belgium.
But Antonio Fuoco, who took the checkered flag last year alongside Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, is taking nothing for granted.
“Compared to last year, everyone is closer to the other. It’s going to be a tough battle,” said the 29-year-old Italian driver.
Ferrari team manager Batti Pregliasco is wary of the threat posed by Toyota.
“The idea of winning a third Le Mans in a row would be magnificent,” he said.
“But the Toyotas are very strong here because they have the experience, the ability and the means to win.”
Nyck de Vries, who shared driving duties in the Toyota that finished second in 2024, is hungry for redemption.
“Finishing second last year was a great result, but after such a long race with so many different emotions, it felt bitter-sweet. We want to put that right this year,” said De Vries, who was summarily dropped by Red Bull’s then-AlphaTauri sister team midway through the 2023 Formula One season.
De Vries is one of several former F1 drivers – including 2009 world champion Jenson Button – lured by the chance to etch their name onto Le Mans’ roll of honor, as Fernando Alonso did for Toyota in 2018 and 2019. The veteran Spaniard joined a prestigious group that includes Graham Hill, Phil Hill and Jochen Rindt.
Joining the 21 hypercars are 17 entries in the LMP2 class and 24 in the LMGT3 category in an event that has not been without tragedy – 22 drivers have died in its history.
Le Mans, where cars have hit eye-watering speeds of up to 400 kph on the Sarthe circuit’s Mulsanne Straight, also marks the 70th anniversary of the 1955 disaster. That year, debris from Pierre Levegh’s car rained down on the crowd, killing 81 spectators – although the exact toll was never definitively established.
It serves as a somber reminder of the dangers facing the 186 drivers competing this weekend – including the all-women Iron Dames LMGT3 team of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey and Celia Martin.
The encouraging news for this brave bunch is that the French national weather service forecasts a dry and calm weekend, with no rain or storms expected as qualifying for pole position begins Thursday night.
