24 Hours of Le Mans (motorcycle race)
 | |
 | |
| FIM Endurance World Championship | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Circuit Bugatti |
| Location | 47°56′30″N 0°13′30″E / 47.94167°N 0.22500°E |
| First race | 1978 |
| Last race | 2025 |
| Duration | 24 hours |
| Most wins (driver) |  Alex Vieira (5) Grégory Leblanc (5) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) |  Suzuki (15) |
The 24 Heures Motos (often called in English the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race) is a motorcycle endurance race held annually since 1978 on the Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, Sarthe, France. The race is organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and is part of the Endurance FIM World Championship.
History
When the Bol d'Or moved from Bugatti Circuit to Circuit Paul Ricard at the end of 1977, the ACO created the 24 Heures Moto.[1] The race became one of "the classics" of endurance racing along with the 24 Hours of Liège, the 8 Hours Of Suzuka, and the Bol d'Or.
At the end of 2001, the three 24 Hour classic races (Le Mans, Liège and the Bol d'Or) withdrew from the Endurance World Championship to create the Master of Endurance. Le Mans returned to the Endurance FIM World Championship in 2006.
Race weekend format
- Thursday
Free practice sessions, 1st qualifying practice sessions (in groups) and night practice sessions
- Friday
2nd qualifying practice sessions (in groups), superpole
- Saturday
Warm-up session. 3.00 pm Le Mans start. NOTE: The traditional Le Mans start, abolished in 1970 for automobiles, is still used for motorcycles.
- Sunday
3.00 pm, finish of the race followed by the prize-giving ceremony
Winners
| Year | Riders | Bike | Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rider 1 | Rider 2 | Rider 3 | |||
| 1978 | Jean-Claude Chemarin
|
Christian Léon
|
Honda RCB 1000 | ||
| 1979 | Jean-Claude Chemarin
|
Christian Léon
|
Honda RCB 1000 | ||
| 1980 | Marc Fontan
|
Hervé Moineau
|
Honda RCB 1000 | ||
| 1981 | Jean-Claude Chemarin
|
Christian Huguet
|
Kawasaki Z 1000 J | ||
| 1982 | Pierre-Étienne Samin
|
Dominique Pernet
|
Suzuki GS 1000 R | ||
| 1983 | Gérard Coudray
|
.svg.png){kind=small} Jacques Cornu
|
Sergio Pellandini
|
Kawasaki Z 1000 R | |
| 1984 |  Dirk Brand
|
Henk Van der Mark
|
Suzuki GS 1000 R | ||
| 1985 | Bernard Millet
|
Guy Bertin
|
Philippe Guichon
|
Suzuki GSX-R 750 | |
| 1986 | Alex Vieira
|
Gérard Coudray
|
Patrick Igoa
|
Honda VFR 750 R RC30 | |
| 1987 | Alex Vieira
|
Jean-Michel Mattioli
|
Jean-Louis Battistini
|
Honda VFR 750 R RC30 | |
| 1988 | Alex Vieira
|
Jean-Michel Mattioli
|
Christophe Bouheben
|
Honda VFR 750 R RC30 | |
| 1989 | Alex Vieira
|
Jean-Michel Mattioli
|
 Roger Burnett
|
Honda VFR 750 R RC30 | |
| 1990 | Alex Vieira
|
Jean-Michel Mattioli
|
.svg.png){kind=small} Stéphane Mertens
|
Honda VFR 750 R RC30 | |
| 1991 | Philippe Monneret
|
Bruno Bonhuil
|
Rachel Nicotte
|
Yamaha YZF 750 R (FZR 750 R OW01) | |
| 1992 | Terry Rymer
|
Carl Fogarty
|
Michel Simul
|
Kawasaki ZXR 750 R | Kawasaki France |
| 1993 | Adrien Morillas
|
Brian Morrison
|
Wilfried Veille
|
Kawasaki ZXR 750 R | Kawasaki France |
| 1994 | Adrien Morillas
|
Jean-Louis Battistini
|
Terry Rymer
|
Kawasaki ZXR 750 R | Kawasaki France |
| 1995 | Alex Vieira
|
Rachel Nicotte
|
Brian Morrison
|
Honda RVF 750 R RC45 | Honda France |
| 1996 | Jehan D'Orgeix
|
 Piergiorgio Bontempi
|
Brian Morrison
|
Kawasaki ZX-7R | Kawasaki France |
| 1997 |  Doug Polen
|
Juan-Éric Gomez
|
.svg.png){kind=small} Peter Goddard
|
Suzuki GSX-R 750 | SERT |
| 1998 | Bertrand Sebileau
|
Thierry Paillot
|
 Igor Jerman
|
Kawasaki ZX-7RR | Kawasaki France |
| 1999 | Bertrand Sebileau
|
Steve Hislop
|
Chris Walker
|
Kawasaki ZX-7RR | Kawasaki France |
| 2000 | Sébastien Charpentier
|
William Costes
|
Sébastien Gimbert
|
Honda VTR RC51 | Honda France |
| 2001 | Christophe Guyot
|
Sébastien Scarnato
|
Nicolas Dussauge
|
Suzuki GSX-R 750 | GMT94 |
| 2002 | Jean-Michel Bayle
|
