Le Mans: How does it work and who is participating?

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Le Mans is an iconic and challenging 24-hour endurance race which tests the limits of drivers and cars.

This year's event - the 93rd edition - begins on Saturday at 15:00 BST.

It's held at the semi-permanent Circuit de la Sarthe, located in Le Mans, France. The track is 8.5 miles (13.6km) long with 38 turns and a mix of high-speed sections and slower corners.

The 2025 grid consists of 62 teams, 186 drivers and 13 manufacturers. Ferrari, in the top-tier Hypercar category, are aiming for a third consecutive victory.

The two other car classes are LMP2 and LMGT3. All three categories run on the track at the same time.

Le Mans forms part of the motorsport triple crown - the prestigious, but notoriously difficult, achievement of winning the 24-hour race, the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix in Formula 1.

Graham Hill - the 1962 and 1968 F1 world champion - is the only driver to win all three.