Pierre Gasly wants to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans one day – he will support the team in his hypercar debut at the Sarthe in 2024
Pierre Gasly strolled through the paddock of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in civilian clothes. It was a strange feeling for the French Formula 1 driver, as he knew that he would not be getting into the car for the endurance classic at the Sarthe. The Alpine driver supported his team in their debut in the hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Le Mans and was immediately infected by the virus.
In addition to Gasly, Esteban Ocon was also on site to watch the 92nd edition of the classic. Gasly himself lived in Le Mans for a long time as a child, went to school there and was part of the French motorsport association’s junior program. The Frenchman therefore returned to his home country for the fourth WEC round, but the 28-year-old did not want to be just a spectator.
On the grid, Gasly spoke to Eurosport and revealed that he would one day like to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a competitive car. “That’s every kid’s dream. I’ve been following the race for a very long time. I lived in Le Mans for five years, so I have a close relationship with the city and the race track.
“It’s a dream to win Le Mans one day,” the Frenchman clarifies. “We will see. I’m fully focused on Formula 1 and there’s nothing in the pipeline at the moment. But watching the guys here today in sneakers and jeans doesn’t feel right. Hopefully one day I’ll be in a good car and drive the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
This puts Gasly in prominent company, as he is not the only Formula 1 driver to be associated with Le Mans. Max Verstappen reveals that he has received many requests to race in France, while Charles Leclerc would like to take part in the legendary race with Ferrari in a hypercar.
However, there is one major problem that will not be solved so quickly in the future: Calendar clashes. When the 24 Hours of Le Mans kicks off in 2025, Formula 1 drivers will have the Canada weekend on their schedule. Nevertheless, the myth seems to be spreading in the Formula 1 paddock
“It’s fascinating,” says Gasly about the challenges of a 24-hour race. “I’m on the grid here and see a lot of drivers I’ve raced against. You have to appreciate what is achieved here. As a racing driver, I know how tough it is and I hope that the people watching on TV understand that too. Being focused for an hour and a half is tough, but 24 hours and sharing a car is … the others can explain it better, but I have a lot of respect for the people.”
Alpine will compete in the WEC hypercar class for the first time in 2024 with its LMDh car. However, the 24 Hours of Le Mans quickly came to an end for the brand, as both cars retired with technical faults within the first six hours. This put an early end to the working day for the French team
