Who are the 17 former F1 drivers to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

For this 89th edition of 24 Hours of Le Mans, 17 former pilots of Formula 1 will take the start of the famous double clock tower.

LMP1 category – 

Kamui Kobayashi

Let's start with the man who took pole position this year : Kamui Kobayashi. Le pilote japonais a montré une vraie vitesse de pointe au volant de la Toyota depuis plusieurs années en WEC, without ever winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He will be this Saturday alongside Mike conway and Jose Maria Lopez. His time in F1 was just as notable, as shown by his 2010 Japanese Grand Prix and his numerous overtakes, or his one and only podium two years later at Suzuka in front of his home crowd. Kobayashi drove for Sauber from 2010 to 2012 and then for Caterham in 2014.

Your 2021 Le Mans pole lap. Enjoy! ?# LeMans24 #GoHyper #ToyotaGAZOORacing @FIAWEC @ 24hoursoflemans pic.twitter.com/yPZ2J8O6oq

— TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WEC (@TGR_WEC) August 19

Sebastien Buemi / Brendon Hartley / Kazuki Nakajima

In the other Toyota stand, we find a trio 100% ex F1. Sebastien Buemi is one of those who will drive the #8 as has been the case for several years. Victorious three times at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Buemi is known in the F1 paddock for having driven for Toro-Rosso from 2009 to 2011, without ever really having an opportunity in a top team.
He will be supported by Brendon Hartley, WEC champion in 2015 and 2017. He has for his part completed 25 F1 Grands Prix with Toro-Rosso. The trio will finally be completed by Kazuka Nakajima, author of 36 Grands Prix with Williams.

LMP2 category –

anthony davidson

It is in the LMP2 category that we find the most former F1 drivers. This is the case of Anthony Davidson. The Briton will be at the wheel of the #07 Oreca 38 of the Jota team. Aged 42, Davidson has had a complicated F1 career. Initially, he worked freelance at Minardi (2002), at Bar Honda (2003, 2004, 2005) before being established by Super Aguri from 2007 to 2008.

Robert Kubica

Big Robert will make his debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year with Team WRT in the #41 Oreca. The Pole scored his only victory with BMW Sauber during the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007. Since his tragic accident in rally in 2011, Kubica is fighting to regain a good level of competitiveness.

© PHOTO: GILLES LEVENT / DPPI

Will Stevens

Another driver on the list: Will Stevens. The 30-year-old Briton will take part in the double round with the #65 Oreca of the Panis Racing team. In Formula 1, he mainly played at the back of the pack. Will Stevens indeed chained Caterham and Manor during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

Paul di Resta

Already winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP2, Paul di Resta is leaving for a fourth participation. This year he will be in the #07 Oreca 23 for the United Autosports team alongside Alexander Lynn and Wayne Boyd.
Aged 35, di Resta participated in 59 Grands Prix in F1 from 2010 to 2017. He notably spent time with Force India and Williams.

© PHOTO FREDERIC LE FLOCH / DPPI

Stoffel vandoorne

For his second participation, Stoffel Vandoorne will drive the #28 of the Jota team. His best result remains a third place during the 2019 edition of the Le Mans event. In F1, the Belgian driver's career was marked by his painful cohabitation with Alonso in McLaren. Despite everything, he will have participated in 41 Grands Prix.

Juan Pablo Montoya

Certainly one of the most emblematic figures of the 2000s in F1: Juan Pablo Montoya is back at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He will team up with Henrik Hedman and Ben Hanley at Dragon Speed. In F1, the Colombian made 95 starts for 7 victories between 2001 and 2006.

Felipe Nasr

We continue in the LMP2 category with Felipe Nasr. The 28-year-old Brazilian driver will share the Oreca 07 #82 with Ryan Cullen and Oliver Jarvis. In F1, Nasr participated in 39 Grands Prix in 2015 and 2016 with the Sauber team.

Giedo van der Garde

Another driver who has monopolized the rear of the peloton in F1: Giedo van der Garde. The Dutchman only took part in 19 races with Caterham. At Le Mans this year, van der Garde will share the #07 Racing Team Nederland Oreca 29 with Frits Van Eerd and Job Van Uitert. His best result at Sarthe, however, remains a 7th place in LMP2.

© PHOTO VINCENT CURUTCHET / DPPI

Roberto Merhi

He will have only done 13 races in F1 but Roberto Merhi is indeed a former driver of the premier category. Aged 30, the Spaniard will drive the Aurus 01 – Gibson #25 of the G-Drive Racing team with John Falb and Rui Andrade at his side. Merhi has never done better than 14th place in the LMP2 category.

Kevin and Jan Magnussen

This is the great story of these 24 2021 Hours of Le Mans: father and son Magnussen team up together at High Class Racing, with Anders Fjordbach. Son Kevin recently left Formula 1 after being ousted from Haas. He was on the podium once with McLaren during his first race in 2014. Father Jan had a more modest F1 career: 25 starts, 1 point and 17 retirements.

GTE PRO / GTE AM category –

© Photo Joao Filipe / DPPI

Gianna Bruni

Two former F1 drivers, however, are in the GTE Pro and GTE Am categories.
Pour Gianmaria Bruni, l’Italien de 40 ans sera dans l’équipe Porsche GT Team avec Richard Lietz et Frédéric Makowiecki sur la Porsche #91. Pour ceux qui s’en rappellent, Bruni a participé à 18 Grands Prix de F1 en 2004 avec l’écurie Minardi.

Giancarlo Fisichella

The 17th ex-F1 driver in 2021, and not the least: Giancarlo Fisichella. The 48-year-old Italian has already won Le Mans in 2012 and 2014 for Ferrari in GTE Am. He will once again be at the wheel of the #54 AF Corse with Thomas Flohr and Francesco Castellacci. In Formula 1, “Fisico” participated in 229 Grand Prix between 1996 and 2009. In total, he accumulated 4 poles, 3 victories and 19 podiums. He also contributed to two manufacturers' titles Renault and in 2005 2006.

17 drivers at Le Mans is far from a record. For example, in 2018, we found 24 former F1 drivers at the Le Mans event, including Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button.