2026 24 Hours of Le Mans: “Despite the heartbreak, we proved we have what it takes to win,” says Gilles Duqueine

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans: “Despite the heartbreak, we proved we have what it takes to win,” says Gilles Duqueine

Two weeks after the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, it’s time to reflect. Although Duqueine Team’s No. 30 LMP2 retired with just three hours to go following a brake failure, the French squad left the Sarthe with far more than a result. After leading the race for almost 20 hours and delivering a level of performance few expected from a team restructured just four months ago, Duqueine Team has laid the foundations for an exceptionally promising future.

The 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans will remain a landmark event for Duqueine Team. Ten intense days defined by front-running pace and a brilliantly executed race. Having led the LMP2 category for 181 laps—more than half of the race—the French outfit looked set to fight for the podium, and even victory. “We were all on cloud nine,” says Thibaut de Mérindol, Team Principal of R-ace GP, Duqueine Team’s partner.

As driver Yifei Ye famously put it: “You don’t win Le Mans—Le Mans lets you win.” This year, Le Mans didn’t choose Duqueine Team. With just three hours to go, a brake failure abruptly ended the No. 30 LMP2’s bid for glory.

“That retirement was a huge blow. We deserved so much better,” admits Duqueine Team Chief Mechanic Damien Fourcade. A feeling share by Head Engineer Pierre-Lee Fauquereau. “Naturally, there’s bitterness. From a performance standpoint, we proved we could lead the race for 20 hours, at times with a comfortable advantage.”

“The disappointment was immense,” acknowledges Duqueine Team President Gilles Duqueine. “But there was also tremendous satisfaction because we proved we truly have what it takes to win… in 2027.”

A young team taking the fight to the best

The frustration is undeniable, but it should not overshadow the bigger picture. For nearly 20 hours, Duqueine Team went toe-to-toe with some of endurance racing’s most established names. “We were fighting against teams that have won Le Mans several times before. For such a young team, we couldn’t have hoped for better,” says Pierre-Lee Fauquereau.

The achievement is even more remarkable considering that just four months earlier, Duqueine Team had undergone a complete transformation following its partnership with R-ace GP. “Drivers, engineers, mechanics, organisation… Thibaut and I built an entirely new team,” explains Gilles Duqueine.

The potential of this new structure—already evident through its strong performances in the European Le Mans Series, where Duqueine Team currently leads the LMP2 Pro/Am standings—was fully confirmed at Le Mans.

“From the Prologue onwards, and then throughout Free Practice, I could feel the chemistry building step by step. Every aspect of our performance kept improving. Despite the pressure, a real sense of calm settled over the team. The looks we exchanged, the checks between us… everything became more focused and more precise.” Gilles Duqueine

The people behind the performance

That steady progression was made possible by meticulous preparation and near-flawless execution throughout the Le Mans fortnight. “The mechanics gave us a reliable, robust car. That allowed us to follow our race plan exactly as intended,” explains Pierre-Lee Fauquereau.

“In every session, under every set of conditions, we were always on the pace. Doriane, Richard and Julien worked seamlessly with the team and constantly pushed everyone to raise their game.”

Beyond the outright performance, these 24 Hours of Le Mans also validated the human decisions made during Duqueine Team’s rebuild.

“These ten days confirmed that we have absolutely no regrets about any of the people we’ve brought into the project,” says Thibaut de Mérindol. “Pierre-Lee, Damien, the entire staff, Doriane, Richard… and no regrets either about how we approached and prepared for Le Mans, including our decision to bring Julien into the line-up—it was unquestionably the right choice.”

A close-knit team

Everyone agrees on one thing: the team spirit that developed in such a short time has been exceptional.

“Despite how young this project is, we immediately created a family atmosphere,” says Damien Fourcade. “Everyone has been fully committed, both in ELMS and at Le Mans. There’s a real team spirit. We genuinely enjoy spending time together, we have fun—but when it’s time to work, everyone delivers.”

That connection even seemed to extend beyond the garage. “After we retired, several spectators came over to see us. Some even had tears in their eyes. You could feel they were just as disappointed as we were,” recalls the Chief Mechanic. A clear sign that this project has already succeeded in building a strong identity and winning people’s support.

Looking back, the overall assessment is overwhelmingly positive. Duqueine Team may have left Le Mans without a trophy, but it departed with the conviction that it has reached a major milestone.“I’m incredibly proud of the work the entire team has done,” concludes Thibaut de Mérindol.

“We’ve proved to ourselves that, despite how young this project is, we’re capable of competing at the very highest level in LMP2.” Thibaut De Mérindol.

Although this year’s story came to a cruel end, everyone at Duqueine Team is already looking in the same direction: returning to Le Mans in 2027 with one clear objective—to finish the job.

For now, the team’s full attention turns to the European Le Mans Series and the LMP2 Pro/Am championship. “Le Mans pushed us to our absolute limits. It has made our team even stronger for the rest of the season. We won’t give up—we’ll do everything we can to win the ELMS title,” says Damien Fourcade.