In 2025 Le Mans Classic attracted some 238,000 spectators, 800 cars on the track, 220 international clubs and their 9,200 vehicles. The increasingly rich content of the event could no longer be limited to a single edition every two years, so at the end of last year, Peter Auto announced that Le Mans Classic will take place every year, alternating between two complementary formats. They will be Le Mans Classic Heritage, rooted in the golden age of endurance racing from 1923 to the 1970s; and Le Mans Classic Legend, for a more contemporary era, celebrating the recent history of Le Mans from the 1970s to the 2010s. At a recent press conference at Rétromobile, more details of the new event and two new series have emerged.

Legend grids will pick up where Le Mans Classic Heritage ends, with
Grid 6 for Prototypes 1972- 1981 and GT 1975-1984;
Grid 7 for Group C from 1982-1993;
Grid 8 for Prototypes and GTs 1994-1999;
Grid 9 for Prototypes 2000-2005 and GT 2000-2010;
Grid 10 for LMP1 2006-2012, LMP2 2006-2015 and GTE 2011-2015.

As at previous Le Mans Classic events, the action in the paddock will rival that of the track, with all sorts of activities, exhibitions and concerts.

Photo Peter Heil

New Series

Amongst the cars on track will be cars from the two new Peter Auto grids. The first of these, launched this year in collaboration with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and Le Mans Endurance Management, the Legends of Le Mans, is for LMP1 and LMP2 Prototypes and GTs from 2000 to 2020 that raced at le Mans, of course, but also at Daytona, in ELMS, IMSA, WEC, etc., with a light Balance of Performance overseen by the ACO to keep different generations competitive. It will be integrated into the FIA WEC support bill with planned rounds at Imola (18-19 April), Spa (8-9 May) and Bahrain (6-7 November) plus the appearance at Le Mans. The series is aimed at gentlemen drivers. Full professional racers are not intended to be eligible. Entry is conceived as a “club” with a preference for full-season commitment, reflecting a desire for a stable grid of owners who regularly campaign these cars in a high-profile but non-pro setting.

Photo Classic Racing

The second new series is the GT3 Revival Series, a major new series launched in partnership with SRO Motorsports Group and Stéphane Ratel. The GT3 championship has been a phenomenal success, and it has shaped international GT racing as it is today. The GT3 Revival Series will be dedicated to GT3 cars from the 2006 to 2013 period and will run with its modern counterpart at GT World Challenge meetings at Paul Ricard (11-12 April), Nürburgring (29-30 August), and Barcelona (3-4 October). They will also race amongst their historic friends at Peter Auto’s Spa Classic on 22-25 May, and as a support race at Le Mans Classic Legend.

New Support Races

The new event will also welcome Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR), North America’s leading historic racing series under the auspices of IMSA, the cars of which will be traveling across the Atlantic for a Le Mans Classic Legend support race. The HSR NASCAR Classic by Goodyear will celebrate the 50th anniversary of NASCAR’s first appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Another support race at the new event will be the Porsche Classic Cup Le Mans. The 944 Turbo Cup, 964 Cup, 993 Cup and 996 Gen I and II will come together for the first time in a format that pays tribute to their original championships.

The race programme will be completed by the Berlinetta Challenge Le Mans Classic, a Ferrari grid that will make its debut at the opening of Le Mans Classic Legend. The legendary Ferrari 348, 355, 360, and 430 will come together for an exceptional showdown, bringing together four generations of Berlinetta V8s that have marked the history of Ferrari in motorsport.

Touring Cars

In another announcement Peter Auto has also launched a series described as “a major new feature this season.” Added to the Classic Touring Car Challenge for pre-’66 cars and the Heritage Touring Cup for pre-1981 cars, a new Heritage Touring Cup 2 will be for Group A cars built between 1982 and 1992, with the debut at the Spa Classic meeting on 22-24 May.