The 24 Heures du Mans is quite simply one of the world's most famous and evocative motor races. Held on closed public road and race track the racing goes on for as long as it says on the tin – 24 hours – and that's a long time for a super-quick racing car to last.

Located in northern France, the Le Mans 24 hours has been run since 1923 when Andre Lagache and Rene Leonard won in a Chenard and Walcker. Back then the circuit was some 10.73 miles long but over the years that length has diminished to today's 8.45 miles.

Some of the most famous and beautiful racing cars of all time are former Le Mans winners, cars like the Ford GT40, Porsche 956 and 962, Ferrari 250, Jaguar C and D type, Bentleys, Bugattis and the gorgeous Alfa Romeo 8C-2300sc amongst others. But, for the last three years, it has been the Audi R8 that has been synonymous with the La Sarthe classic.

Audi, with drivers Frank Biela, Tom Kristensen and Emanuele Pirro have taken the last three victories at the circuit, the first time that the same driver combo has won three times in a row. The trio will not have the chance to extend their record as, although they are all driving this weekend, they are in different cars. Kristensen jumps camp to Bentley driving the number eight car with Rinaldo Capello and Guy Smith whereas Biela stays with Audi and the Audi Sport UK car partnered by Perry McCarthy and Mika Salo, whilst Pirro partners Stefan Johansson and JJ Lehto in the Champion Racing Audi.

Given their past record the Audis must be seen as favourites for the victory, but this year they are not running as full works entries, rather under Team Goh – with drivers Jan Magnussen, Seiji Ara and Marco Werner - Champion Racing and Audi Sport UK cars. The other main contenders come ostentatiously from the same camp, or at least emanate from the mighty VW group just as Audi do, Bentley. The EXP Speed 8 shares an engine with the Audi, but it runs in a different class, to different regulations than the other car from the VW group.

The Bentley, resplendent in British Racing Green, is an all-new car. Whilst arguably not as good looking as its predecessor, the 2003 car is part of an all-out assault for glory. It's a two car bid, with the Kristensen, Capello and Smith car joined by the number seven car of Mark Blundell, David Brabham and Johnny Herbert.

Elsewhere challenges come from the likes of Dome, Courage, Lister, Porsche, Ferrari and a number of other names familiar and no so familiar through the field.


A touch of class
Contenders in the Le Mans 24 hours are separated into four classes. The frontrunners are in the combined LMP900/LMP class, whilst the smaller LMP675 class often threatens in the early hours. The GTS and GT classes feature their own, often closely fought, battles during the race.

LMP900/LMP GTP
The combined LMP900 and LM GTP class contains those most likely to be in the offing for the win. LMP (Le Mans Prototype) 900 class is where the Audis reside, the 900 standing for the 900 kg minimum weight limit on the class. Engines can be up to six litres for normally aspirated motors, or four litres for turbo-charged engines and power is in the region of 600 bhp. LMP GTP is for the closed cars, such as the Bentley, and they have to run narrower tyres, but are allowed larger air restrictors which makes for more power, albeit with the playoff of higher fuel consumption.