The 93rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans concluded with familiar colours at the top step. Ferrari's #83 499P Hypercar, piloted in part by ex-F1 driver Robert Kubica, secured the overall win, marking a hat-trick of victories since its 2023 comeback.
Sixty-two cars graced the 13.6-kilometre Circuit de la Sarthe, twisting through 38 turns, for 24 relentless hours of noise, attrition and teamwork. The yellow Ferrari edged past Porsche in the final hours, delivering another win to Maranello in a race that could've easily gone either way.
Porsche wasn't too far behind. The Penske-run 963 finished second, followed by Ferrari's own #51 and #50 cars—meaning three Ferraris in the top four.
In the LMGT3 class, Porsche tasted success via the #92 Manthey Racing 911 GT3 R. In LMP2, Inter Europol Competition's #43 Oreca 07 emerged victorious after a fault-free run.
Hypercars Everywhere, Including a Valkyrie
Twenty-one Hypercars took the start, featuring everything from twin-turbo V6 hybrids to naturally aspirated V12S that sounded like thunder and occasionally broke down like household plumbing. Cadillac fielded four V-Series R entries—each one with a 5.5-litre V8 producing upwards of 670 bhp and 820 Nm.
Not to be outdone in decibels, Aston Martin debuted the Valkyrie LMH. With a 6.5-litre Cosworth V12 screaming up to 11,000 rpm, both entries finished the race—no small feat for a machine that started life on the road. They even managed to beat BMW's M Hybrid V8 and one of Toyota's GR010s, which probably didn't amuse the Japanese team.
Toyota, Peugeot, Alpine and BMW were all present in the Hypercar ranks. Peugeot's radical 9X8 returned, while Alpine fielded its A424 and Mick Schumacher in the #36 car. Kevin Estre, Jenson Button and Antonio Giovinazzi also featured across various top-level efforts.
Elsewhere in the Field
Seventeen cars contested the LMP2 category—all Oreca 07s, all dependable. The LMGT3 field was more colourful: 24 cars from manufacturers like Ferrari, Ford, Porsche and Lexus battled through the night. The Ford Mustang LMGT3 and the Lexus RC F added some variety, even if outright pace was lacking.
Notably absent was the Garage 56 entry—a shame. There's always something charming about a wildcard.
And Finally…
Among the new faces and returning icons, Peugeot also revealed its reborn 208 GTi—though it may not be quite what traditionalists hoped. Also seen for the first time was the Porsche 963 'RSP' road car. It resembles a race car, sounds slightly less intimidating, and will likely cost more than a small house in Mumbai.
