Standing in front of the fence separating them from the track, Loïc, 67, and Jean-Michel, 62, turned their heads mechanically – first left, then right – without taking their eyes off the asphalt. The two friends came to watch a day of automotive testing on Thursday, June 12, in the run-up to the 93rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which started on Saturday at 4 pm. "This is my first time!" said Loïc with childlike excitement, the deafening roar of cars speeding by at over 200 kilometers per hour in the background.
For over a century, the world's most famous endurance car race has drawn crowds of enthusiasts to Le Mans each year. Like Loïc, more newcomers and curious spectators have flocked to both the race itself and the preliminary competitions held on the 13.6-kilometer circuit.
The event, which "brought together around 250,000 people over the week ten years ago," set a new attendance record during its centennial in 2023, then reached an "unprecedented peak of 329,000 spectators in 2024," according to Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile-Club de l'Ouest (ACO, the organizing association), and brother of former prime minister François Fillon. That number climbed to 432,000 visitors when counting accredited workers and visitors under 16, who enter for free, according to data from Sarthe Tourisme and Flux Vision.
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