The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the biggest races in the history of motorsports; Only the Indy 500 and Monaco GP rival its prestige. It’s where legacy automakers like Ferrari, Porsche, and Ford pit their best efforts against one another. This year marks the centennial anniversary of the iconic race, which is a big deal by any stretch. Considering the above factors, you would think that would be plenty to get eye balls squarely pointed at screens when the green flag drops, right? Well, it seems that the race promoters think that they still need a bit of star power to bring more attention to the day-long race.
ESPN reported that Laker’s forward and four-time NBA champion LeBron James will be the official starter for the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. You may be confused by this but to us it’s as clear as day. The names are too damn similar to pass up the obvious marketing opportunities. Who wouldn’t want a “24 Heures du LeBron” poster signed by the man himself? Besides, LeBron James is an international celebrity beyond just basketball. The 38-year-old did turn in an Oscar-worthy performance in 2021’s Space Jam: A New Legacy, and his refusal to pay for Pandora is an inspiration to us all.
If you’re looking for further automotive and motorsport connections, we don’t doubt that James has an impressive car collection including a sweet 2015 Kia K900. Additionally—if you go by six degrees of Kevin Bacon rules—he has an ownership connection to the RFK Racing NASCAR team. Though, we’d argue he’s not the first celebrity that comes to mind when thinking about motorsports. I mean Homer Simpson designed a whole car once, where’s his invite? Seriously though, we have no problem with James waving the green flag as long as he does a better job of it than Apple CEO Tim Cook did.
ATTENTION LE MANS FANS! Once again, MotorTrend+ as well as the MotorTrend TV channel will be the EXCLUSIVE SPOT IN THE U.S. and Canada. As the exclusive home of the 2023 Le Mans race, MotorTrend+ will bring fans unprecedented access to the entire 24-hour spectacle, including practice and qualifying beginning on Wednesday, June 7, the green flag at 9:00 a.m. ET (6:00 a.m. PT) on June 10, and the checkered flag after a full day of furious on-track battles. In addition, MotorTrend+ users will be able to view the from the dashcams of multiple competitors (some 16 in all), and other special presentations will be available to access prior to and during the Le Mans weekend.
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