For the 6 Hours of Fuji, fourth round of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) 2018-2019 Super Season, here's a look at key figures from Japan's track record at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

24H Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) is excited to announce that iGarden, a subsidiary of the Fairland Group, will join the 24 Hours of Le Mans as an official partner.

iGarden, a Chinese company specializing in robotics, smart energy management, and water treatment, shares the ACO&#39;s ambition to combine innovation with sustainable development. Notably, the company is recognized for its longest endurance robots, whose performance is certified by the Guinness World Records, proving their reliability and exceptional durability. 
 
Moreover, the cutting-edge designs of iGarden&rsquo;s products echo to the bold lines of the Hypercars that compete on the 24 Hours of Le Mans track. This aesthetic and technological synergy strengthens the connection between the two brands, both of which are dedicated to excellence and innovation. 
 
This partnership also presents new opportunities for iGarden, allowing it to leverage the international visibility of the event to introduce its products to the European market. By becoming the first Chinese partner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, iGarden demonstrates the global reach of this legendary race and its popular reputation, which continues to grow and reach an ever-wider audience. 
 
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest&nbsp;: &ldquo;We are delighted to welcome iGarden among the official partners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This partnership is fully in line with our approach to innovation and sustainable development, in line with the pioneering spirit that has driven our event for over a century. We look forward to collaborating with iGarden to make the 24 Hours of Le Mans an ever more innovative and responsible event.&rdquo; 
 
Andy Chen, CEO of Fairland Group&rsquo;s:&nbsp;&ldquo;We share the same soul on the Le Mans 24 Hours circuit: &ldquo;Human Crazy&rdquo;. In motorsport as in the technology industry, racers are geeks. Just like the hypercar manufacturers at Le Mans who push the boundaries of production technologies and aim for exciting world records, we share the same passion for developing world-winning robotic technologies. At iGarden, we are a team of grassroot geeks with crazy dream - One family, one iGarden - each enjoying an outdoor utopia.&rdquo;

iGarden: Official Partner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans starts at 16:00 on 14 June. This year’s competitors have already been announced and now is the time to reveal the schedule of events for race week.

NEW FOR 2025

 
SATURDAY 7 JUNE: STARS OF THE TRACK ON THE STREETS OF LE MANS 
 
For the third time in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 30 cars, 19 in this year&rsquo;s line-up, will parade along a 2.1-kilometre loop in the city centre. Last year, thousands of admirers lined the route, bringing the trackside atmosphere into town. This year we&rsquo;re doubling the fun: the parade will complete two loops, starting from Place du Jet d&rsquo;Eau, the fountain at the foot of the cathedral. 
Safety will be assured by 70 marshals stationed along the route. See you on Saturday 7 June at the closure of the scrutineering session, when the stars of the track take to the streets of Le Mans.

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FROM TUESDAY 10 JUNE:&nbsp;TWO NEW FAN ZONES AND A MANUFACTURERS&rsquo; VILLAGE 
 
The circuit boasts two new fan zones at&nbsp;Tertre Rouge and Karting. 
 
These areas are designed to give spectators an all-round experience of the world of endurance racing. As the name suggests, the Family fan zone&nbsp;is destined for the youngest visitors, with educational workshops, video games and interactive exhibitions. The fan zone at Porte Est&nbsp;(East Gate) combines societal commitments with well-being and relaxation, including free massages and a temporary tattoo parlour. At the Karting&nbsp;fan zone spectators can try racing simulators and admire the vehicles on display. Head to the Tertre Rouge fan zone for outdoor fun, including a laser game and a climbing wall. The Concert fan zone is where the live music is staged throughout the week. With such an array on offer, it&rsquo;s safe to say there&rsquo;s something for everyone.The 24 Hours of Le Mans manufacturers&#39; village will feature the unmissable presence of manufacturers taking part in the race or future participants in the race, including Alpine, BMW M, Ford, Genesis, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche and Toyota.&nbsp;With spectacular exhibitions, sales of souvenirs and collections, and a place to relax, this village is a real place of life !

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WEDNESDAY 11 JUNE: THE MUSTANG CHALLENGE SUPPORT RACE, RIBBON-CUTTNG AT THE ACO H2 HYDROGEN VILLAGE AND HYPERPOLE QUALIFICATION 
 
Ford Performance is bringing the Mustang Challenge to Le Mans as a supporting fixture.&nbsp;The event will be an optional round of the IMSA Mustang Challenge with a limited field of cars in the hands of appropriately qualified drivers. Look forward to an incomparable spectator experience. 
Visitors to the ACO H2 Hydrogen village will discover the H2 paddock with a mobile filling station, a display of hydrogen prototypes, some of which will be on track at Thursday&rsquo;s and Saturday&rsquo;s demo sessions.&nbsp; 
MissionH24 &ndash; the ACO and H24Project joint venture &ndash; will unveil the H24EVO. Hydrogen-powered transport is the star of this show, ranging from bicycles, cars, motorbikes, boats, rockets, trucks, trains and planes.&nbsp;The village opens on Tuesday afternoon and from 10:00 to midnight from Wednesday to Sunday. The on-site presenter, to be announced shortly, is a prominent figure of the sporting world. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for late morning Wednesday 11 June. 
Spread over two days, the new Hyperpole format is set to be even more exciting. LMP2 and LMGT3 cars take part in a 30-minute qualifying session after Free Practice 1. Only the top 12 go through to Hyperpole. The Hypercars follow, with the top 15 selected for Hyperpole.

