Le Mans 2018: guide

Eurosport will screen its biggest coverage of Le Mans, with 38 hours of original programming in the lead up to, and during, the 2018 race.

Coverage of the race kicks off Saturday 16 June at 10:00pm with pre-show The Grid with Tom Kristensen, before the race commences at 10:45pm.

Tom Kristensen said: “Eurosport has a fantastic build-up to the race with lots of brilliant shows, including the Legends of Le Mans series which was so much fun to film. As someone who has so much respect for the heritage and history of the event, it was a real thrill to take a step back in time and experience some of the most iconic cars of years gone by.”

With this year’s race featuring motorsport icons Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button and Juan Pablo Montoya, Eurosport’s build-up will include the latest news, views and interviews in Le Mans Extra LIVE as well as every practice and qualifying session Live. A new addition to this year’s coverage is, Legends of Le Mans – an original Eurosport production filmed in Le Mans – that sees nine-time race winner Tom Kristensen test four vintage cars to give a never-before-seen insight into what it was like to drive them around the legendary 13.6km circuit.

Kristensen will drive the 1924 Bentley, 1949 Ferrari 166 MM, 1967 Ford GT 40 and 1974 Matra SIMCA – four iconic cars synonymous with Le Mans. The three-part mini-series airs during Le Mans Extra on Thursday 14 June (from 5:45am) and Friday 15 June (from 5:00am). All three episodes will be repeated in full in ahead of the main race Saturday 16 June (from 9:45pm) on Eurosport.

Tom Kristensen will also spearhead Eurosport’s live coverage of the main race starting on Saturday 16 June, analysing the best of the action as it happens during an eight-episode ‘series’ of The Coach. In each episode Kristensen will showcase best-in-class innovations and augmented reality, direct from Eurosport’s on-site studio in Le Mans. As well as having the most decorated Le Mans driver in history as part of its team, Eurosport will have Jennie Gow and Sam Hancock in the pitlanes making sure fans are aware of everything going on behind-the-scenes during the race.

The Australian contingent at this years 24h of Le Mans includes James Allen (G-Drive Racing), Ryan Briscoe (Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA), Matt Campbell (Dempsey-Proton Racing), and Alex Davison (Gulf Racing).

Wednesday June 13
11:00pm Le Mans: Best of 2017 Highlights

Thursday June 14
12:00am Free Practice Live
5:45am Le Mans Extra Live – featuring news and interviews, including episode 1 of Legends of Le Mans
6:00am Qualifying 1 Live

Friday June 15
2:45am Le Mans Extra Live – featuring news, interviews and pre-qualifying coverage
3:00am Qualifying 2 Live
5:00am Le Mans Extra Live – featuring news and interviews, including episodes 2 & 3 of Legends of Le Mans
6:00pm Qualifying 3 Live

Saturday June 16
5:00pm Le Mans 24h Warm Up
7:30pm Road to Le Mans
9:00pm Pre-race coverage
9:45pm Legends of Le Mans – encore screening of all three episodes in the series, back-to-back
10:00pm The Grid with Tom Kristensen Live – featuring interviews with key personalities from this year’s 24h of Le Mans just before the race gets underway
10:45pm 24h of Le Mans starts

Monday June 18
9:00pm Le Mans: Best of 2018 Highlights