LIFT-OFF IN LE MANS! 2024 EWC SEASON TO OPEN WITH 24 HEURES MOTOS
(27 September 2023): The race to become the ultimate FIM Endurance World Championship rider and team of 2024 will begin next April when the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans opens the new EWC season.
Scheduled from 18-21 April, the 47th edition of the 24 Heures Motos will form the opening rounds of the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship, for the headlining Formula EWC motorcycles, and the 2024 FIM Endurance World Cup, which caters for Dunlop-equipped Superstock machinery.
The event will also provide the first opportunity in 2024 for fans watching trackside and on TV or online around the world to witness the thrilling spectacle that is the all-action EWC.
“It’s always so important to get every new season off to the best possible start and there’s no better event to do this than the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans,” said Jean-Baptiste Ley, the EWC Series’ Director for promoter WBD Sports. “Not only is the 24 Heures Motos an established event, held at a legendary venue and with a strong reputation globally, organiser Automobile Club de l’Ouest, works tirelessly to deliver a fantastic spectacle and spectator experience. We’re delighted to be continuing our long-term partnership with them and we are already counting down the days to the event getting under way.”
Rather than the 13.626-kilometre Circuit de La Sarthe, the traditional EWC curtain-raiser takes place on the 4.185-kilometre Bugatti Circuit. The demanding layout comes complete with the famous Le Mans start/finish straight, Dunlop Esses and Ford Chicane, while a twisty infield section ensures there’s little respite. Riders also face the prospect of competing during shorter daylight hours, with the prospect of colder temperatures during the night and early in the morning adding to the challenge.
Although the first 24 Heures Motos took place in 1978, when Frenchmen Jean-Claude Chemarin and Christian Léon rode a Honda to victory, the ACO staged its first race for motorbikes in 1912, long before the Bugatti Circuit’s inauguration in September 1966.
F.C.C. TSR Honda France won this year’s 24 Heures Motos following a typically action-packed day and night race, which attracted a combined spectator attendance of 77,200, the highest amount since 2011.
Running one week later than in 2023, the ACO is planning to introduce several measures for the 2024 edition to improve the fan experience by making the event more accessible and with a greater focus on making sure all visitors feel safe and secure at all times. More information will be available at 24h-motos.com when tickets go on sale at the end of October.
The full 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship calendar with details of all the events being planned for the 2024 season will be revealed in due course.
