Pierre Fillon,54, an ophthalmologist by profession, is the president of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, or A.C.O., which organizes the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His grandfather was an amateur racer who had intended to race in the first edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1923 but was prevented from doing so by a family obligation. Fillon attended the race for the first time in 1966 and has not missed an edition since. He joined the A.C.O. in 1995 and became administrator in 2003, before joining the board of directors in 2006. In 2010 he became assistant to the president, Jean-Claude Plassart, before taking over the presidency in May 2012 when Plassart retired. Born in Le Mans, Fillon is an amateur go-kart racer and he took lessons in auto racing in the Formula Renault and Formula 3 categories. He has participated in several sports car races, including the Le Mans Classic. He is the brother of the former French prime minister François Fillon. He spoke with Brad Spurgeon of the International Herald Tribune about the race, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.

Q. What does this 90th anniversary represent for the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

A. The event was created on May 26, 1923. And that is important because events that are 90 years old are rare. So 90 years is something long lasting, and that means that the idea of the 24 Hours was a long-term idea, it means each year this event is organized with efficacy and competence, it means that it has lasted. The objective of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is at once the race and the technological innovation that permits all the drivers to come and race and the celebration with the spectators, is a concept that has been written to last. For the 90th anniversary this year, we have lots of special events planned.

Q. On the technology side, the race has changed the image of the diesel engine from clunky, noisy, polluting and slow into something sporty, clean and desirable. It is now likely to do the same for the hybrid car?

A. That is part of the history of Le Mans. The 24 Hours of Le Mans was conceived as a laboratory to test technological innovations for the cars of tomorrow. Even in 1923, the cars at the first races were sandbagged in order to simulate the passengers sitting in a road car so that it was exactly the same conditions as a road car. Since then, much has evolved and been perfected, like windshield wipers, L.E.D. headlights, etc.

And diesels were very important. It was a real gamble for the A.C.O. to do races with different technologies running at the same time, because it was difficult to find an equivalency between the two and I think the A.C.O. succeeded. Today diesel has shown that it can win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, although 15 years ago no one would have believed that. And we made diesel engines clean engines, high performance engines, and of course today we are concentrating entirely on hybrids. We already authorized the hybrids last year, and a hybrid won the race.\

We are going to go much further next year, with the regulations based completely on new energies and sustainable development.

Q. This race is more fan-friendly than most. Is this part of the spirit of Le Mans?

A. You used exactly the right words: the spirit of Le Mans. And the 24 Hours has always been at once this laboratory, this sporting event, and also this celebration for the spectator. Everything is done for the spectator. I think that if there are 250,000 or 300,000 people who come and take part at Le Mans every year it is not by chance. We do all we can to improve the hosting of the spectator; we want them to commune with their heroes, the drivers of the racing cars — and with their machines, which are exceptional.

This year, to celebrate the 90th anniversary, we are even going further: We are holding a lottery to select a spectator who will launch the formation lap of the race — which has never been done by a spectator before.

Q. How did your interest in racing start?

A. I always dreamed of being either a racing car driver or a doctor. I started by being a doctor, and then started to drive, and did some courses in single-seaters and did some races. Evidently, being from Le Mans, I always loved the 24 Hours of Le Mans. When my predecessor arrived at the age limit of the statutes of the association, at 70 — an age limit he set for himself — I became the president, although I had not thought of doing that.

I am passionate about cars. I have never raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans — although I dreamed of doing it — but today I live it from the other side and it’s just as interesting.