24 Hours of Le Mans 2027

What is the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's most famous endurance race: a day and a night of racing on the Circuit de la Sarthe, south of the French city of Le Mans. The first race was held on 26 and 27 May 1923, originally called the Grand Prix of Endurance, to test how strong and reliable ordinary cars could be over 24 hours. It is organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO).

The 2026 race drew 350,105 spectators, by the organiser's count. Toyota won for the sixth time with its #7 car, driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, which covered 5,190.33 km; 62 cars started and 13 retired.

What is new for 2027?

The 95th 24 Hours of Le Mans runs from 9 to 13 June 2027, with the race starting on Saturday 12 June. The headline news is on the grid: Ford joins the Hypercar class with two cars in the World Endurance Championship, and McLaren is preparing its own Hypercar entry, with Alex Lynn joining Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor on its driver roster.

Returning visitors will also notice that the famous Dunlop Bridge over the track has carried Goodyear branding since 2026. The full entry list, concerts and on-site activities for 2027 had not been announced when this guide was checked.

How is it organised?

Three classes race at once on the same track, which is what makes Le Mans so hard to follow and so rewarding:

• Hypercar: the fastest prototypes, from manufacturers including Toyota, Ferrari and BMW, and, from 2027, Ford.
• LMP2: prototypes for independent teams.
• LMGT3: cars based on the GT3 platform.

The week builds up to the race. Scrutineering, when the cars are checked in public, comes first; then come a Test Day, practice and qualifying sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, and the race itself from Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon.

Ordinary admission gets you onto the circuit grounds, the viewing banks and the fan areas. Grandstand seats are sold with entry as an "Entry + Grandstand Pack", and are numbered and reserved for the race on Saturday and Sunday. The paddock, the gridwalk and hospitality areas need their own tickets.

When is it, and what are the hours?

The race-day times come from the organiser's provisional schedule; times for the other days and the gate-opening hours had not been published. Check the official schedule before you travel.

Where is it held?

At the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, also called the Circuit de la Sarthe, south of the city on the road to Tours. Much of the 13.6 km lap runs on public roads that are closed for the race. The main entrance is at Place Luigi Chinetti, 72100 Le Mans, though your ticket or camping pass may direct you to a different gate.

Le Mans is about an hour by high-speed train from Paris, and there are direct trains from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. The small Le Mans-Arnage aerodrome, right beside the circuit, handles business aviation.

How do tickets work?

Tickets are sold on the organiser's ticket page, at its official stores and through official agencies. The organiser says the 2027 sales opening date "will be announced soon", and 2027 prices had not been published.

The main products are Week Race and Weekend Race admission, Paddock and Gridwalk entry, Entry + Grandstand Packs, camping passes and hospitality, from shared lounges to private suites. Camping is sold separately, and each vehicle needs its own pass.

How do I get there and get around?

From central Le Mans, take tram T1 to Antarès–Stade Marie Marvingt, which the city transport operator SETRAM says serves the circuit's East Entrance; bus 24 also stops there. By road from Paris, the A11 motorway runs to Le Mans.

On race Saturday and Sunday, park-and-ride sites at 2e RIMa and the University run shuttles to the circuit. The 2027 transport timetables, including any overnight trams, had not been published; expect the tram to be very busy before the start and after the finish.

Where can I park, and where should I stay?

Paid parking is at the Expo and Panorama car parks north of the circuit, with week, three-day, Test Day and single-day passes; single-day practice parking does not allow re-entry. Accessible parking, P3C, is inside the circuit and free, but it must be booked in advance for each day with a blue badge. There is free motorcycle parking near the East Gate. The organiser says its 2027 parking plans "are on their way".

Many fans camp. The circuit's campsites, including Houx, Beauséjour, Arnage, Mulsanne and Hippodrome, open from Friday 4 June to midday on Monday 14 June, with toilets and showers but no electrical hookups on standard pitches. Hotels in Le Mans fill quickly for race week, so book early or look further afield along the rail line.

What can I bring, and what should I wear?

The circuit's rules allow bag searches and ID checks, and ban weapons and sharp objects, glass packaging, explosives, flammable substances, fireworks and drones. No bag size limit or dress code has been published.

Practical advice, not an official rule: June weather can swing from hot sun to heavy rain, and the night is cold. Bring layers, rain gear, comfortable shoes for long walks between viewing points, and ear protection.

Children, service animals and accessibility

Children under 16 get free admission, without a grandstand seat, when they are with an adult who has a ticket; one adult can bring up to four children, and proof of age is needed. In the grandstands, children under 8 can sit on an adult's lap for free, and children aged 8 to 16 pay a special rate.

The circuit rules normally exclude animals, except in designated camping areas and for dogs accompanying holders of a disability card. Wheelchair platforms are in grandstands T13, T16, T23 and T52; the standard disability-discount seats are not wheelchair accessible.

Who goes, and what do first-timers get wrong?

The organiser describes a crowd from all over the world, with several generations sharing the experience, many of them camping all week. Corporate guests, from clients to partners and employees, watch from hospitality areas, while the campsites become a small town of their own for the week.

First-timers often confuse circuit admission with a grandstand seat, buy single-day parking and then leave, losing their space, underestimate how far it is around the circuit, and forget that a city hotel still means a tram ride each way. Decide whether you want to camp, sit in a grandstand or roam the viewing banks, book the right pass, and plan to see the night as well as the start.