Fans amassed in the grandstands along the pit straight to watch the 61 competitors set off for their 24-hour adventure at 15:00. One hour into the race the Toyota Gazoo Racing #7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid was still in the lead, having started in pole position.

Shortly before the start, spectators witnessed track action from both the past and the future of racing.

At 14:15 Jacky Ickx set off for a lap of honour aboard the iconic 1969 Le Mans winning Ford GT40 in honour of his amble to victory.

At 14:42, it was the LMPH2G hydrogen prototype’s turn to take to the track for a demonstration lap. MissionH24, a joint venture between ACO and GreenGT with project partner Total, aims to introduce a special hydrogen-powered prototype class at the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Before the main event of the week, the circuit hosted the Le Mans Esports Series final, whose entrants were delighted to be at the famous venue in real life. The simulator race was won by American team Veloce Esports: David Kelly, Noah Schmitz and James Baldwin. French team Baguette Racing lost ground in the last race and had to settle for second place. Sign up to take part in season 2 of the Le Mans Esports Series. Applications are open.