The introduction of a new category of hydrogen-powered cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been postponed to 2027. The original idea, presented in 2021, was to launch it in 2025, but it has been postponed for the third time.
The president of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, Pierre Fillon, explained, as quoted on sportscar365.com, that this is due to safety reasons and the preparation time involved: ‘2026 is not realistic. It would be 2027 because we need to spend some time on safety, and it takes a little longer than expected. I think 2027 is more realistic’.
In October, the ACO presented the latest electric and hydrogen concept car, with expectations of hitting the tracks in 2025 – specifically in the Le Mans Cup and the European Le Mans Series (ELMS). In 2022, the hydrogen-powered H24, originally presented in 2018, participated in some races of the Le Mans Cup.
Regarding the performance of the recently presented car, Fillon stated: ‘The performance goal of the H24 is the same as a GT3, no more. That is not our objective. This car is just a laboratory to better understand what we need to do in terms of safety, in terms of refueling. We have learned a lot from this car’.
