24 Hours of Le Mans (motorcycle race)

The 24 Heures Motos (often called in English the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race) is a motorcycle endurance race held annually since 1978 on the Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, Sarthe, France. The race is organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and is part of the Endurance FIM World Championship.

This article is about the motorcycle race in France. For the sports car race, see 24 Hours of Le Mans. For other uses, see 24 Hours of Le Mans (disambiguation).
24 Heures Motos
FIM Endurance World Championship
VenueCircuit Bugatti
Location47°56′30″N 0°13′30″E
First race1978
Last race2023
Duration24 hours
Most wins (driver)France Alex Vieira (5)
France Grégory Leblanc (5)
Most wins (manufacturer)Japan Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda (14)

History

When the Bol d'Or moved from Bugatti Circuit to Circuit Paul Ricard at the end of 1977, the ACO created the 24 Heures Moto.[1] The race became one of "the classics" of endurance racing along with the 24 Hours of Liège, the 8 Hours Of Suzuka, and the Bol d'Or.

At the end of 2001, the three 24 Hour classic races (Le Mans, Liège and the Bol d'Or) withdrew from the Endurance World Championship to create the Master of Endurance. Le Mans returned to the Endurance FIM World Championship in 2006.

Race weekend format
Thursday

Free practice sessions, 1st qualifying practice sessions (in groups) and night practice sessions

Friday

2nd qualifying practice sessions (in groups), superpole

Saturday

Warm-up session. 3.00 PM Le Mans start. NOTE: The traditional Le Mans start, abolished in 1970 for automobiles, is still used for motorcycles.

Sunday

3.00 pm, finish of the race followed by the prize-giving ceremony

Winners
Year Riders Bike
Rider 1 Rider 2 Rider 3
1978 France Jean-Claude Chemarin France Christian Léon Honda
1979 France Jean-Claude Chemarin France Christian Léon Honda
1980 France Marc Fontan France Hervé Moineau Honda
1981 France Jean-Claude Chemarin France Christian Huguet Kawasaki
1982 France Pierre-Étienne Samin France Dominique Pernet Suzuki
1983 France Gérard Coudray Switzerland Jacques Cornu Switzerland Sergio Pellandini Kawasaki
1984 Netherlands Dirk Brand Netherlands Henk Van der Mark Suzuki
1985 France Bernard Millet France Guy Bertin France Philippe Guichon Suzuki
1986 France Alex Vieira France Gérard Coudray France Patrick Igoa Honda RVF750
1987 France Alex Vieira France Jean-Michel Mattioli France Jean-Louis Battistini Honda
1988 France Alex Vieira France Jean-Michel Mattioli France Christophe Bouheben Honda RVF750
1989 France Alex Vieira France Jean-Michel Mattioli United Kingdom Roger Burnett Honda
1990 France Alex Vieira France Jean-Michel Mattioli Belgium Stéphane Mertens Honda
1991 France Philippe Monneret France Bruno Bonhuil France Rachel Nicotte Yamaha
1992 United Kingdom Terry Rymer United Kingdom Carl Fogarty Belgium Michel Simul Kawasaki
1993 France Adrien Morillas United Kingdom Brian Morrison France Wilfried Veille Kawasaki Ninja ZX-7R
1994 France Adrien Morillas France Jean-Louis Battistini United Kingdom Terry Rymer Kawasaki
1995 France Alex Vieira France Rachel Nicotte United Kingdom Brian Morrison Honda RC45
1996 France Jehan D'Orgeix Italy Piergiorgio Bontempi United Kingdom Brian Morrison Kawasaki
1997 United States Doug Polen France Juan-Éric Gomez Australia Peter Goddard Suzuki
1998 France Bertrand Sebileau France Thierry Paillot Slovenia Igor Jerman Kawasaki
1999 France Bertrand Sebileau United Kingdom Steve Hislop United Kingdom Chris Walker Kawasaki
2000 France Sébastien Charpentier France William Costes France Sébastien Gimbert Honda
2001 France Christophe Guyot France Sébastien Scarnato France Nicolas Dussauge Suzuki
2002 France Jean-Michel Bayle France Sébastien Gimbert France Nicolas Dussauge Suzuki
2003 United Kingdom Brian Morrison France Philippe Dobé France Vincent Philippe Suzuki
2004 France Stéphane Chambon Japan Keiichi Kitagawa Australia Warwick Nowland Suzuki
2005 Spain David Checa France William Costes France Sébastien Gimbert Yamaha
2006 France Olivier Four France Frédéric Protat Spain Daniel Ribalta-Bosch Honda
2007 France William Costes France Guillaume Dietrich Germany Max Neukirchner Suzuki GSX series
2008 France William Costes France Guillaume Dietrich Netherlands Barry Veneman Suzuki
2009 France Gwen Giabbani Australia Steve Martin Slovenia Igor Jerman Yamaha
2010 France Julien Da Costa France Olivier Four France Grégory Leblanc Kawasaki
2011 France Julien Da Costa France Olivier Four France Grégory Leblanc Kawasaki
2012 France Julien Da Costa France Freddy Foray France Grégory Leblanc Kawasaki
2013 France Grégory Leblanc France Fabien Foret France Nicolas Salchaud Kawasaki
2014 France Vincent Philippe France Anthony Delhalle France Erwan Nigon Suzuki
2015 France Vincent Philippe France Anthony Delhalle France Étienne Masson Suzuki
2016 France Grégory Leblanc France Matthieu Lagrive France Fabien Foret Kawasaki
2017 France Mike Di Meglio Spain David Checa Italy Niccolò Canepa Yamaha
2018 Australia Joshua Hook France Freddy Foray France Alan Techer Honda CBR
2019 France Jérémy Guarnoni Spain David Checa France Erwan Nigon Kawasaki
2020 Australia Joshua Hook France Freddy Foray France Mike Di Meglio Honda CBR 1000 RR-R
2021 France Gregg Black Belgium Xavier Simeon France Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki
2022 France Gregg Black Belgium Xavier Simeon France Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki
2023 Australia Josh Hook France Mike Di Meglio France Alan Techer Honda CBR 1000 RR-R

By manufacturer
Wins Manufacturer
14 Japan Kawasaki
Japan Suzuki
Japan Honda
4 Japan Yamaha

See also

References
  1. "22 and 23 April 1978" (in French). Lemans.org. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
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