The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race was held in 1923. The inaugural event took place on 26 and 27 May as the 24 Hours Grand Prix of Endurance.
The race was created by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest as a demanding test of speed, reliability and mechanical endurance. It ran on public roads around Le Mans, in France's Sarthe region, rather than on a purpose-built permanent circuit. Twenty manufacturers entered, most of them French.
Cold rain, wind and hail greeted the competitors at the start. The Chenard-Walcker team finished first and second on distance, while a Bentley was delayed by damage to a headlight and fuel tank. Thirty cars completed the race, an impressive 90 percent finishing rate for the era.
The event was initially linked to the Rudge-Whitworth Triennial Cup and was intended to form part of a three-year competition. That arrangement was abandoned in 1928, but the annual endurance race continued and became one of motorsport's most prestigious events. Later races were held on the Circuit de la Sarthe.