24 Hours of Le Mans

Jenson Button’s Quest to Join Le Mans Legends

Jenson Button, the 2009 Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion, is set to join the exclusive 24 Hours of Le Mans club this weekend. Button, who made his Le Mans debut a year ago, is driving for Hertz Team Jota, which qualified 17th for the race.

If Button is part of a winning team at Le Mans, he would become the sixth F1 champion in the history of motorsport to taste victory at the endurance race.

The Elite Club of F1 Champions at Le Mans

The first drivers to win both a F1 Drivers’ Championship and Le Mans were Mike Hawthorn, Phil Hill, Jochen Rindt, and Graham Hill. Because of his unbeatable lead in the Drivers’ Championship, Rindt was given the F1 title permanently.

Hill has won each leg of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fernando Alonso is the fifth and final member of this club, having won back-to-back F1 titles in 2005 and 2006 and a similar double in Le Mans. Button is determined to fight for a win at Le Mans and join the exclusive club.

How to Stream the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Free

The Le Mans 24-hour endurance race is available for free streaming from anywhere in the world, despite many countries pushing the event behind a paywall. In France, hours of coverage are available for free, but geo-restrictions may block access to the free live stream unless a VPN is set up.

Setting up a virtual private network (VPN) is simple and unlocks global streaming options by simulating your device’s location. For US racing fans, Max offers a free trial for the full Le Mans 24 race, while UK racing fans can enjoy the race for free with a one-month Eurosport subscription.

Verstappen’s Dream Team for Le Mans

Formula 1 star Max Verstappen has revealed his ideal team-mate for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Red Bull confirmed Sergio Perez’s contract extension ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, and Verstappen has signed a two-year deal with the team.

Verstappen joked to Yuki Tsunoda in front of the media, saying he would be “so light you’ll be flying!” Verstappen revealed that teams from the series had contacted him to compete at Le Mans 24 Hours, but he is not yet ready to participate due to new regulations and driver weight restrictions.

Nyck de Vries Faces Challenges Ahead of Le Mans

Nyck de Vries suffered damage during the warm-up for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. He drove into the back of Kelvin van der Linde’s Lexus RC F GT3, causing him to make adjustments to his steering wheel.

The damage can be repaired in time, and De Vries will compete in the race as normal, alongside Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez. The team will begin the legendary race close to the finish line.

Kevin Estre’s Pole Position and Porsche’s Pace

Andre Lotterer warns that Kevin Estre’s pole position lap may not be entirely representative of Porsche’s pace at the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Porsche Penske factory team barely got one 963 into Hyperpole in the first qualifying session for Estre, before the #7 Toyota lost its laps due to causing a red flag.

Estre went on to snatch pole position for the legendary World Endurance Championship race with a last-gasp Hyperpole effort, 0.148s clear of the closest Cadillac. Lotterer said the qualifying result was “a bit better” and had a lot to do with his French teammate’s remarkable lap at Circuit de la Sarthe.

Jota’s Rebuilt Porsche Ready for Le Mans

Ahead of the Le Mans 24 Hours, Porsche privateer Jota has successfully completed an airport shakedown of its repaired 963 LMDh. The #12 Jota entry was put through its paces on Le Mans-Arnage Airport, where Callum Ilott crashed the car in second free practice for the World Endurance Championship round.

The British Jota squad built the car around a new monocoque in less than 24 hours, completing the process in just over three weeks. Ilott expressed satisfaction with the straightline runs and praised the Jota crew for their determination and team spirit.