‘It is something very special to me’- Josh Pierson is relishing the challenge of 24 hours of Le Mans

Josh Pierson revealed to Eurosport how excited he is to take on the challenge of the 24 hours of Le Mans this week.

The 16-year-old American makes his first appearance at Le Mans and is the youngest driver on the grid.

The 90th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place at the Circuit de la Sarthe this week. The world’s most famous automobile endurance race will welcome a full crowd again after being held behind closed doors in 2020 and then with a restricted attendance last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pierson and his father believe that he is ready for one of the biggest mental and physical challenges in sport, despite his lack of experience. Speaking to Eurosport ahead of the race start on Saturday, Pierson revealed how he cannot wait to drive at the race.

“It means a lot to me this is a very special event, a very historic race in general. It is one that I have grown up around my entire life,” said Pierson.

“I am very familiar with the event and to do it at my age and to know that whatever happens I am lucky to be part of the history of the event is something very special to me.

“It does offer a lot of challenges; you’ve got a lot of force down so you’re really trying to fight the car. If your taking corners at 180mph, you’re really pushing the car to its limit and that’s what special about this place.

“It’s a different place to learn, a different track to drive and it offers its own challenges in a unique way. For a race like this it is hard to train for as it is so long. The mental demand can be quite a challenge to train for.”

Pierson’s father, Greg, believes that Josh has all the correct characteristics in order to perform at Le Mans.

“People often speak about how mature he is and how calm he is, beyond his years,” said his father Greg. “I don’t think I have yet encountered another driver, listening on the radio, that is as calm as he is, no matter what happens in the race.

“This has been a surreal journey for me, for Josh’s mum. Getting here was a bucket list item for me, just to see this race, let alone coming and watching your son.

“Who doesn’t dream about winning or getting a podium in this event? If you think about all the things that have to go right for that to happen it’s pretty mind boggling.”

When is qualifying for 24 hours of Le Mans? And how does it work?

Ahead of the start of the race on Saturday June 11 at 15:00, there are four free practice sessions, a qualifying session and Hyperpole. They are structured as such:

Wednesday, June 8

• 13:00 to 16:00 – Free practice 1
• 18:00 to 19:00 – Qualifying session
• 21:00 to 23:00 – Free practice 2

Thursday, June 9

14:00 to 17:00 – Free practice 3

• 19:00 to 19:30 – Hyperpole
• 21:00 to 23:00 – Free practice 4

In qualifying, drivers set out to record the fastest lap, and most starting positions for the race are determined during this session. However, with up to 62 cars on the track in qualifying, laying down a flying lap is difficult. Therefore, the six fastest drivers in each class from the qualifying session will qualify for Hyperpole, and the top six from that session will determine the top six places in each class for the race.

The practice sessions allow teams to refine their settings and specifications.

When does the actual race start?

After the grid is confirmed and the final practice session has been completed, there is the warm-up on Saturday followed by the race, as follows:

Saturday, June 11

• 9:30 to 9:45 – Warm-up
• 15:00 – The race

Sunday, June 12

How can I watch 24 hours of Le Mans?

We will also have rolling coverage on the Eurosport.co.uk website and our social channels.

Live coverage starts on Wednesday afternoon with practice sessions and qualifying for Hyperpole. There will be more live action on Thursday evening followed by continuous coverage of the main race, which starts at 3pm BST on Saturday, June 11.