24 Hours of Le Mans

The 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: 24 Heures du Mans) is the world's oldest active sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, France. It is one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world and is often called the "Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency".

History

The first 24 Hours of Le Mans happened on the 26-27 May which went through the public roads. It was originally planned to be a three-year event which would be awarded the Rudge-Whitworth Triennial Cup, with a winner being declared over the three consecutive events which had the fastest distance over three races. André Lagache and René Léonard would take the overall win from the three events with them finishing 279 laps over the three events.

After seven years without an edition and the drivers wanting another 24 Hours event to add to the Spa 24 Hours that was the only endurance event. The circuit was shortened to 13.5 kilometres as a permanent race track to stay away from the suburb of Le Mans. In the first event back from a hiatus, it was Raymond Sommer and Luigi Chinetti who would take it a record distance, before they became the first pair to do it back to back after winning the 1933 edition. Despite the 1936 event running without any of the main factory-backed squads, French and Italian drivers and teams dominated the event until 1939 where the Second World War brought an end to all sport in Europe.

The event came back in 1949 after the facilities had to rebuilt from the bombings saw a private team take out the first edition back with Henri Louveau and Juan Jover taking the race from the Ferrari who wouldn't win until five years later. Another two private teams took out the next two editions before Mercedes-Benz took home the first Le Mans title in 1952 with Theo Helfrich and Helmut Niedermayr. 1953 would see the first time that the 24 Hours would be under a series with the World Sportscar Championship holding an event at Le Mans. This made manufacturers like Ferrari and Porsche to send cars to try and gain points for the overall title. Despite Jaguar not entering the Le Mans, it was Briggs Cunningham team would take out the edition as they became the first all non-European team to take it out.

Winners

Year	Drivers	Team	Car	Tyre	Laps	Distance
1923	André Lagache René Léonard	Chenard & Walcker SA	Chenard & Walcker Sport 3-Litre	M	128	2209.536 km
1924	Capt. John F. Duff Frank Clement	Duff & Aldington	Bentley 3 Litre Sport	D	120	2077.341 km
1925	Gérard de Courcelles André Rossignol		Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6	D	129	2233.982 km
1932	Raymond Sommer Luigi Chinetti	Raymond Sommer	Alfa Romeo 8C 2300	E	217	2940.538 km
1933	Raymond Sommer Luigi Chinetti	Soc. Anon. Alfa Romeo	Alfa Romeo 8C 2300MM	E	233	3144.038 km
1934	Philippe Étancelin Tazio Nuvolari	Soc. Anon. Alfa Romeo	Alfa Romeo 8C 2300	E	213	2886.938 km
1935	Pierre Louis-Dreyfus Henri Stoffel	Pierre Louis-Dreyfus	Alfa Romeo 8C 2300	E	223	3020.351 km
1936	Jean Sébilleau Jean Desvignes	Jean Desvignes	Bugatti Type 44	E	205	2777.137 km
1937	Jean-Pierre Wimille Robert Benoist	Roger Labric	Bugatti Type 57G Tank	D	243	3287.938 km
1938	Jean Prenant André Morel	Jean Prenant	Talbot T150SS Coupe	D	235	3180.94 km
1939	Jean-Pierre Wimille Pierre Veyron	Jean-Pierre Wimille	Bugatti Type 57C Tank	D	248	3354.76 km
1949	Henri Louveau Juan Jover	Henri Louveau	Delage D6S-3L	E	235	3178.299 km
1950	Louis Rosier Jean-Louis Rosier	Louis Rosier	Talbot Lago Grand Sport T26	D	256	3465.12 km
1951	Peter Walker Peter Whitehead	Peter Walker	Jaguar XK-120C	D	267	3611.193 km
1952	Theo Helfrich Helmut Niedermayr	Daimler-Benz A.G.	Mercedes-Benz W194	C	277	3733.839 km
1953	Phil Walters John Fitch	Briggs Cunningham	Cunningham C5-R	D	299	3993.931 km
1954	José Froilán González Maurice Trintignant	Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari 375 Plus	P	302	4061.15 km