The very first car races were organized in the Sarthe region in 1906 at the incentive of the Automobile Club de France, but the idea of having racing drivers compete for 24 hours really arose in the 1920s. Launched in 1922, the idea of a car race based on endurance would contribute to the evolution of technical progress and further the development of the automobile.
Thus was born the concept of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The starting flag was first dropped on 26 May 1923 with 33 competitors at the starting line. The first winners were Lagache and Leonard with their Chenard & Walker that covered 2,209.536 km with an average speed of 92.064 km/h. The success of this event year after year encouraged the organizers to continue along the same lines.
Great names have participated in the legend of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Bentley (winner in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930), Alfa Romeo and Ferrari. After the war, the race became even more important among car racing fans, especially with the ruthless duels between two leading car manufacturers: Ferrari and Jaguar. They waged merciless battles on the Le Mans racing track between 1945 and 1969, thus ensuring the renown of their vehicles.
The improved performance of increasingly powerful cars offered unique entertainment but the safety of the tracks did not keep in step. An accident in 1955 caused more than 80 deaths when a car ran off the track. The need for safety features was widely recognized and important steps were taken.
Following in the tracks of Ferrari and Jaguar, Ford also left its name in history by winning the legendary Le Mans race for 4 years running (1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969). Porsche ruled the 1970s with 12 victories up to 1987. New names then joined the other winners: Mazda in 1991, Peugeot in 1992 The Dalmas, Winkelhock and Martinis BMW V12 LMR n° 15 triumphed in 1999, with the Toyota GT One in second place, and to celebrate its maiden race at the track, Audi won third and fourth place with its two Audi R&Rs.