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THURSDAY 12 JUNE: NEW-FORMAT HYPERPOLE 
 
On Thursday, there will be two Hyperpole sessions, aptly named Hyperpole 1 and Hyperpole 2. H1 sees the 24 cars in LMP2 and LMGT3 battle against the clock in a 20-minute session. The top 8 go through to Hyperpole 2. The same format applies to the Hypercar class, with the top 10 qualified for the final (Hyperpole 2). Hyperpole 2 drivers will have 15 minutes in which to claim the best grid slots. 
 
The 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans starts at 16:00 on 14 June. See you there!

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&lt;&lt;&lt;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/program">DETAILED SCHEDULE</a> &gt;&gt;&gt;

LAST CHANCE! 
 
Enjoy the Practice &amp; Qualifying sessions and the new Hyperpole format and then head to the Concert fan zone for the evening&rsquo;s live music. Tickets are on sale from &euro;23 for students and &euro;62 for Green Tickets, which reward sustainable transport choices

&lt;&lt;&lt; <a href="https://ticket.24h-lemans.com/selection/event/date?productId=10229239928157&amp;gtmStepTracking=true&amp;lang=en">TICKETS </a>&gt;&gt;&gt;

24 Hours of Le Mans 2025  A historic grid calls for an outstanding schedule of events

Reigning Formula E world champion Pascal Wehrlein is set to make his 24 Hours of Le Mans début in this year’s race (11-15 June). Having joined the Porsche Penske Motorsport team, the German will share the wheel of the #4 Porsche 963 with Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy.

After familiarising himself with the Porsche 963 in January&rsquo;s 24 Hours of Daytona with JDC-Miller MotorSports, Pascal Wehrlein is ready to face a whole new challenge in the French endurance classic. He is joining a top-notch line-up alongside three-time IMSA champion Felipe Nasr and 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Nick Tandy. Veteran Tandy has 12 Le Mans starts under his belt (nine in a Porsche) while Nasr is preparing to make his sixth appearance in the race.

Porsche Motorsport Vice President Thomas Laudenbach says Wehrlein&rsquo;s inclusion in the line-up is a no-brainer. &ldquo;The Porsche driver roster is absolutely top-tier and incredibly deep,&rdquo; he enthuses. &ldquo;Pascal Wehrlein has fully convinced us with his performance in testing and his participation in the 24 Hours of Daytona. As the reigning Formula E World Champion, he has earned his Le Mans debut at the wheel of a Porsche 963.&rdquo;

Taking the wheel of the Porsche 963 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is an accomplishment for the 30-year-old German. &ldquo;Competing for Porsche Penske Motorsport at Le Mans is a dream come true for me,&rdquo; Wehrlein insists. &ldquo;I&#39;m&nbsp;looking forward to this major challenge because, unlike in Formula E, I have to share everything in the Porsche 963 that I would normally tailor specifically to myself: seating position, setup, strategy, and more. My primary goal is to do a strong job for the team and learn as much as possible.&rdquo;

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<h2>Ant&oacute;nio F&eacute;lix da Costa in LMP2</h2>

Unlike rookie Wehrlein, his Formula E teammate Ant&oacute;nio F&eacute;lix da Costa is a familiar face at the race. The Portuguese driver will line up in an Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2 this year, his seventh 24 Hours of Le Mans appearance. After winning the class in 2022, he hopes his experience and determination will put his team in with a shout of top spot once again. &ldquo;I am very happy to be back at Le Mans after one year&rsquo;s absence,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;In my last LMP2 appearance, I won the class. That&rsquo;s my goal again this year.&rdquo;

With Wehrlein at the wheel of the #4 Porsche 963 alongside Nasr and Tandy, Porsche Penske Motorsport is banking on a solid, complementary trio to clinch its 20th overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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Pascal Wehrlein joins Porsche Penske Motorsport for 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans

Steve McQueen nurtured a passion for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and will forever be one of the race’s most well-known faces, thanks to his film Le Mans. The Automobile Club de l’Ouest and Renaissance Licensing agency joined forces in 2021 to produce a lifestyle collection featuring the US actor and producer.

As we approach the 55th anniversary of the film&rsquo;s release, Chase and Madison McQueen share their memories of their grandfather, his unique bond with the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the lasting mark he made on motorsport culture.

What does Steve McQueen&rsquo;s legacy in the world of motorsport and the 24 Hours of Le Mans mean to you and the family?

