Lewis Hamilton has been named a patron of the new M24 Museum of Motorsport. A seven-time Formula One World Champion and one of the most influential figures of contemporary motorsport, Hamilton has given the M24 his stamp of approval, museum officials stated in a press release.
Inside the M24: A 96,500-Square-Foot Home for Motorsport History
Opening on May 28, the M24 is composed of two parts: the initial building, dating from 1961, which has been entirely renovated, and the extension designed by Frédéric Audevard, which brings the new exhibition area to more than 96,500 square feet. The idea for M24 started in 2022, when the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), represented by President Pierre Fillon, and Richard Mille, chairman of the Endurance Commission for the FIA, formed a joint venture named MACO. A huge building project began, involving the renovation of the existing site and the new extension.
The M24’s Full-Spectrum Collection of Motorsport
The M24 is a museum where motorsport tells its own story with an exceptional collection of cars, objects and archives that come together to recreate a century of passion, innovation and courage, noted the release. While the previous museum told the story of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the new M24 embraces the whole spectrum of motorsport: Formula One, endurance, rallying, motorcycle racing, single-seater racing and more. The collection is composed of history-making cars, each in its discipline.
Among them is the Mercedes W09 with which Lewis Hamilton won his fifth Formula One World Championship in 2018. By accepting the role of a patron, Hamilton does more than lend his name: he represents the intentions of the museum to be a place for everyone—all audiences, all sports and all generations, museum officials said.
Why the M24 Is More Than a Car Museum
“What’s been built here is more than a traditional car museum; it’s a home for motorsport, a place that tells stories of races, of people and technology that have made Le Mans and motorsport so special,” said Hamilton. “M24 also brings together an incredible collection of race cars and memorabilia, including one of the biggest collections of F1 cars anywhere in the world. Alongside other legendary cars, they make this place truly unique.”
“The love of motorsport cannot be conveyed in books,” said Mille, co-creator and key founding partner of the museum. “It is passed down via memorabilia, by feelings, by the tales of those who were there at the time. Every car that composes a collection such as M24’s is a work of art. The culmination of hours and hours of tireless work, the fruit of collective intelligence that cannot be perceived just by contemplating the end result. That is this museum’s role: to tell the whole story. In the same way, there is much more to Lewis Hamilton than seven world titles. He is exactly the right person to represent the passing on of our heritage to the next generation.”
“Lewis Hamilton is more than an impressive track record,” added Fillon. “He is one of those rare sportsmen who has used his influence to bring change well beyond the boundaries of his discipline. M24 stems from exactly that outlook. It is a place that celebrates the heroes and heroines of motorsport whose feats belong to all of us. I am proud and pleased to welcome Lewis Hamilton on board in what promises to be an exciting adventure.”