Le Mans 24 Hours New Hypercar Qualification Format Explains

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The 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours features revised qualifying and hyperpole formats as the FIA and ACO aim to create a “even more epic experience” for both the contestants and the audience.

As in previous cases, all three classes of cars will take part in their first qualifying session on Wednesday before the race. However, the structure has been fine-tuned, giving you more opportunities to compete for pole pole positions on hyperpole.

Currently, 15 fastest cars from the Hypercar class and 12 each from the LMP2 and LMGT3 will advance to the next phase of the qualifying round held on Thursday.

Importantly, instead of all 62 entries running together in an hourly session, Wednesday’s qualifying round is split into two 30-minute sessions dedicated to LMP2 and LMGT3.

Hyperpole format

Introduced in 2020, HyperPole is split into two different parts, H1 and H2, as part of the new knockout system.

Similar to the revised Wednesday format, HyperPole will also post separate sessions in the HyperCar class and LMP2/LMGT3 categories.

In H1, the slowest four cars from both the LMP2 and LMGT3 will be eliminated, leaving eight cars each to compete in the final shootout at H2.

In the hypercar session, five slowest cars are knocked out in the H1, with the remaining 10 going to H2, competing for the entire pole.

H1 lasts for 20 minutes with LMP2 and LMGT3, and Hypercar H1 runs for 15 minutes.

H2 – the final stage of the qualifying round – is divided into two 15 minute segments. The LMP2 and LMGT3 reach the track first, followed by 10 fastest hypercars, determining the perfect pole sessitter.

The new qualification format is exclusive to Le Mans 24 hours and will not be adopted in other rounds of the World Endurance Championship.

In effect, the updated structure of Le Mans reproduces the familiar Q1-Q2-Q3 model of F1. Wednesday’s qualifying session will serve as Q1, H1 Mirror Q2 and H2.