Who are the ex-F1 drivers racing at Le Mans 2026?

The famous endurance race has often attracted former Formula 1 drivers, and this year is no different. Some arrive as Le Mans winners, while others are still hoping to add one of motorsport's biggest prizes to their careers.

Among the biggest names is Robert Kubica, who won the 2025 race and is one of the few drivers to have claimed victories in both Formula 1 and Le Mans. Antonio Giovinazzi is another previous winner and will be aiming for another strong result with Ferrari.

Toyota's line-up includes four former F1 drivers. Kamui Kobayashi, a Le Mans winner in 2021, returns alongside former AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries. The Japanese manufacturer also relies on Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley, who have collected multiple Le Mans victories together over the years.

Kevin Magnussen will continue his endurance racing career with BMW after leaving Formula 1, while Cadillac fields three ex-F1 drivers: Will Stevens, Sebastien Bourdais and Jack Aitken.

Peugeot's Hypercar squad features Paul di Resta and Stoffel Vandoorne. Both had short Formula 1 careers but have built strong reputations in other categories of motorsport.

Not every former Grand Prix driver will compete for the overall win. Jack Doohan and Pietro Fittipaldi will race in the LMP2 class, while former Williams driver Logan Sargeant makes his Le Mans appearance in LMGT3 aboard a Ford Mustang.

Many of these drivers found even greater success after leaving Formula 1. Buemi became a multiple Le Mans winner and Formula E champion, Hartley established himself as one of endurance racing's top drivers, and Kobayashi has become a regular contender for victory at the Circuit de la Sarthe. For others, Le Mans offers a fresh opportunity. De Vries, Doohan and Sargeant all had brief spells in Formula 1 and are now looking to build successful careers in endurance racing.

The 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans is scheduled to get underway on Saturday at 16:00 local time.