THE MONACO GRAND Prix may be motorsports world’s most pretentious race, the Indy 500 its most historical, the Daytona 500 is a line up of thunder, but the 24-Hours of Le Mans wins the award for most majestic—and, therefore, the most important to race car drivers, manufacturers and motorsports fans worldwide.

“Life itself is a race, marked by a start and a finish,” Ferdinand Porsche once said. “It is what we learn during the race, and how we apply it, that determines whether our participation has had particular value. If we learn from each success and each failure and improve ourselves through this process, then, at the end, we will have fulfilled our potential and performed well.” Enzo Ferrari was less philosophical: “I have, in fact, no interest in life outside racing cars.” Enzo Ferrari led an intense life, and spent it traveling from Modena to Maranello, Turin and Milan with a single goal in mind: building racing cars to compete.

Great car manufacturers all race. Ferrari and Porsche might not exist without competition. Ford and Chevrolet have spent millions using it as a marketing tool and engineering proving ground, and Honda’s founder was racing long before he built his first machine. Racing is the constant search for the weakest link. “The perfect racing car crosses the finish line first and subsequently falls into an array of fragmented parts.”—Ferdinand Porsche

24 Hours of Le Mans: Porsche 19 wins with Six Legendary Cars. Porsche’s 19 wins make it the most successful automaker to race at Le Mans. Followed by Audi: Audi R18 holds 13 wins under its belt. Last year’s winner, Toyota, has four victories.

As a Le Mans record winner, Porsche built upon its track record on the tradition-steeped 13.626-kilometre circuit. With 19 overall victories and a total of 109 class wins, the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer is the undisputed leader in the almost 100-year history of the world’s most famous long-distance race. Porsche’s success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is unmatched. In honor of the marque’s return to the race at the highest level. “The last car that will be built: will be a race car.”—Ferdinand Porsche

The 24-Hours of Le Mans has provided a rich tapestry of motorsport memories, starting with the first race held there in 1923. A combination of permanent track and public roads that are temporarily closed for the race and conducted nonstop for 24-hours, Le Mans, is unique and truly captivating in all the world of motorsports.

It’s the event that changed motorsport forever and remains the pinnacle of competitive racing as we know it. This year the 24-Hour Le Mans marks an anniversary as the most distinguished and prestigious race is set to turn 100. March 2023 will mark a century of competition at this legendary and mythical track set in northwest France.

The magic of Le Mans is something no other race has or will manage to replicate; its uniqueness is attributed to its originality.

What started in 1923 as a race for small European manufacturers and aristocratic drivers evolved into a proving ground for the world’s biggest carmakers. It’s where Bentley and Porsche would prove their mettle; Ford would crush Ferrari to settle a beef, and, in 1955, fast cars and an even faster track claim 80 lives in the worst crash in motorsports history. The marque feature of the nearly 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe is the 3.7-mile Mulsanne Straight, where cars regularly top 200 mph. Though a series of chicanes now hold cars back, it’s still one of the fastest stretches of track worldwide.

What makes the 24 Hours of Le Mans so charismatic, alluring, riveting, and simply intoxicating? The reality is that it’s a field of battle for the podium. Every team can have a shot at the title, each a potential threat to the other. Everyone has to be relentless, resilient, and well-prepared. “I wake up every morning and think, how far can I push this company, this team, and these race cars in the next 24 hours.” —Wolfgang Ullrich

With 186 drivers worldwide, there’s a good chance that somebody from your part of the world is racing. And with six manufacturers Porsche, Audi, Toyota, Ferrari, Chevrolet, and Aston Martin. These exceptional and unprecedented teams’ problem-solving ability is second to none, and their ability to make rapid prototype parts is again second to none. There are four separate classes, all racing against each other inside their classification and, of course, for the overall victory.

But the real reason is how grueling the 8.5-mile course is. Its size means it can be bone-dry in one spot and pouring rain in another. And the speed difference can be close to 70 mph in parts of the straight—passing, whether you are the one passing or being passed, is nerve-wracking, especially at night or in the rain—or both.