Sébastien Gimbert
|
Nicolas Dussauge
|
Suzuki GSX-R 750 | SERT |
| 2003 | Brian Morrison
|
Philippe Dobé
|
Vincent Philippe
|
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | SERT |
| 2004 | Stéphane Chambon
|
Keiichi Kitagawa
|
Warwick Nowland
|
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | SERT |
| 2005 |  David Checa
|
William Costes
|
Sébastien Gimbert
|
Yamaha YZF-R1 | GMT94 Yamaha |
| 2006 | Olivier Four
|
Frédéric Protat
|
Daniel Ribalta-Bosch
|
Honda CBR 1000 RR | National Moto |
| 2007 | William Costes
|
Guillaume Dietrich
|
 Max Neukirchner
|
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | SERT |
| 2008 | William Costes
|
Guillaume Dietrich
|
Barry Veneman
|
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | SERT |
| 2009 | Gwen Giabbani
|
Steve Martin
|
Igor Jerman
|
Yamaha YZF-R1 | Yamaha Austria Racing Team |
| 2010 | Julien Da Costa
|
Olivier Four
|
Grégory Leblanc
|
Kawasaki ZX-10R | Team SRC Kawasaki France |
| 2011 | Julien Da Costa
|
Olivier Four
|
Grégory Leblanc
|
Kawasaki ZX-10R | Team SRC Kawasaki France |
| 2012 | Julien Da Costa
|
Freddy Foray
|
Grégory Leblanc
|
Kawasaki ZX-10R | Team SRC Kawasaki France |
| 2013 | Grégory Leblanc
|
Fabien Foret
|
Nicolas Salchaud
|
Kawasaki ZX-10R | Team SRC Kawasaki France |
| 2014 | Vincent Philippe
|
Anthony Delhalle
|
Erwan Nigon
|
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | SERT |
| 2015 | Vincent Philippe
|
Anthony Delhalle
|
Étienne Masson
|
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | SERT |
| 2016 | Grégory Leblanc
|
Matthieu Lagrive
|
Fabien Foret
|
Kawasaki ZX-10R | Team SRC Kawasaki France |
| 2017 | Mike Di Meglio
|
David Checa
|
Niccolò Canepa
|
Yamaha YZF-R1 | GMT94 Yamaha |
| 2018 | Josh Hook
|
Freddy Foray
|
Alan Techer
|
Honda CBR 1000 RR | FCC TSR Honda France |
| 2019 | Jérémy Guarnoni
|
David Checa
|
Erwan Nigon
|
Kawasaki ZX-10RR | Team SRC Kawasaki France |
| 2020 | Josh Hook
|
Freddy Foray
|
Mike Di Meglio
|
Honda CBR 1000 RR-R | FCC TSR Honda France |
| 2021 | Gregg Black
|
Xavier Simeon
|
Sylvain Guintoli
|
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | Yoshimura SERT Motul |
| 2022 | Gregg Black
|
Xavier Simeon
|
Sylvain Guintoli
|
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | Yoshimura SERT Motul |
| 2023 | Josh Hook
|
Mike Di Meglio
|
Alan Techer
|
Honda CBR 1000 RR-R | FCC TSR Honda France |
| 2024 | Gregg Black
|
Etienne Masson
|
Dan Linfoot
|
Suzuki GSX-R 1000 | Yoshimura SERT Motul |
| 2025 |  Karel Hanika
|
Marvin Fritz
|
Jason O'Halloran
|
Yamaha YZF-R1 | Yamaha Austria Racing Team |
By manufacturer
| Rank | Wins | Manufacturer | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Suzuki
|
1982, 1984, 1985, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2024 |
| 2 | 14 | Kawasaki
|
1981, 1983, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019 |
| 2 | Honda
|
1978, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2006, 2018, 2020, 2023 | |
| 4 | 5 | Yamaha
|
1991, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2025 |
By rider
| Rank | Riders | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Vieira
|
5 | 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995 |
| Grégory Leblanc
|
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 | ||
| 3 | Jean-Michel Mattioli
|
4 | 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 |
| Brian Morrison
|
1993, 1995, 1996, 2003 | ||
| William Costes
|
2000, 2005, 2007, 2008 | ||
| 6 | Jean-Claude Chemarin
|
3 | 1978, 1979, 1981 |
| Sébastien Gimbert
|
2000, 2002, 2005 | ||
| Olivier Four
|
2006, 2010, 2011 | ||
| Julien Da Costa
|
2010, 2011, 2012 | ||
| Vincent Philippe
|
2003, 2014, 2015 | ||
| David Checa
|
2005, 2017, 2019 | ||
| Freddy Foray
|
2012, 2018, 2020 | ||
| Joshua Hook
|
2018, 2020, 2023 | ||
| Mike Di Meglio
|
2017, 2020, 2023 | ||
| Gregg Black
|
2021, 2022, 2024 |
See also
References
- ^ "22 and 23 April 1978" (in French). Lemans.org. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2008.