2022 24 Hours Of Le Mans: How It Works And Where To Watch

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the biggest endurance races in the world. This is what you need to know.

By  Elizabeth Blackstock
Dean Treml/Red Bull/Getty Images

This weekend kicks off the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans, the most prestigious motor race in the world. Whether you're new to the World Endurance Championship, you haven't followed all the news in the build-up to the race, or you're an avid fan who just needs a refresher, we're here to help you follow the event.

What Is the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP/Getty Images

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is an endurance event whose winner is awarded based on the car that completes the most laps in the 24-hour time limit. The race started on public roads in Le Mans, France in 1923, and barring a long break for World War II, has continued ever since.

Along with the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix (or Formula 1 World Championship; whichever you prefer), the 24 Hours of Le Mans is part of the iconic Triple Crown of racing, which signals a mastery of various motorsport disciplines. To win at Le Mans, you not only need to have the kind of car that can compete for 24 hours, but you need to get along with your teammates and learn how to compete as a team.

The race has also become a significant proving ground for automotive technology on the endurance front.

Le Mans Class Formats

If you're new to endurance racing, the format goes a little something like this: There are multiple classes of cars competing on the grid at the same time. While every car will be given an overall placement at the finish to determine the overall winners, each class also battles for position within its specific subset of cars.

For 2022, the Le Mans classes are as follows:

  • Hypercar (5 cars): The top category and the cars expected to win the race, Hypercars are prototypes that are used to debut the highest level of manufacturer engineering.

  • LMP2 (27 cars): LMP2 is a lower tier of prototype racing, with cars built by one of four different manufacturers and a single engine supplier. This means that they're largely spec machines with the same Gibson V8 engines.

  • GTE Pro (7 cars): The GTE classes both compete in race-prepped cars that are very similar to those you'd find on the roads. GTE Pro competes with newer machinery and the most experienced drivers.

  • GTE AM (23 cars): GTE AM uses slightly older cars than GTE Pro, and the driver lineup is often composed of "newer" drivers who may not have as much experience as the Pro drivers.

The 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans Starting Lineup by Class

