24h Le Mans
Competitors want nothing more than to win a 24 Hours of Le Mans trophy! Learn about the very precise design and a few manufacturing secrets behind the statues awarded to only a chosen few.
Since 2018, 24 Hours of Le Mans trophies have been manufacturered by Bronzes de Mohon, a Morbihan company with a staff of about 10. Bronzes de Mohon CEO Fabrice Guilloux: "We are thrilled to work with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. Our contribution gives us international recognition and our work has improved thanks to the race."
The company produces approximately 100 trophies each year. "It takes a long time to make them because it is a complex process. Their finish requires a lot of care. What we do is not unlike goldsmithing."
24 Hours of Le Mans trophies are made of plexiglass, wood and brass, then immersed in a 24-carat gold bath to achieve their golden appearance. The manufacturing process includes the assembly of parts as well as polishing. The statues are available in seven different sizes with the tallest given to the overall winners measuring in at 1.30 meters.
The production of 24 Hours of Le Mans trophies is conducted according to extremely precise specifications defined by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. "If dropped, for example, they must not break into multiple pieces. We have worked diligently since 2018 to ensure the trophies are more rigid. They must also be resistant to Champagne. The most difficult thing is to protect them from standard scratches and micro-scratches from handling. Like the drivers who give their all on the track to win the race, we do our best to deliver magnificent trophies."
If a team or driver loses a trophy, the company can make a new one, but only at the request of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. Rest assured, however, this rarely happens as the trophy tends to occupy a very special place in manufacturer and driver award cabinets...
Since 1993 and the creation of the current trophy, when a marque or a team wins the race three times in a row, it keeps the trophy in perpetuity. Three manufacturers have done it: Audi, Porsche and Toyota.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans trophy weighs nearly 70 kg and comes with a stunning case created by world-renowned designer Louis Vuitton. Each year during the starting ceremony, the trophy is returned to the starting line in a collector's car belonging to the defending manufacturer.