Le Mans reaches 100 and looks to a hydrogen future

The 24 Hours of Le Mans celebrates its 100th birthday this weekend with organisers of the world's most famous sportscar race looking towards a greener future while paying homage to the past.

A sold-out crowd of more than 300,000 is expected, many of them travelling to France by car in what has become an annual pilgrimage for British racing fans since the success of the 1920s 'Bentley Boys'.

Reducing that considerable carbon footprint represents a major challenge for organisers the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO).

Pierre Fillon, the Le Mans-born president of the ACO, said 10,000 'green tickets' had been sold, offering a 10 per cent discount to those arriving by electric or hybrid car, train, tram, carpool or bicycle.

"Most of the carbon emission from the 24 Hours, 70 per cent, comes from the spectators," he told Reuters in an interview ahead of what will be the 91st edition of a race first run on May 26-27, 1923.

"We want really to push the spectators to reduce their carbon emissions when they come to Le Mans."

On track, cars use a 100 per cent sustainable fuel while the tyres for the top hypercar class now have 46 per cent renewable material in their construction.

A new hydrogen category will be introduced in 2026, with cars either using fuel cell technology or combustion engines running on hydrogen, and all hypercars will eventually be hydrogen-powered.

The ACO has been promoting the technology since 2017.

"The goal is to have all the top category in 2030 with hydrogen," said Fillon, who on Wednesday opened a Hydrogen Village and a display of hydrogen-powered cars at the Sarthe circuit.

Le Mans has always been a proving ground for manufacturers and innovative technology, an arena where the car is the star with bragging rights