The world’s most prestigious endurance race presents itself in 2026 with a fully subscribed starting grid of 62 cars, but a downsizing is emerging in the top Hypercar class. With only 18 starters in the premier category, the number of overall victory contenders drops by three cars compared to the previous year – a clear sign of the current upheavals in the World Championship environment.

Primarily responsible for this development is Porsche’s withdrawal from the top class of the World Endurance Championship. The German manufacturer had significantly contributed to the growth of the Hypercar field and now leaves a noticeable gap. From the North American IMSA GTP series, only one additional car joins the regular WEC lineup: Wayne Taylor Racing will field a third Cadillac V-Series.R in the race, after the American manufacturer had already announced plans to strengthen its Le Mans presence.

The LMP2 category presents itself robustly with 19 starters, with the majority of participants coming from the European Le Mans Series. Ten of the entered cars will compete in the Pro/Am classification. Established teams like United Autosports, Inter Europol, Proton Competition, and Algarve Pro Racing will each be represented with two cars, while various single entries complete the field.

In the LMGT3 class, which replaces the traditional GT cars, 25 teams will fight for class honors. The distribution across the three categories – 18 Hypercar, 19 LMP2, and 25 LMGT3 – ensures a balanced starting field for the 94th edition of the Sarthe classic. Despite the reduced Hypercar numbers, the June race promises thrilling battles for overall victory between the remaining manufacturers and private teams.