At just 19 years old, Theodor Jensen of Denmark, Ian Aguilera of Mexico, and Adrien Closmenil from France competed in their first 24 Hours of Le Mans behind the wheel of the # 37 CLX Motorsport LMP2 prototype, sporting ELF livery. It was an extraordinary adventure for the youngest crew in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and they finished fifth in their class.
Who was the oldest and who was the youngest on the day of the start of the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans?
Theodor: I’m the oldest of the three. On June 13, I was exactly 19 years, 11 months, and 14 days old.
Ian: I’m the youngest: I was 19 years, 2 months, and 30 days old when I started the race.
Adrien: I’m right in the middle of my two teammates: I was 19 years, 4 months, and 25 days old on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
You weren’t even 20 yet when you competed in your first 24 Hours of Le Mans. Tell us about it…
Theodor: We really appreciate how lucky we were to experience this amazing adventure with the CLX Motorsport team and our partner ELF, who’s been supporting us all season in the European Le Mans Series. For the three of us, competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans was a dream come true.
Ian: I started racing just five years ago, and I still can’t believe I found myself on the starting grid of this magical race so early in my career.
Adrien: Very, very happy, of course. I’d competed in the Road to Le Mans twice before, but this year, racing alongside the big names in endurance racing and the Hypercars was incredible.
What’s your background in motorsports?
Theodor: I started right away in single-seaters, in Formula 4, before moving on to Formula Regional and then to endurance racing in the LMP3 class.
Ian: I began my career in karting in Mexico before moving to Europe to compete in the Ligier European Series—a series organized in partnership with TotalEnergies, by the way.
Adrien: I started racing go-karts at age four, before moving on to F4, then to LMP3 prototypes in the Le Mans Cup. Together with Theodor, we won the LMP3 title in the European Le Mans Series last year thanks to ELF and the CLX Motorsport team.
Why did you choose endurance racing over a career in single-seaters in the hope of racing in F1? Isn’t that every young driver’s dream?
Theodor: No, not for me. I’ve always wanted to race in endurance racing, to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In Denmark, we have a real passion for endurance racing, with “Mr. Le Mans” Tom Kristensen and Malthe Jakobsen, who races for Peugeot in the Hypercar class. I love the spirit of endurance racing, and it’s a discipline that offers great opportunities for young drivers.
Ian: When you look at the starting grids in endurance racing—with all the different categories, the manufacturers competing, all the race strategies, and the technology in the Hypercar class—I think the discipline is at the pinnacle of motorsports today. That’s where I wanted to be.
Adrien: At first, I dreamed of F1, of course, and then I met Julien, an engineer at Cool Racing, who steered me toward endurance racing. I’ve learned a lot about this discipline, which I love.
The week of the 24 Hours of Le Mans kicked off with the traditional Pesage in the city center, followed by the Test Day and the drivers’ Parade… Tell us about the atmosphere.
Theodor: It was incredible. There were so many people at the Pesage and the Parade! My first lap behind the wheel of the LMP2 was very emotional on this legendary track.
Ian: With all those fans, I signed dozens of autographs—it surprised me; I felt like a real race car driver, lol! It was cool. And then I got to experience the track. What a thrill in the Porsche Curves, and what speed on the straights in the LMP2!
Adrien: Yeah, there were huge crowds at the Pesage and the Parade. We signed autographs and took selfies—it was crazy. We’re so lucky to have experienced moments like that.
Who was familiar with the Circuit de la Sarthe before this 24 Hours of Le Mans?
Theodor: I’d already done the Road to Le Mans, so I was familiar with the main circuit. It’s a challenging track because it has all kinds of turns and long straights. You have to stay focused for nearly four minutes—it’s not easy at first. At night, it’s absolutely magical!
Ian: I’d raced in a round of the Ligier European Series on the main circuit. What impresses me most are the long straights at over 300 km/h and the hard braking multiple times per lap, which eventually take a physical toll.
Adrien: I was familiar with it too, since I’d competed in the Road to Le Mans twice. There are different types of turns—some slow and others very fast, like the Porsche Curves or the Indianapolis Curves, where you have to be 100% focused.
How did you train for the 24 Hours of Le Mans?
Theodor: I did a lot of physical training with specific endurance exercises. I also spent 24 hours on the simulator, spread out over several sessions.
Ian: I did a lot of simulator work with double and triple stints, just like in a race. I also did some mental preparation.
Adrien: Lots of physical training and concentration exercises, including very specific drills for vision and reflexes, for example…
What were your goals going into this 94th edition, and did you achieve them?
Theodor: I’m proud of this fifth-place finish. I’ll always remember racing in the sunset and the night. It was magical. Thanks to the entire CLX Motorsport team and our partners.
Ian: We dreamed of winning the class, but the competition was very tough with many factory drivers in Hypercar last year, and former F1 drivers… We fought hard, and it’s a good result. I’m proud to have represented my country at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Adrien: We qualified 14th and worked our way up to 5th place. A top-5 finish for our debut at Le Mans, with no mistakes—that’s pretty good…
You’re not yet 20—what does the ELF brand mean to you?
Theodor: To be honest, I don’t really know the history of this brand in motorsports, but I do know that ELF is always willing to help young drivers and supports us in our endurance racing program. I’m very grateful for that.
Ian: I don’t really know much about ELF’s history either. I know that TotalEnergies is a major global company that’s very involved in motorsports. I’ve raced under their colors in the Ligier Endurance Series and now in the European Le Mans Series with CLX Motorsport.
Adrien: I’m quite familiar with it—I’ve seen ELF stickers on old Formula 1 cars, like on the Ligiers or the six-wheeled Tyrrell, I think. I’m proud to be wearing these colors myself, especially at Le Mans.