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24 Hours of Le Mans: rules, classes, history and the protagonists of 2025
By Riccardo Tafà| Posted June 13, 2025 | In WEC
By Riccardo Tafà| Posted June 13, 2025 | In WEC
24 Hours of Le Mans: rules, classes, history and the protagonists of 2025
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, part of the WEC World Championship, is the ultimate endurance race-a combination of technical innovation, human challenge and pure excitement. Each edition tells a unique story of speed, endurance and strategy.
The Circuit de la Sarthe and the race format
The race takes place on a track approximately 13.6 km long, combining public roads and permanent segments, with very long straights such as the Mulsanne Straight, complex turns and surface variations.
Start: Saturday at 4 p.m. End: Sunday same time, after 24 hours of running. The distances covered often exceed 5,000 km .
Weekend milestones: testing, qualifying, Hyperpole, pit stops and strategy-a technical and human marathon.
Classes and technical regulations
Hypercar
21 cars entered: these include the Ferrari, Toyota, Porsche, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, Peugeot and Aston Martin brands (last debuting the Valkyrie).
Technologies: two technical formulas-LMH (proprietary chassis and engine) and LMDh (standard chassis + common hybrid).
Rules: minimum weight 1,030 kg, power limited to 500 kW, Michelin tires exclusively.
LMP2
17 endothermic prototypes (Oreca dominant), ideal for private teams and young talent.
Pilot classification system: combinations of Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze .
LMGT3
24 cars derived from series production: famous brands such as Ferrari, McLaren, Aston, Porsche, Corvette, Mercedes, Lexus, Ford .
Crew levels: mix of Pro and Gentleman drivers, with Bronze Driver presence mandatory in GT classes .
Innovations and technical curiosities
- Disc brakes (1953): Jaguar introduced this innovation at Le Mans, dominating the race with greater resistance to overheating .
- Advanced aerodynamics (1960s): first wings to increase downforce in cornering, a competitive leap from purely linear speed ([as.com][6]).
- Diesel and Hybrid Technology: Audi won with the R10 TDI (diesel) in 2006 and with the R18 e-tron quattro (hybrid) in 2012, marking the beginning of a new era .
Unique moments and timeless protagonists
Jacky Ickx and the “Le Mans-style” start (1969)
He refused the dramatic walking start, calmly got into his car, put on his seatbelt and drove off in reverse. Vince, convinced the organizers to change the format.
The Ford-Ferrari Rivalry (1966)
Celebrated in the film “Le Mans ’66”: Ford decided to challenge Ferrari on power and technology, achieving a legendary 1-2-3 with the GT4.
The champagne toast (1967)
Dan Gurney opened the champagne by splashing the attendees: from there a tradition was born that is unmissable in all motor sports.
Participants 2025: the complete grid
Total entries: **62 cars** – Hypercar (21), LMP2 (17), LMGT3 (24).
186 drivers, with famous names and mixed crews by usual technical and economic combination.
Hypercars: the big boys on the track
Brands featured: Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche, Toyota (8 manufacturers).
Some crews (by way of example):
- N 50 Ferrari AF Corse: Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen (2024 winners).
- No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota: Jenson Button (former F1), Sébastien Bourdais, Alex Lynn.
- N 12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota: first overall pole position for Cadillac, driven by Alex Lynn, Norman Nato and Will Stevens.
The Most Famous Pilots
19 former F1 drivers: Jenson Button, Kevin Magnussen, Antonio Giovinazzi, Robert Kubica, Stoffel Vandoorne, Paul di Resta, Felipe Nasr, Pascal Wehrlein.
Nepo babies and legendary families : Mick Schumacher, Eduardo Barrichello, Pietro Fittipaldi .
Celebrity: Valentino Rossi returns for the second time .
Hyperpole 2025e deployment
Debut of the Hyperpole format over two days: Cadillacs number 12 and 38 start on the front row for the first time in history
The Future of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Extension of Hypercar regulation until 2032, allowing continuity and investment by manufacturers .
Implementation of “sustainable fuels,” greater push toward hybrid and hydrogen engines.
Garage 56 will continue to be a vehicle for experimentation-who knows, Mercedes or Hyundai, entering 2026 with the Genesis Brand might debut Extreme-E or Gen3 technologies.
Why the 24 Hours of Le Mans represents the pinnacle of endurance racing
- Cutting-edge engineering: from physical innovations to sustainable fuels, Le Mans dictates the future of the car.
- Extraordinary human performance: crews, mechanics, strategists-each corresponds to a key piece of the race.
- 3. Storytelling and passion: historical rivalries, pit-stop celebrations, debuts, comebacks-humanity behind speed.
- Global visibility-a powerful mix for sponsors seeking passionate audiences, technology and sustainability.
Opportunities for brands and sponsors
- Exclusive participation with Mercedes, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Cadillac.
- Multi-channel storytelling by integrating celebrity pilots, innovation, sustainability, and human events.
- Elite hospitality with premium packages and customized content.
- Digital engagement : social content with ex-F1, celeb and cutting-edge technologies.