The top class is called Hypercar, and it was new last year. There are three Porsche 919 cars: three Audi R18: two Toyota Gazoo cars; two Glickenhaus 007s (both are American teams), and one Alpine Elf team. Likely the overall winner will come from those cars. That said, if they all stumble, there are 27 very fast Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) cars ready to pounce. If they all look alike, they are, as 26 of the 27 have the same ORECA chassis, and all have British-built Gibson V-8 engines.

Then there are the Le Mans GTE Pro cars, just seven in number, which are all Corvettes, Ferraris, and Porsches. All the drivers in that class are professionals. Finally, there are 23 LM GTE Am cars, which means some of the drivers are pros, and some are amateurs (Seriously? Amateurs at Le Mans? It’s true.)

These cars are identical to the GTE Pro cars and are all Ferraris, Porsches, and Aston Martins. Remember this: The Hypercar and LMP2 classes are full-blown race cars built from scratch. The GTE cars actually look like real cars and are, in fact, based on them. Don’t get hung up trying to tell one kind of car from another; let the announcers do that for you. Or you can always print out the official entry list by clicking here: With the first 24 Hours occurring in 1923, this is a race that never fails to dish up heartbreak and heroism as speed cuts through the fog of washed-out color and keeps us alert and aroused. Speed works. Speed is good: and we should have more of it, not less. “I like the competition more than the victory, the battle more than the winning.” —Andre Lotterer

“There’s a point – 7000 RPM – where everything fades. When your seeing becomes weightless, it just disappears. And all that’s left is a body moving through space and time. 7000 RPM, that’s where you meet it.” —Carroll Shelby

The Ford GT was developed with one goal: To win the GTE Pro class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the 50th anniversary of Ford’s 1966 overall victory over Ferrari — one of the greatest upsets in racing history. Taking some inspiration from the car that won those races, the GT40, featuring thoroughly modern aerodynamics, lightweight construction, and a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine, the GT won Le Mans on its first attempt in 2016. GTE Pro is the top Le Man’s class for cars based on road-legal models, so Ford went on to build GTs for customers boasting 647 horsepower and prices well into the six-figure range.

Every great story has to come to an end eventually. Ford’s class win at the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans with its GT supercar was worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster, but Ford is now ready to retire from the legendary French race. The automaker confirmed that the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans will be the last for the new GT.

Ford’s decision to cancel the Le Man’s program after the 2019 race is fitting, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of the last of the original GT40’s wins. While Ford was able to win four times in a row between 1966 and 1969, its modern Le Man’s program has yet to be as successful. The GT hasn’t won at Le Mans since 2016, although it has won other races. A 2019 class victory would allow the race program to end on a high note. Well, to be direct and candid, other tracks have separated the professionals from the amateurs, but 24 hours of Le Man Circuit de la Sarthe is the track that will separate the brave from the weak after the amateurs are gone: you see, to achieve anything in this game you must be prepared to dabble in the boundary of disaster.

The GT will bow out with retro liveries celebrating Ford’s history at Le Mans, something the automaker previously did with Heritage Edition versions of the GT road car. The No. 66 car will wear a black livery based on the 1966 Le Man’s-winning GT40, while the No. 69 car’s livery will be based on the car that came second that year. The No. 67 GT will wear the colors of the 1967 Le Man’s winner, and the No. 68 car will wear the red, white, and blue livery from the GT’s 2016 class win.

The 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place June 15-16. After that, the GT will continue to race in the United States in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship through the end of the 2019 season. However, the race program’s future is uncertain, according to Racer. This may be the end of the road for the GT, but it doesn’t mean Ford is done with Le Mans for good. In its press release announcing the end of the current Le Man’s program, Ford made a point of using the French phrase “au revoir,” which translates to “until we meet again.”

Now it’s the turn of Ferrari, returning to top-level endurance racing for the first time in 50 years with the 499P. Ferrari’s new race car will compete in the Le Mans 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship season, making its race debut at the 1000 Miles of Sebring. The Hypercar class (combining LMDh cars) will feature offerings from Peugeot, Cadillac, Toyota, and Porsche from the start, with the likes of Alpine and Lamborghini joining in 2024.

