[1][2] It was first held as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency in 1923,[3] after the automotive journalist Charles Faroux to Georges Durand, the ACO general secretary, and the industrialist Emile Coquile, agreed to hold the race for car manufacturers to test vehicle durability, equipment and reliability.
[10][12] As of the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans,[update] there have been 146 victorious drivers from 20 individual countries and 25 winning manufacturers representing 7 different nations in the race's 92 editions.
The first two winners were André Lagache and René Léonard in 1923, and the most recent drivers to achieve their first victory were Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen in 2024.
[10] Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller set the record for the farthest distance covered by a race-winning team, driving 5,410.713 km (3,362.061 mi) and completing 397 laps in an Audi R15 TDI plus in 2010.
[13] Frank Clement and John Duff hold the record for the shortest distance covered by a victorious squad, completing 120 laps and 2,077.34 km (1,290.80 mi) sharing a Bentley 3 Litre Sport in 1924.