Since the inception of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) has released posters that share the thrill of the event with audiences worldwide.

The first sets the stage for what would become a race for the ages: a car speeding through the night, competitors following in pursuit in the distance, and an owl perched in a tree, symbolising the relentless day-to-night battle. As it was promoting a new event in motorsport, the 1923 poster leaves plenty of room for text, introducing its race organiser, the ACO, and highlighting entertainment like fireworks and a jazz band, as well as food from a Parisian brasserie.

The artist, H.A. Volodimer, went on to illustrate the next two race posters in 1924 and 1925 (the 24 Hours of Le Mans was originally conceived as a three-year challenge), and his name might have faded into obscurity if not for his poster art. But, like the race itself, his work endured. Volodimer’s original 1923 lithograph for the 1923 poster sold for £12,000 at an RM Sotheby’s auction in 2024 – a testament to how the Le Mans poster has grown from a promotional tool into a valuable collector’s item.

Aston Martin debuted on the La Sarthe circuit in 1928, claiming its first win in the 1.5-litre class, followed by four more victories in the 1930s before the race was halted by World War II. When Le Mans returned, so did Aston Martin – dominating the 3-litre class throughout the 1950s, winning six times, including a sweep of the podium in 1951.

The decade also marked a golden age for automotive art, with the likes of Géo Ham standing out for his ability to capture speed and movement in Le Mans posters. One of his finest, from 1954, immerses the viewer in the race’s darkest hour. Rendered in black and blue, a long line of cars push against time under a clock that reads 2 a.m.

Michel Beligond, another key figure in French automotive art, created one of the era’s most iconic posters in 1959, featuring drivers sprinting to their cars, with a Ferrari in the foreground and an Aston Martin driver leaping into the DBR1 cockpit behind. Sun-drenched spectators fill the background under a bright blue sky, with countless flags fluttering from the stands. This would be the year Aston Martin finally won Le Mans outright.

Since posters were designed in advance of each race, they typically celebrated the previous year’s winners. So when Aston Martin secured its first all-out victory in 1959, the marque naturally took its place on the 1960 poster. That year marked a departure from previous illustrated designs as it used a colour photograph for the first time. Also used by the French tourism board to promote the event, it showed the victorious #5 DBR1, the #6 DBR1 and DB4 GT lining up amongst competitors.

The novelty of colour photography saw it become a popular medium, so much so that it was used for all Le Mans posters from 1964 until 1972. After that, illustration made a return, bringing more graphic and conceptual designs reflective of the time. Jean Jacquelin’s bold, stylised posters for the 1972 and 1974 races, along with Lardrot’s delicate 1976 artwork – using pointillism to depict a helmeted driver up close – being notable examples. This period also saw a shift from portrait to landscape orientation, a poster format that would stick.

In the 1980s, the cars became the dominant element, often filling most of the space – a trend that continued into the 2000s. At this point, some posters started to resemble those of movie blockbusters, with dramatic compositions and bold visuals reflecting the increasing spectacle of the event. From 2016, the design approach changed course, embracing simplicity and a more direct visual style that reinforced the race’s legendary status.

Fast forward to 2025, and the Le Mans poster has returned to its roots. Designed in-house by the ACO, the artwork celebrates the drive and determination involved in reaching the starting grid, rather than who prevails at the end. “Regardless of who they work for, the talented designers entrusted with the task always seek to capture the spirit of the race, its historical legacy and its future,” said the ACO when the artwork was revealed. And who better to illustrate the perseverance that defines the race than its tireless creator?