For almost a century, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has urged manufacturers to innovate for the benefit of future motorists. The quest for performance has always embraced reliability and safety. The ground-breaking innovations of the past have shaped today’s commitment to sustainable mobility. MissionH24, which aims to bring hydrogen to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, exemplifies a strategy for the future that has its roots in a fertile history. We invite you to delve into this history.

The story

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has been a prime mover in the local community since 1906, as well as a testing ground for innovative solutions for the mobility of the future. The ACO’s actions are detailed below. To preserve our future, we need to act on sustainable mobility now.

Sustainable development | 24h-lemans.com

Sustainable development

The 7th round of the World Endurance Championship takes place in Fuji, Japan. The 6 Hours of Fuji has a particularity: the safari tour, which offers the opportunity for “classic” vehicles to race with certain racing cars that make up the FIA WEC field at moderate speed. A hydrogen vehicle has evolved on the track.

The GR010 Hybrid Hypercars were not the only Toyotas on track at Fuji this weekend. The Toyota Mirai Sport, a Hydrogen car, also stood out on the Japanese circuit to promote hydrogen in Endurance. At the wheel Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest, an actor involved in the decarbonization of mobility and the deployment of hydrogen in competition, traveled over the 4.5 km of the route and in particular the straight of more than 1.4 km with a vehicle emitting 0% CO2, in the company of Mr. Shimizu, the engineer responsible for this Mirai Sport, and Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequien, CEO of the FIA WEC.

Today, the 2024 grid uses a fuel developed by TotalEnergies, Excellium Racing 100, a competition fuel produced from waste and residues notably from wine growing and which meets all the requirements of manufacturers, engine manufacturers and the European directive on renewable energies. It offers at least 65% reduction in CO2 emissions, at a minimum, over its life cycle. This fuel is certified 100% sustainable. Motorsport thus demonstrates its involvement in the energy transition and the search for more virtuous solutions.

The experience of the Toyota Mirai Sport illustrates the work carried out by the ACO with the FIA ​​and the manufacturers for the creation of a category dedicated to hydrogen by 2028.

Hydrogen on track at Fuji

On the occasion of the 7th round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, which takes place in Fuji, the stakes for the various 2024 titles obviously concentrate the sporting interests of the entire paddock, the competitors, the fans... In Japan , the future of the discipline is also presented, even told in history, already!

Hydrogen, the ACO&#39;s strategy to decarbonize racing, the commitment of the Japanese manufacturer Toyota to zero-emission mobility are presented in the form of a frieze, summarizing the main dates of this pioneering program: creating a category of Hydrogen prototypes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship.

In 2023, the 6 Hours of Fuji had already been an opportunity to present to spectators the potential of hydrogen, with educational activities and the exhibition of H2 prototypes, notably the LMPH2G from MissionH24, a collaborative program between the ACO and H24Project, or the Toyota GR H2 Racing Concept.

This year, the emphasis is placed on the various key dates of this pioneering program, very young in terms of the history of motorsport.

It was in 2018 that the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest officially presented the LMPH2G with H24Project. This laboratory car represented this ambitious and responsible objective: to decarbonize racing by creating a category dedicated to hydrogen prototypes, capable of competing for victory. Since 2018, many steps have been taken. Toyota, a manufacturer involved in the deployment of hydrogen, also has a history rich in lessons with this new technology.&nbsp;

A timeline, a backdrop, presents important moments in the very recent history of hydrogen in Endurance in the Fuji Fan Zone, under the Toyota area.

Masaya Kaji (general commercial director of Toyota Gazoo Racing), Matthieu Bonardel (director of Michelin Motorsport), Pierre Fillon (President of the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest) Bernard Niclot (innovation manager for the ACO), Tomoya Takahashi (president of Toyota Gazoo Racing Compagny) and Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequien (CEO of the FIA WEC) visited this space, witnessing the collaboration necessary between the different actors to accelerate research and fight against carbon emissions.

As a reminder, the start of the 6 Hours of Fuji will be given on Sunday September 15 at 11 a.m. in Japan, 4 a.m. in France.

The ACO and hydrogen are told in a timeline in Fuji with Toyota

ROLEX

TOTALENERGIES

MICHELIN

GOODYEAR

MOTUL

Our commitment is underpinned by three founding principles and meets 12 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The first of the three areas covers the steps we are taking to combat the climate crisis. We adopted a sustainable development approach several decades ago, but we now have a clear mission: to contribute to a collective effort to reduce carbon emissions.

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR THE PLANET

From sustainable management to our contribution to local economies, we consider the impact of everything we do.

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

The third aspect is the promotion of a fairer, more inclusive, responsible, and caring society.

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENT FOR ALL

Since the club was founded in 1906, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has always placed the values of solidarity and mutual aid at the heart of its development. In 2021, we formalised our commitments to sustainable development with a three-pronged approach. In line with the CSR strategy announced in June 2021, Stéphane Darracq, general manager of the ACO, presented the 24 Hours of Le Mans’ carbon footprint.

ENGAGEMANS - COMMITMENTS FOR THE FUTURE

24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 - The action of the "Restos du cœur"

ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

Catch up on the extended highlights of the 2024 6 Hours of Fuji, round 7 of the FIA World Endurance Championship held on September 16th.

Extended Highlights I 2024 6 Hours of Fuji I FIA WEC

Watch the qualifying and hyperpole highlights of the 2024 6 Hours of Fuji, round 7 of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

24H LE MANS

Sustainable development

THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH
Sustainable development

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR THE PLANET

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENT FOR ALL

Actions Taken

News
Sustainable development

Hydrogen on track at Fuji

The ACO and hydrogen are told in a timeline in Fuji with Toyota

In video
Sustainable development

24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 - The action of the "Restos du cœur"

ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

The story

Our committed partners

THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH Sustainable development

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR THE PLANET

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENTS FOR A RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

ENGAGEMANS – COMMITMENT FOR ALL

Actions Taken

News Sustainable development

Hydrogen on track at Fuji

The ACO and hydrogen are told in a timeline in Fuji with Toyota

In video Sustainable development

24 Hours of Le Mans 2021 - The action of the "Restos du cœur"

ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

The story

Our committed partners

THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH
Sustainable development

News
Sustainable development

In video
Sustainable development