Riccardo Tafà
Managing Director for RTR Sports, Riccardo graduated in law at the University of Bologna. He began his career in London in PR, then started working in two and four-wheelers. A brief move to Monaco followed before returning to Italy. There he founded RTR, first a consulting firm and then a sports marketing company which, eventually, he moved back to London.
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Read MoreWhy choose RTR Sports Marketing
In an era where it is possible to get anywhere with a click, there is a strong temptation to approach teams and properties directly for sponsorship projects.
By doing so, we are convinced that we are shortening the value chain, saving time and money. However, these DYI methods are anything but risk-free and what initially appears to be a competitive advantage soon turns into a problem that is difficult to resolve. That’s why there are agencies. And this is why you should rely on us for your sponsorships.
Save time and money
When first approaching a motorsport sponsorship project, it is difficult to know immediately which stakeholders are correct, what the decision flow is, and what the right timelines are for each process. Motorsport is a very specialized field of action, and fitting effectively into its paths can take a lot of time and therefore money. We, on the other hand, know referents and spheres of action and know who to talk to, when and how. So you are also more effective.
The right information, the right choice
Motorsport is an immense passion, and for our heart colors we would be willing to do anything. But business is a different business, and it is important to make the best possible strategic decisions based on independent research, statistics and reliable data. A motorsport sponsorship agency like RTR has an objective, 360-degree picture of the scenario and can tell you what is really best for you: which racing series, which athlete, which team. This is because we possess a great deal of data and information on ratings, segmentation and attitudes. Because the numbers don’t lie. Never.
Activations are the beating heart
Activations are the real heart of motorsport sponsorship. Without them, there remains only a blank sticker on a motorcycle, car or uniform and no contact with the public, no emotional connection, no impact on the bottom line. Then how do you do it? It certainly won’t be the teams or the athletes who will help you leverage sponsorship and enjoy the many marketing rights you have paid for. To bring out the best in a motorsport marketing project, you need an agency that knows how to use sponsorship to engage the fanbase online, to reach out to Shopping Centers, to organize hospitality, to develop B2B and B2C opportunities, and to get “your” athletes in front of millions of potential consumers.
Objective measurements for a certain return
Would you ever go to the dealer who sold you the car and ask if the competitor’s car is better? No, of course. So, how do you expect to get firm measurements of the effectiveness of your sponsorship if you do not rely on someone super partes? At RTR, we have always worked with independent third-party agencies that allow us to know the return on any exposure of your brand on TV and in the media. In addition, we believe in calculating ROI as the ultimate measure of your success-so we can tell you for every penny you spend how much you are making.
Sit back, relax, we’ll take care of it
We have been involved in motorsport sponsorship and sports marketing for more than 15 years. We are consultants in the sense that our goal is to maximize your investment, but we are also an agency that manages the project from start to finish. We have been doing this since 1995 with passion and professionalism, following three principles that have become cornerstones of our business: independence, verticality and transparency.
I would like to highlight the fact that one of the qualities of RTR is its great ability to approach the sponsorship scenario strategically, together with its passionate attitude, its amazing enthusiasm for solving problems, and its high level of professionalism.
Gianluca Degliesposti
Executive Director Server&Storage EMEA
Eurosport is truly delighted with its business relationship with Riccardo Tafà, who has become extremely popular, thanks to his detailed knowledge of the sports marketing sector and his highly diligent attitude to work.
Francois Ribeiro
Commercial Director
Passion and Expertise are the features that I have found in RTR since the very beginning. Serious and reliable professionals but also very helpful, nice and open-mind people, willing to listen and compare different ideas. All the values in which RTR believes make this agency a partner, not just a supplier, a partner with whom we have had the opportunity to achieve significant commercial results in term of success and image.
Luca Pacitto
Head of Communication
We have been working with RTR Sports Marketing for over 10 years. The objectives and the programmes of collaboration continue to be renewed and to grow with mutual satisfaction. I believe RTR is a team of great professionals led by Riccardo Tafà, who I consider a manager of exceptional skills and with a great passion for his work.
Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal
I have known and worked with Riccardo Tafà since 1995 when we collaborated for the first time on a project for the Williams Formula 1 team. Several clients followed. After leaving Williams to work for Gerhard Berger then owner of the Toro Rosso F1 Team, I turned again to Riccardo to seek his help in finding a tool supplier for the team and Riccardo duly obliged with an introduction to USAG, a partnership with Toro Rosso which endured for five years. I recently started a new role as Group Commercial Director for the renowned Andretti Autosport organisation and I find myself working with Riccardo once again on a number of interesting projects. Why has this relationship with Riccardo endured ? He’s smart, knows the commercial side of sport inside out and back to front and he’s honest and trustworthy. Riccardo Tafà is a “doer” not a “talker”: in over 20 years I have never had a dispute either with him or with a company that he has introduced and each partnership introduced by Riccardo has delivered quantifiable ROI to rights holder and sponsor alike. I can think of no better testimonial of Riccardo’s diligence, knowledge, contact base and hard work than that.
Jim Wright
Group Commercial Director
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