L'Equipe, the French free-to-air digital and terrestrial channel, has extended its domestic deal covering the 24 Hours of Le Mans iconic motor racing event, and indeed the FIA World Endurance Championship series to which the race belongs.

The broadcaster has aired WEC and 24 Hours of Le Mans action since 2021, and has now extended its rights to that series for the next four years, until the end of the 2029 campaign, through a deal with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) body that organizes Le Mans.

The last extension between those two parties was unveiled in late 2023, a two-year affair.

The 2026 season will see the eight WEC races - including the Le Mans event - aired exclusively on free-to-air linear TV by L'Equipe.

For the 24 Hours of Le Mans specifically, 2026 will see L'Equipe cover the final qualifying session before the race itself, for the very first time.

The next edition of that prestigious and historic race will be held over the weekend of June 13 and 14 next year.

In total, there will be over 18 hours of live coverage from Le Mans next year on L'Equipe, in addition to several additional programs being aired, including an official 24 Hours of Le Mans film.

The other seven WEC races, meanwhile, will be shown via the TV section of the L'Equipe website and mobile app.

That website and accompanying mobile app will also provide video highlights, as well as race results and standings.

Vincent Broussard, managing director at L'Equipe's TV division, has said: "Broadcasting the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA ​​WEC in general is a major event for our channels. The fact that these rights remain free-to-air, and therefore accessible to the widest possible audience, is also a great source of pride."

Pierre Fillon, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest president, added: "For several years, this strong and loyal partnership has allowed many to experience the magic of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship. The fact that these races continue to be broadcast free-to-air is excellent news: it opens a window onto our sport, its values, and its future.”

The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship will get underway in Qatar in late March and run through until the last race of the eight, set to take place in Bahrain in early November.

L'Equipe, meanwhile, picked up a package of rights to show the EuroLeague, European basketball’s elite club competition, in mid-October.