Unlike the wingless Peugeot 9X8, Ferrari has taken a more traditional approach to aerodynamics, constructing a far more aggressive set-up for the 499P. Its large rear wing is the most notable aerodynamic aid, with a central fin, open front arches, and a multi-function roof-mounted intake also making an appearance.

Nestled mid-rear within its bespoke carbon fiber monocoque chassis is a new 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 – despite similarities in specs and architecture, this unit doesn’t share parts with the road-going 296 GTB. Like the Peugeot 9X8, the V6 is assisted by a 268bhp front-mounted electric motor powered by a 900V battery pack developed using know-how from Ferrari’s Formula 1 program. As per the regulations, output from both the electric motor and combustion engine is constantly adjusted to ensure combined power doesn’t exceed 671bhp. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall. Torque is how far you take the wall with you.

The 499P’s striking livery is inspired by the 1973 312 P. Unlike the Peugeot and BMW, ties to Ferrari’s road car line-up are limited at first glance, with only the daytime running lights a clear nod to current models. At the rear, though, the 499P adopts a full-width light bar, giving it a unique lighting signature that will no doubt make it easy to spot even when the sun goes down.

Despite limited visual ties to its road cars, it’s likely that we’ll see new technology trickle down from the racer throughout the program. John Elkann, Ferrari Executive Chairman, said:” ‘When we decided to commit to this project, we embarked on a path of innovation and development, faithful to our tradition that sees the track as the ideal terrain to push the boundaries of cutting-edge technological solutions, solutions that in time will be transferred to our road cars.”

Ferrari’s driver line-up for its war horse, the 499P Hypercar, is indeed the competitors of competitors. “Anyone who has the chance to drive for Ferrari will drive for Ferrari.” —Charles Leclerc

Ferrari has revealed the names of its talented, experienced, fast, and tough drivers destined for the Hypercar class in the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary.

Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen are set to share the wheel of the #50 Ferrari 499P, and Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi will take the #51 sister car.

What sets these and all racers apart from less dare-devilish mortals is their proficiency never to panic, an overwhelming feeling of resilience, and their exhilaration of controlling something that would appear to be out of control and on the edge. They love to speed because it is dangerous. They say that life may begin at 30, but it doesn’t get really interesting until about 200MPH.

In 2015 Corvette Racing stood atop the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday as Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Jordan Taylor wrote the final chapter of a storybook comeback that ended with the team winning the GTE Pro category in their No. 64 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.

Gavin set the tone early in the race Saturday by move up three spots from seventh on the GTE Pro grid to as high as fourth in his first two stints. Milner followed with a triple stint on his Michelin tires that saw he and the Corvette move from sixth – where he slotted into the field after the leaving pit lane on his first laps – to the class lead.

From that point, the three Corvette Racing drivers figured prominently in a lead battle that saw the Corvette go up against multiple competitors in the race’s top production-based class.

The climatic moment came with less than two hours remaining. Running second at the time, Gavin caught and then quickly passed Toni Vilander, who eventually lost five laps in the garage with a mechanical issue. Victory in sight, Gavin drove a smooth final stint with no issues – a fitting end to drama-filled four days.

The trio in their No. 64 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R completed 337 laps for 2,864.50 miles in a frantic battle that eventually saw the Corvette win in class by five laps. Sunday’s victory goes along with Corvette Racing’s wins earlier this year in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

It also marked a significant turn in the fortunes for Corvette Racing in the span of four days. The No. 63 Corvette C7.R of Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Ryan Briscoe was withdrawn from the race following a hard crash with Magnussen driving. A small piece of debris inside the pedal box caused a throttle malfunction and the Corvette to skid and spin out of control. Magnussen – part of the winning line-up at both Daytona and Sebring with Garcia and Briscoe – was uninjured. Instead of folding, Corvette Racing marshaled all its effort around the remaining Corvette C7.R. In addition to the eighth victory for the Corvette brand and Corvette Racing in France, Gavin won at Le Mans for the fifth time, Milner the second, and Taylor for the first time.

“I’m obviously a little speechless about the whole thing. The goal in sports car racing and almost any kind of motorsports is to win Le Mans.” —Jordan Taylor

“It was very emotional to be in the garage with the entire team when the checkered flag dropped,” he added. “The Corvette Racing team simply never gave up.” —Mark Reuss