Michelin at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: A Legacy of Endurance and Innovation

The Le Mans 24 Hours is the world's most famous and prestigious automobile race. Organised for the first time in 1923. Michelin won the inaugural event in association with the French vehicle manufacturer Chenard & Walcker. The beginning of a long success story for MICHELIN tyres. Organised by the ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest), it is a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. It is the longest race of the series and takes place around the calendar's longest and fastest circuit (length: 13.626km / average speed: 240kph).

Michelin is the official supplier of the Hypercar category in the FIA Endurance World Championship. The Le Mans 24 Hours race is no exception.

• Soft: temperatures below 15°C, or night-time racing.

• Medium: temperatures above 15°C.

• Hard: temperatures above 30°C.

• A versatile WET option is also available for conditions ranging from damp to very wet.

Hypercars are the headlining class for the sport's most powerful prototypes (around 1,000hp). The category includes the LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) cars run by Toyota, Peugeot, Ferrari, Aston Martin, plus the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) prototypes fielded by Genesis, Cadillac, Alpine & BMW M.

Since the centenary of the Le Mans 24 Hours, MICHELIN tyres have a coloured marking on their sidewalls to facilitate the identification of which car is running which type of tyre at any given moment.

Further information about the Le Mans 24 Hours and Michelin's tyres for the race is available in our 2026 Race Guide.

With 35 outright victories to its name, including an unprecedented run of 29 consecutive wins since 1998, Michelin now stands as the most successful tyre manufacturer in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This record-breaking achievement reflects Michelin’s unrivalled experience of the race and its unique expertise in the world’s most demanding endurance competition.

The 18 Hypercar prototypes that took part in the 2026 race were equipped with MICHELIN Pilot Sport tyres. This year, Genesis has joined the fray alongside Toyota, which was the first global carmaker to commit to the category. The challenge for Michelin is always the same: to provide these cars with the most competitive tyres possible.

The Hypercar drivers are all seasoned professionals and represent the cream of endurance racing. The list features several former Le Mans winners, as well as ex-Formula 1 drivers like Fernando Alonso, Sébastien Bourdais and Sébastien Buemi.

Executive summary

Michelin's legacy at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is marked by innovation, endurance, and a record of 35 victories, underscoring its dominance in motorsport tyre technology. The MICHELIN Pilot Sport range, especially designed for hypercars, showcases the blend of advanced materials and engineering excellence that has led to unparalleled success on the track.

LEGAL MENTIONS

(1) First detachable tyre created by Michelin in 1891 during the Paris-Brest-Paris race.