The 94th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours takes place this weekend, and as ever, Formula 1’s influence on the world’s most famous endurance race is impossible to ignore.
Across the 62-car field at the Circuit de la Sarthe are several former grand prix drivers, many of whom will be fighting for outright victory in the fiercely competitive Hypercar category.
Ferrari’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive Le Mans victory features one of the strongest collections of ex-F1 talent on the grid. Antonio Giovinazzi returns as part of the Italian manufacturer’s factory line-up, while Robert Kubica will once again pilot the customer AF Corse Ferrari that famously triumphed last year.
BMW’s challenge is led by former Haas driver Kevin Magnussen, who continues his full-time endurance racing programme with BMW M Team WRT. The Dane has quickly become a key figure within the German manufacturer’s Hypercar effort and arrives at Le Mans targeting a breakthrough result.
Toyota’s hopes rest in part on several drivers with extensive Formula 1 experience. Kamui Kobayashi remains one of endurance racing’s most respected competitors, while Brendon Hartley and Sébastien Buemi continue to add to a résumé that already includes multiple Le Mans victories and world titles.
Former AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries also returns for the Japanese manufacturer this weekend. Kobayashi and de Vries will partner Mike Conway in the #7, while Buemi and Hartley partner current Haas F1 reserve Ryo Hirakawa in the #8.
Elsewhere in Hypercar, former Manor driver Will Stevens is part of the #12 Cadillac outfit, while the sister #38 car features former F1 stars Sébastien Bourdais and Jack Aitken. Ex-McLaren drive Stoffel Vandoorne will also contest this weekend’s 24-hour event in the #93 Peugeot, as will Paul di Resta.
Newest entry Genesis Magma Racing also technically boasts an ex-F1 driver, with André Lotterer having raced in the opening lap of the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix.
With Hypercar boasting eight manufacturers and a grid packed with former Formula 1 drivers, this weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours once again demonstrates why it remains one of the most prestigious events in global motorsport.
In the other classes, LMP2 features two-time F1 race starter Pietro Fittipaldi and Jack Doohan, while Logan Sargeant can be found in LMGT3 with Proton Competition. It means that in total, 15 former F1 drivers make up the 186 total drivers taking part.