When it comes to winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the world’s most famous and prestigious endurance race – British drivers have enjoyed unrivalled success… as indeed they have in capturing F1 World Championship crowns.
Over the past 103 years, no fewer than 36 racers from the UK have amassed a remarkable total of 45 victories, surpassing even host nation France, whose 29 winning drivers have combined for 42 triumphs.
The first British success came way back in 1924, when Frank Clement, alongside Canadian John Duff, delivered Bentley’s maiden victory more than a century ago.
Since then, British drivers have continued to leave their mark on the legendary race. Sportscar icon Derek Bell MBE remains the most successful British competitor in Le Mans history, having claimed five victories at the celebrated Circuit de la Sarthe.
The two most recent British winners of the blue-riband event are Ferrari accomplices James Calado, victorious in 2023, and Phil Hanson (pictured), who followed suit 12 months ago in 2025. Both return with the Prancing Horse for this weekend’s latest running of the twice-around-the-clock French classic and are well placed to further strengthen the UK’s extraordinary Le Mans record.
Mike Conway is another former winner returning in pursuit of further glory with Toyota Gazoo Racing. Together, the three recent victors head a formidable British contingent spread across all three categories. In total no fewer than 30 British drivers feature on this year’s entry list, many of them successful graduates of Motorsport UK’s well-proven Academy.
In the top-tier Hypercar class, Calado, Conway and Hanson are joined by fellow Britons Harry Tincknell, Tom Gamble and Ross Gunn, who will campaign the #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie. Alex Lynn and Will Stevens share one of the highly fancied Team Jota-run Cadillac V-Series.R entries, while Peugeot’s line-up features former Formula 1 star Paul di Resta. Jack Aitken is aboard another Cadillac. With competition among the 18 Hypercar entries expected to be exceptionally close, all ten British drivers will harbour realistic hopes of victory.
British talent is equally well represented in the LMP2 prototype category, with proven race winners Ben Barnicoat, Oliver Gray, Ben Hanley, Jake Hughes, Oliver Jarvis, Harry King and Nick Yelloly all among the leading contenders.
The LMGT3 class promises to be just as fiercely contested, featuring an impressive line-up of manufacturers including Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford Mustang, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche. Once again, a strong British presence will be targeting class honours, with Jonny Adam, Johnny Edgar, Dan Harper, Jack Hawksworth, Darren Leung and Seb Priaulx among those aiming for success.
Underlining the important role played by the Motorsport UK Academy in developing not only single-seater stars but outstanding competitors across every branch of the sport, many of the British drivers lining up on this year’s Le Mans grid are alumni of the National Sporting Association’s programme.
Established to provide elite coaching, physical training and psychological development, the Academy supports aspiring British motorsport talent regardless of discipline.
The most recent Academy members on the entry include Aitken, Barnicoat, Edgar, Gamble, Gray, Green, King, Priaulx and Quinn.
For those unable to make the journey across the Channel, the can follow the British drivers’ quest for victory live on TNT Sports and the Discovery+ app. Comprehensive coverage includes free practice sessions, qualifying, Hyperpole and the lights to flag 24-hour race itself. Fans can also follow the event via FIAWEC.TV, which offers live timing and exclusive additional content.
The race begins at 15:00 local time (that’s 2pm BST) on Saturday afternoon. The big question is: will the Union Flag be flying high once again when the chequered flag falls 24 hours later?
Click here to find out more about the Motorsport UK Academy