The fastest Le Mans car by top speed is the WM P88-Peugeot, hitting 407 km/h (253 mph) in 1988 before Mulsanne Straight chicanes; for fastest lap, the Toyota TS050 Hybrid holds records with Kamui Kobayashi's 3:14.791 (2017 pole) and Mike Conway's 3:17.297 (race lap, 2019). The WM P88's speed spurred track changes, while modern Hypercars focus more on overall average speed, with Toyota and Ferrari currently leading in lap times.
"The fastest top speed recorded at Le Mans is 405 kmh. This was in 1988 by Roger Dorchy in a WM Peugeot P88. The record was set on the Hunaudieres straight on the section after the Nissan chicane. " (The chicanes were built in 1990.) 240 mph McLaren F1 Road Car Shatters Top Speed Record.
The most powerful car ever seen at Le Mans. With 1128 horsepower, the Nissan R90CK holds the record for most powerful car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was the largest Japanese armada of all time: nine cars! For 1990, Nissan went all out.
No, Formula 1 cars are generally faster than current Le Mans top-class cars (Hypercars) on a single lap due to superior downforce and power-to-weight ratio, but F1 cars can't complete a 24-hour race; F1 is about ultimate sprint speed, while Le Mans is about endurance, with LMP1/Hypercars focusing on reliability and efficiency over long stints, though F1 would dominate if adapted for endurance.
However, speed isn't the point of Le Mans. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is about endurance, reliability, and teamwork, not just pace. While an F1 car might be quicker in isolation, it would not survive the demands of a 24-hour race – physically, mechanically, or strategically.
Formula 1 (F1) doesn't race on the Nürburgring Nordschleife (North Loop) primarily due to safety concerns related to its extreme length, narrowness, lack of modern runoff/barriers, and logistical difficulties for emergency services, making it incompatible with modern F1 safety standards and certification (FIA Grade 1) since Niki Lauda's 1976 crash led to its permanent removal from the calendar, with only occasional modern demonstration runs allowed.
Steve Morris knows his way around powerful engines. He's built mills for Pro Mod racing as well as Drag-Week-winning turbo V-8s that have to survive punishing conditions. He's developed his own engine, the SMX, that's capable of 4000 hp and surviving long stretches on the street.
The Porsche 911 Turbo S is generally faster in straight-line acceleration and overall lap times for most drivers due to its immense power, all-wheel drive, and ease of use, while the GT3 excels on track with a purer, more engaging, and sharper driving experience, often setting faster lap times for expert drivers by leveraging its lighter weight and track focus, though the Turbo S's raw speed usually wins drag races.
No, Jann Mardenborough did not win the overall 24 Hours of Le Mans, but he achieved significant success, including a podium finish (3rd in class) in 2013 and leading the LMP2 class in 2014 before engine trouble, proving his real-world racing talent. He came from the Gran Turismo Academy to become a real-world driver and competed at Le Mans, demonstrating the gamer-to-racer path, though an overall victory eluded him.
Porsche have won the most races as a manufacturer with 19 since their first in 1970. Audi are second with 13 wins and Ferrari are third with 12 victories. Porsche also achieved the most consecutive wins with seven victories in succession from 1981 to 1987.
The only two drivers to have won an F1 race and the Le Mans 24 Hours outright in the 21st century 🙂↕️ Fernando Alonso: 32 F1 wins, 2 Le Mans 24 wins (2018, 19) Robert Kubica: 1 F1 win, 1 Le Mans 24 win (2025) Legends! 👏 Hulkenberg will achieve this result this year. Stay tuned.
The F1 75% rule dictates that if a Formula 1 race is stopped but the leader has completed 75% or more of the scheduled distance, full points are awarded, unlike shortened races (under 75%) where points are reduced based on fractional completion percentages (25-50%, 50-75%). This ensures major points are given for races that are almost complete, even if red-flagged near the end, and is part of the Sporting Regulations for shortened races.
Number 17 is retired in Formula 1 as a permanent tribute to the late French driver Jules Bianchi, who tragically passed away from injuries sustained in a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix while racing with that number. The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) permanently retired the number in 2015 out of respect for Bianchi, making it unavailable for other drivers to use.
The high cost of participation and an institutional lack of investment in women are largely to blame, says The Washington Post's Glynn Hill. Amna Al Qubaisi of the United Arab Emirates prepares to drive during an F1 Academy race in Singapore on Sunday. Formula One is trying to support women in the sport.
However, it opted to impose a suspended sentence because Renault F1 took swift action in forcing Briatore and Symonds to resign. The Daily Mirror described the de facto lifetime ban on Briatore as the harshest sanction ever imposed on an individual in the history of motorsport.
