Le Mans returns this weekend with 62 cars battling through 24 hours of day and night racing. Over 350,000 spectators will witness the 94th running of this legendary French endurance race, which forms motorsport's triple crown alongside Monaco and Indianapolis. The event showcases cutting-edge automotive technology where innovations like disc brakes and hybrid systems first proved themselves before reaching road cars.

The premier Hypercar class features both factory-built LMH cars and LMDh prototypes using standardized chassis. Ferrari, Peugeot, and Toyota built complete cars to LMH rules, while Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, and newcomer Genesis use cost-controlled LMDh specifications. Maximum output is capped at 670 hp through balance of performance regulations. Notably, no LMDh car has yet won Le Mans since the class debuted in 2023.

Tech industry figures are racing in the LMP2 category, including the GitHub co-founder and Crowdstrike co-founder alongside Ruby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson. Aston Martin enters with its Valkyrie hypercar, owned by Valve's Gabe Newell, while his son Gray competes in the LMGT3 class. Two women race this year: Doriane Pin and Lilou Wadoux.

Regulatory changes arrive in 2030 when WEC, IMSA, and the FIA unify their top classes under single rules. All cars will become rear-wheel-drive hybrids, allowing either full in-house construction or standardized components. The LMGT3 category, imported from GT3 racing, keeps costs manageable for amateur competitors using actual road-going sports cars.