Hypercar

  1. No. 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing: M. Conway, K. Kobayashi, J. Lopez

  2. No. 708 Glickenhaus Racing: O. Pla, R. Dumas, L. Derani

  3. No. 709 Glickenhaus Racing: R. Briscoe, R. Westbrook, F. Mailleux

  4. No. 36 Alpine ELF Team: A. Negrão, N. Lapierre, M. Vaxiviere

  5. No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing: S. Buemi, B. Hartley, R. Hirakawa

LMP2

  1. No. 31 WRT: S. Gelael, R. Frijns, R. Rast

  2. No. 38 Jota: R. Gonzalez, A. da Costa, W. Stevens

  3. No. 41 Realteam by WRT: R. Andrade, F. Habsburg, N. Nato

  4. No. 23 United Autosports: A. Lynn, O. Jarvis, J. Pierson

  5. No. 22 United Autosports: P. Hanson, F. Albuquerque, W. Owen

  6. No. 9 Prema Orlen Team: R. Kubica, L. Deletraz, L. Colombo

  7. No. 1 Richard Mille Racing: L. Wadoux, S. Ogier, C. Milesi

  8. No. 65 Panis Racing: J. Canal, N. Jamin, J. Van Uitert

  9. No. 5 Team Penske: D. Cameron, E. Collard, F. Nasr

  10. No. 32 Team WRT: R. Ineichen, M. Bortolotti, D. Vanthoor

  11. No. 11 Duqueine Team: R. Bradley, G. Rojas, R. de Gerus

  12. No. 37 Cool Racing: Y. Ye, R. Taylor, N. Kruetten

  13. No. 28 Jota: O. Rasmussen, E. Jones, J. Aberdein

  14. No. 48 IDEC Sport: P. Lafargue, P. Chatin, P. Pilet

  15. No. 34 Inter Europol Competition: J. Smiechowski, A. Brundle, E. Gutierrez

  16. No. 24 Nielsen Racing: R. Sales, M. Bell, B. Hanley

  17. No. 35 Ultimate: J. Lahaye, M. Lahaye, F. Heriau

  18. No. 44 ARC Bratislava: M. Konopka, B. Viscaal, T. Vautier

  19. No. 39 Graff Racing: E. Trouillet, S. Page, D. Droux

  20. No. 3 DKR Engineering: L. Horr, J. Glorieux, A. Cougnaud

  21. No. 47: Algarve Pro Racing: S. Floersch, J. Falb, J. Aitken

  22. No. 83 AF Corse: F. Perrodo, N. Nielsen, A. Rovera

  23. No. 27 CD Sport: C. Cresp, M. Jensen, S. Palette

  24. No. 43 Inter Europol Competition: D. Heinemeier-Hansson, F. Sherer, P. Fittipaldi

  25. No. 10 Vector Sport: N. Müller, R. Cullen, S. Bourdais

  26. No. 13 TDS Racing x Valliante: P. Cimadomo, M. Beche, T. van der Helm

  27. No. 45 Algarve Pro Racing: S. Thomas, J. Allen, R. Binder

GTE Pro:

  1. No. 92 Porsche GT Team: M. Christensen, K. Estre, L. Vanthoor

  2. No. 63 Corvette Racing: A. Garcia, J. Taylor, N. Catsburg

  3. No. 91 Porsche GT Team: G. Bruni, R. Lietz, F. Makowiecki

  4. No. 64 Corvette Racing: T. Milner, N. Tandy, A. Sims

  5. No. 51 AF Corse: A. Pier Guidi, J. Calado, D. Serra

  6. No. 52 AF Corse: M. Molina, A. Fuoco, D. Rigon

  7. No. 74 Riley Motorsports: F. Fraga, S. Bird, S. Van Gisbergen

GTE Am

  1. No. 98 Northwest AMR: P. Dalla Lana, D. Pittard, N. Thiim

  2. No. 57 Kessel Racing: T. Kimura, F. Schandorff, M. Jensen

  3. No. 54 AF Corse: T. Flohr, F. Castellacci, N. Cassidy

  4. No. 85 Iron Dames: R. Frey, M. Gatting, S. Bovy

  5. No. 77 Dempsey-Proton Racing: C. Ried, S. Priaulx, H. Tincknell

  6. No. 61 AF Corse: L. Prette, C. Grunewald, V. Abril

  7. No. 86 GR Racing: M. Wainwright, R. Pera, B. Barker

  8. No. 56 Team Project 1: B. Iribe, O. Millroy, B. Barnicoat

  9. No. 46 Team Project 1: M. Cairoli, M. Pedersen, N. Leutwiler

  10. No. 79 WeatherTech Racing: C. MacNeil, J. Andlauer, T. Merrill

  11. No. 99 Hardpoint Motorsport: A. Haryanto, A. Picariello, M. Rump

  12. No. 59 Inception Racing: A. West, C. Ledogar, M. Klein

  13. No. 21 AF Corse: S. Mann, C. Ulrich, T. Vilander

  14. No. 55 Spirit of the Race: D. Cameron, M. Griffin, D. Perel

  15. No. 75 Iron Lynx: P. Ehret, C. Hook, N. Varrone

  16. No. 66 JMW Motorsport: R. van der Zande, M. Kvamme, J. Hart

  17. No. 777 D'Station Racing: S. Hoshino, T. Fuji, C. Fagg

  18. No. 88 Dempsey-Proton Racing: F. Poordad, M. Root, J. Heylen

  19. No. 33 TF Sport: B. Keating, H. Chaves, M. Sorensen

  20. No. 60 Iron Lynx: C. Shiavoni, A. Balzan, R. Giammaria

  21. No. 93 Proton Competition: M. Fassbender, M. Campbell, Z. Robichon

  22. No. 80 Iron Lynx: M. Cressoni, G. Fisichella, R. Heitstand

  23. No. 71 Spirit of the Race: F. Dezoteux, P. Ragues, G. Aubry

How to Watch the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans

In America, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is exclusively available on the MotorTrend TV channel or the MotorTrend+ streaming app. Coverage starts on Saturday, June 11 at 9:30 a.m. ET, and you'll be able to watch flag-to-flag action. If you're a MotorTrend+ subscriber, you'll also be privy to dashcam streams and other special presentations throughout the race.

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