Le Mans Classic Returns in July

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is among the most important events in motorsport, and the vintage event — the one that celebrates the people and the machines that made history there — is back on for 2022.

Le Mans Classic was created in 2002 by Peter Auto, alongside the AOC, with the goal of creating a retrospective of the 24 Hours of Le Mans races of years past. It typically draws in around 600 race cars on the track and approximately 8,500 classic cars for display at the world-renowned circuit. Since its launch, the event has run every other year — but its 10th and most recent running had to be postponed due to COVID-19 in 2020 — along with the Artcurial auction held alongside it.

This year, both return, with the event kicking off on June 30 and running through July 3, and the auction taking place on July 2.

Support grids planned for this year’s event include Group C, Endurance Racing Legends, Porsche Classic Race Le Mans and Jaguar Classic Challenge. These join the more traditional year-range based grids: 1923-39, 1949-56, 1957-61, 1962-65, 1966-71 and 1972-81. As is always the case, cars selected here are cars that have in the past actually raced at Le Mans.

Expect to see a 1971 BMW M1 Procar, a 1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK, a 2003 Bentley Speed 8, a 1974 Group 4 DeTomaso Pantera, a 1970 Porsche 917k and a 1969 Ferrari 312P among the competitors this year. 

Tickets are available now. Learn more here.

Artcurial’s consignments are still coming together, but the company has announced that it will feature a 1980 Porsche 935 #L1 with great history — including 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans provenance — at the auction on July 2. It’s estimated to bring between €1.3m and €1.6m.

The auction will also feature a helmet that features signatures of 22 Tour Auto winners, with proceeds to benefit the Bongela School in South Africa.

Learn more about the event here, and the auction here.