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The 1936 24 Hours of Le Mans was originally planned to be the 14th Grand Prix of Endurance to be held on 14 and 15 June 1936. However, France was in the middle of the turmoil and civil unrest sweeping over Europe. A general strike across the country in the wake of the recent electoral victory of the Popular Front had only been resolved days before scrutineering was due to start. In response to the dominance of the German teams in grand prix racing, the Automobile Club de France (ACF) had chosen to run their Grand Prix to a sports-car formula, which would in turn be eligible to run at Le Mans. Owing to the strikes, many of the teams had been unable to prepare their cars sufficiently, and even such matters as getting fuel, transportation or fuel for entrants and spectators would be difficult.
Therefore, at the beginning of June, the ACO organisers postponed the race. However, at the end of the month, being unable to arrange a suitable alternative date later in the year with the motorsport governing body (the AIACR), the event was cancelled.
A very competitive field of 58 cars had been filed prior to the cancellation. It included new French works teams from Talbot, Delahaye and Delage to take on the proven privateers driving Alfa Romeo, Lagonda and Bugatti cars.
