OYAMA, Japan (AP) – The 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s most famous endurance race, will be open to hydrogen-powered cars starting in 2026, Pierre Fillon, the president of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, said Saturday.
Fillon spoke at Japan’s Fuji Speedway, which is holding a 24-hour race that includes hydrogen power.
The vehicles for Le Mans will include both fuel cells and hydrogen combustion engines, Fillon said. The Automobile Club de l´Ouest organizes the race in Le Mans.
TOPSHOT – Toyota TS050 Hybrid LMP1 WEC Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi (L) drives during the first practice session on September 17, 2020, in Le Mans, northwestern France, ahead of the 88th edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race. (Photo by JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER / AFP) (Photo by JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images)
“The 24 hours of Le Mans regulations have always advocated for freedom and variety,” Fillon said. “As such I can officially announce today that both technologies will be accepted and authorized for manufactures which seek to enter the 24 hours of Le Mans in the hydrogen class.”
Toyota Motor Corporation President Koji Sato said he hoped to make an announcement “in the near future” about Toyota’s participation in Le Mans.