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The 94th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours takes place this weekend, and Formula 1’s footprint is again impossible to miss. Across the 62-car field at the Circuit de la Sarthe, several former grand prix drivers will line up in one of motorsport’s most demanding contests, with many positioned to fight for outright victory in the fiercely competitive Hypercar category.
That crossover gives this year’s race an unmistakable F1 edge. Le Mans remains an endurance test, but the calibre of ex-Formula 1 talent spread across the grid underlines how important elite single-seater experience has become in the battle for endurance racing’s biggest prize. For readers following the current grand prix landscape, our recent analysis of Monaco Grand Prix lessons offers a useful parallel on how fine margins continue to define top-level motorsport.
Ferrari’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive Le Mans victory features one of the strongest collections of former F1 drivers in the field. Antonio Giovinazzi returns as part of the Italian manufacturer’s factory line-up, while Robert Kubica is again set to drive the customer AF Corse Ferrari that famously triumphed last year.
BMW’s challenge is spearheaded by former Haas driver Kevin Magnussen, who continues his full-time endurance programme with BMW M Team WRT. The Dane has quickly become a central figure in the German manufacturer’s Hypercar effort and arrives at Le Mans targeting a breakthrough result.
Toyota also brings substantial Formula 1 experience into the race. Kamui Kobayashi remains one of endurance racing’s most respected competitors, while Brendon Hartley and Sébastien Buemi add further depth to a line-up already associated with multiple Le Mans victories and world titles. Former AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries also returns for the Japanese manufacturer, joining Kobayashi and Mike Conway in the #7 car. Buemi and Hartley share the #8 with current Haas F1 reserve Ryo Hirakawa.
Elsewhere in Hypercar, former Manor driver Will Stevens is part of the #12 Cadillac crew, while the sister #38 entry features Sébastien Bourdais and Jack Aitken. Stoffel Vandoorne will contest the 24-hour race in the #93 Peugeot, alongside Paul di Resta among the notable former grand prix names on the entry list.
Genesis Magma Racing also technically includes an ex-F1 driver, with André Lotterer having raced in the opening lap of the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix.
Beyond Hypercar, LMP2 features two-time F1 race starter Pietro Fittipaldi and Jack Doohan, while Logan Sargeant appears in LMGT3 with Proton Competition. In total, 15 former F1 drivers are among the 186 drivers taking part, reinforcing Le Mans’ status as one of global motorsport’s most prestigious and talent-rich events.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.