Fans flock to the ultimate race at Le Mans
The 92nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was packed full of drama from start to finish, as thousands of fans witnessed another exciting contest. Ferrari came out on top once again, making it back-to-back wins at Le Mans, with the #50 Ferrari 499P reaching the finish line first after a gruelling affair in mixed conditions.
Le Mans Ultimate, the official game for the FIA World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans were also right in the thick of the action throughout the traditional Le Mans week. Nearly 3,000 race goers got the chance to experience Circuit de la Sarthe in the latest Hypercars – including the jaw-dropping Ferrari 499P, which was the most popular car for those trying the free simulator experience presented by Thrustmaster.
Fans had the choice of driving the latest cars from BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche and Toyota – with the best lap time of the weekend being set by Romain Marchand who set a blistering time of 3:23.955 on the Saturday morning, ahead of the 2024 race start. In total over 3,400 virtual laps were completed by young and old, experiencing the game at the circuit – many for the first time.
As well as those trackside, thousands more at home around the world were getting their competitive fix at Le Mans with both the Michelin, #WeRaceForChangeChallenge during the week, and the 2.4 hours of Le Mans presented by Thrustmaster the weekend finale.
“We are delighted with the engagement and reaction from fans during Le Mans.” explained Stephen Hood, CEO of Studio 397. “To have nearly 3,000 people experience the game just a short walk from paddock and race track itself is truly something special. We received so much feedback as well as opinions on what people would like to see next in the game, and it was great to see so many people take to the wheel in Le Mans Ultimate for the very first time.
“I must thank the Automobile Club de l’Quest for their full support during the event as well as our dedicated event partner Thrustmaster, who worked alongside us to create a free experience for fans with their direct drive and entry level products showcasing opportunities for fans to take a step-up with their sim racing set-up. We were also delighted to support Michelin, Peugeot, BMW, Porsche, Ferrari and the Le Mans Spirit Club with their activations at the race track – expanding the reach to well over 5,000 in the fan village last weekend, further enhancing the visibility for the game and building relationships with key manufacturers and suppliers.
“We have certainly seen a real buzz around the game in the last few weeks, with new content and new features. We expect that to continue as we look forward to our next update and first DLC pack as part of the 2024 Season Pass next month – with yet more exciting content coming to the title.”
Sim racers and motorsport fans can now take the race home, with Le Mans Ultimate in Early Access available to purchase via Steam at just £24.99/ €29.99 / $32.99. The game features Hypercars in 2024 liveries, including the BMW Hypercar, which is free to download – also via Steam. For more information, check out the social media channels, Discord server and official forum.