Online - Celebrating Le Mans 24 Hours

It’s time again for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, held near the city of Le Mans in France, this year in its 93rd edition. Widely considered to be one of the most prestigious motor races in the world, it’s one of the races  - along with the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 - which makes up the Triple Crown of Motorsport. Unlike fixed-distance races whose winner is determined by minimum time, the race at Le Mans is won by the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours.

2025 marks 60 years since the Rover BRM gas turbine, on display at the British Motor Museum, competed at the race for the second time. The endurance race was first invented to create a test for manufacturers to prove their sporty and reliable cars, therefore it was a great opportunity for Rover to demonstrate their fledgling turbine technology. Jointly developed by Rover and British Racing Motors (BRM), and piloted by BRM F1 drivers Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart, it survived the 24 hours at an average speed of 98.8 mph (159 km/h), achieving 10th place, the highest placed British car that year.

British manufacturers and teams have found a great deal of success at the race, with outright wins for the likes of Jaguar, Aston Martin, Bentley, McLaren, as well as the British built Ford GT40. In 1933, the Coventry based Singer Motors entered their Singer Nine at Le Mans, finishing 13th overall in a race where more cars retired than finished. To celebrate this achievement, 71 Singer 1 ½ litre Le Mans were built, the first of which is on display here at the Museum. 

2025 also marks 20 years since the last time a TVR entered the race with their 400bhp Tuscan T400R GT. Started in 1947 by Trevor Wilkinson, whose first name was the basis of the company’s name, TVR began making fibreglass bodied, tubular frame cars, using off-the-shelf engines. Whilst the Tuscan T400R still used a tubular frame, this was combined with a modern, carbon fibre monocoque, roll cage and TVR’s own Speed 6 engine, powering it to over 200 mph (322 kmh) down the Mulsanne Straight.
British manufacturers Aston Martin and McLaren will both be represented at the 2025 edition held across the 14th and 15th of June at the Circuit de la Sarthe. The McLaren 720s and the Aston Martin Vantage are being driven in the LMGT3 class whilst the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar, which is built in Gaydon, will challenge for the outright win. 

Challenge: What are your memories of Le Mans - do you have a favourite car, team or driver? Have you ever been to the circuit for the main race, Le Mans Classic or even driven on the public road section? 

Thanks for reading and share your memories and photos on our social media pages - don’t forget to use the hashtag #ExploringBMM!

Don't forget to check out our next art exhibition: The Gallery 2025! Run in collaboration with Historic Car Art, this exciting display features nineteen of the UK's most creative motoring artists across an array of different mediums, from watercolour to sculpture. Learn more about the exhibition here.