Chase and Madison: &quot;Our grandfather&rsquo;s legacy in motorsport, especially with Le Mans, is something we hold incredibly close. Growing up, our father shared stories of what this race meant to him and how he wasn&rsquo;t just acting, but striving to capture the true essence of Le Mans. 
To us, it&rsquo;s more than history; it&rsquo;s inspiration. He showed what it means to chase a dream with everything you&rsquo;ve got and risk it all for something he believed in. Le Mans was the ultimate stage for that passion. We&rsquo;re so proud to see his name still light up the faces of race fans and drivers alike &mdash; a legacy of grit, heart, and authenticity that continues to inspire.&quot;

How does the collaboration between the McQueen family and the ACO, in celebration of the 55th anniversary of Le Mans, honor his memory and passion for motorsport?

&quot;Collaborating with the ACO on the 55th anniversary of Le Mans feels like a dream come true &mdash; it&rsquo;s like we&rsquo;re bringing our grandfather&rsquo;s spirit back to the track he cherished most, a place where our family&rsquo;s deep love for racing took root.&nbsp; 
This partnership goes beyond celebrating a film; it&rsquo;s about honoring the race that defined him. The ACO understands what Le Mans meant to him &mdash; the endurance, the intensity, the raw passion &mdash; and they&rsquo;re helping us share that with the world. For us, it&rsquo;s a bridge between his past and today&rsquo;s fans, showing why Steve McQueen and the 24 Hours of Le Mans will always be inseparable.&quot;

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How do you feel about the lasting impact that the film Le Mans continues to have on fans and the motorsport community today?

&quot;It&rsquo;s truly incredible to see the impact Le Mans still has after all these years. Here we are, 55 years later, talking about how this film touched generations of racing fans. Our grandfather poured his heart into it, and you can feel that in every frame. It&rsquo;s a timeless piece that captures the soul of real motorsport &mdash; what racing felt like when drivers were risking it all.&nbsp; 
For the community, it&rsquo;s a benchmark of authenticity that still inspires racers and filmmakers alike. We&rsquo;re so proud&nbsp;that his vision continues to resonate, proving his love for the sport was universal and timeless.&quot;

What do you believe is the special connection between Steve McQueen, the film Le Mans, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, especially as we approach the 55th anniversary?

&quot;The connection between our grandfather, the film Le Mans, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans feels electric &mdash; they&rsquo;re intertwined in a way that&rsquo;s hard to put into words. He didn&rsquo;t just make a movie; he captured the very soul of the race. He became obsessed with Le Mans because it demanded everything he valued. The film brought that to life with real cars, real danger, and raw emotion.&nbsp; 
As we approach the 55th anniversary, that bond feels even stronger &mdash; it&rsquo;s a moment to celebrate how he brought the race to the silver screen for millions to enjoy. It&rsquo;s a story that still resonates, offering the perfect foundation to bring fans closer to that magic, whether they&rsquo;re at the track or reliving the film.&quot;

What do you hope the upcoming collection, built around Steve McQueen&rsquo;s legacy and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will convey to fans and collectors?

&quot;Our grandfather was all about authenticity &mdash; he had no time for anything fake. So, we hope this collection feels like him. Every piece should tell a story, making fans and collectors feel like they&rsquo;re part of his world We want it to reflect his love for racing and the raw passion of Le Mans, creating something that&rsquo;s not just cool but true to who he was. That&rsquo;s what he&rsquo;d want.&quot;

<a href="https://boutique.lemans.org/en/125-steve-mcqueen" target="_blank">&gt;&gt;&gt; The Steve McQueen Collection &lt;&lt;&lt;</a>

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Steve McQueen and the 24 Hours of Le Mans: an authentic heritage

24 Heures du Mans 2018

6 Heures de Fuji 2018

Mazda, Toyota, Nissan, Dome...Japanese manufacturers have made their presence known at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for many&nbsp;years now. With two overall wins, in 1991 with&nbsp;Mazda and in&nbsp;2018 with Toyota, Japan has made its mark on the greatest endurance race in the world. Several Japanese drivers have also risen to the top&nbsp;at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, like the three winners, lap record-holder&nbsp;Kamui Kobayashi, Yojiro Terada with 29 participations and&nbsp;Keiko Ihara, a renowned female competitor&nbsp;at the start of the&nbsp;6 Hours of Fuji this weekend...

<img alt="Japan at the 24 Hours of Le Mans - Infographic" src="https://assets.lemans.org/explorer/news/2018/24-heures-du-mans/Infographies/infography_japan_at_le_mans_24_HOURS_UK.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" />

24H LE MANS

Japan at the 24 Hours of Le Mans - Infographic

Related News

iGarden: Official Partner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans

24 Hours of Le Mans 2025 A historic grid calls for an outstanding schedule of events

Pascal Wehrlein joins Porsche Penske Motorsport for 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans

Steve McQueen and the 24 Hours of Le Mans: an authentic heritage

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