It is race week, and we are just days away from one of the most anticipated races of the year for motorsport fans around the world. The 24 Hours of Le Mans has taken place for over a century, but with the rise in popularity of worldwide motorsport series in the United States since Drive to Survive, many new motorsport fans are unsure about the race’s logistics and how to watch it. This is a quick guide on what to expect and how to watch!

Schedule:

With testing done, we only have practices and qualifying to get through before the big race day. Below is a quick snapshot of times for the different sessions happening this week leading up to the race on June 13th.

June 10th, 2026:

8:00am ET- Free Practice 1

12:45pm ET- Qualifying LMP2 & LMGT3

1:30pm ET- Qualifying Hypercar

4:00pm ET- Free Practice 2

June 11th, 2026:

8:45am ET- Free Practice 3

2:00pm ET- Hyperpole 1 LMP2 & LMGT3

2:35pm ET- Hyperpole 2 LMP2 & LMGT3

3:05pm ET- Hyperpole 1 Hypercar

3:40pm ET- Hyperpole 2 Hypercar

5:00pm ET- Free Practice 4

June 13th, 2026:

6:00am ET- Warmup

10:00am ET- Race

Where to Watch:

The different sessions, along with race, will be streamed on multiple different platforms for fans in the United States. While some subscriptions cost money, we definitely recommend checking for any deals or free trials these streaming services may offer if you only plan to watch Le Mans.

TruTV: This is included in many cable packages (so check this first).

HBOMax: Max often has free trials available, but it is roughly $11-$23 a month for a subscription

MotorTrendTV: This channel is offered in SOME cable packages, but you can also purchase a subscription to the MotorTrend+app.

FIAWEC+: This will be the most immersive option due to having access to many onboard cameras. They have a yearly subscription but also have a specific package for fans only wanting to tune into Le Mans that starts at $24.99.

Who is Racing?

This race has three different classes participating: Hypercar, LMP2, and LMGT3. While all are racing on the track at the same time, they are mainly competing against the cars in their own Class.

Hypercar: This is the fastest car on track (often compared to GTP in IMSA). This class features big-name manufacturers such as Aston Martin, Toyota, Cadillac, Ferrari, and more. Many manufacturers have multiple teams competing, which brings another level of strategy and teamwork into play. Since this is the fastest car on track, they are also competing to be the overall race winner. Af Corse with Ferrari is definitely a team to watch. They have brought home the win for the last three years and will try to continue that trend this year. They have many notable drivers participating, like Nyck de Vries, Antonio Giovinazzi, Robert Kubica, Theo Pourchaire, and Antonio Fuoco just to name a few.

LMP2: This is the second fastest car on track. All cars in this class are created by the same manufacturer, Oreca. This class is also divided into two categories: LMP2 and LMP2 Pro/Am. The difference in these two categories is driver ratings. To participate in LMP2 Pro/Am, you must have at least one Bronze-rated driver in the lineup, but for LMP2 you just need at least one Silver-rated driver. This allows nonprofessional racers the opportunity to participate in the race alongside more experienced drivers. This class also comes with many big names, including Renger Van Der Zande, Laurin Heinrich, Pietro Fittipaldi, Jack Doohan, PJ Hyett, Ben Barnicoat, Doriane Pin, and Bijoy Garg.

LMGT3: This is the third fastest car on track and has the most entries of all classes with 25 entries. It also has a wide variety of manufacturers participating, such as Mercedes, Corvette, McLaren, Ferrari, Ford, and more. Some names you may recognize in this class include Ben Keating, Logan Sargeant, Lilou Wadoux, Jack Hawksworth, and Nicky Catsburg.

How does Qualifying work?

Each class qualifies in their own category in multiple stages. The same driver cannot participate in multiple stages of qualifying/hyperpole. As a result, if the team makes it to the final round (Hyperpole 2), all three drivers will have participated in qualifying the car. For the LMGT3 class, the Bronze-rated driver must be the team member driving for the qualifying session on Day 1.

Day 1: In the different qualifying sessions, all cars will be on track. At the end of the day, the top 12 cars in LMP2, the top 12 cars in LMGT3, and the top 15 cars in Hypercar will move on to Day 2.

Day 2: We will watch Hyperpole 1 and Hyperpole 2. In Hyperpole 1, the top eight in LMP2, the top eight in LMGT3, and the top 10 in Hypercar will move on to Hyperpole 2. In Hyperpole 2, the final cars standing will have 15 minutes to set their position for the feature race.

How do I keep up with the race?

Admittedly, it is hard to stay awake and keep up with a full 24 hours of racing. Luckily, Podium Pop will be posting updates through the race day along with informational videos leading up to the weekend. Make sure you follow us on the platforms below to stay in the know with all things Le Mans!