Driving for the all-female Iron Dames team by Manthey Racing, Gatting was to join Rahel Frey and Celia Martin in a Porsche 911 GT3 R.

The team announced she will be replaced by Sarah Bovy in the #85 car.

Gatting suffered the injury during a pit stop driver change at the pre-event test day at Circuit de la Sarthe.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Gatting wrote on social media.

“This is the race we are all preparing for, this is the highlight of the year, this is THE race of them all. 24 Hours of Le Mans that I had the pleasure of doing six times as an Iron Dame. This year was going to be my seventh time, still as an Iron Dame, but also as a Porsche driver.

“I worked extremely hard to be ready for this since the beginning of the year, I had new motivation being a newly signed Porsche driver, and also getting the chance of racing with one of the best Porsche teams, if not the best, Manthey.

“I felt ready, fit, lighter than ever, but it wasn’t meant to be. Yesterday during a regular pitstop, which I did so many of in my career, there was an incident which resulted in two broken fractures on my right foot.

“The pain in that moment was the worst I have ever felt, and I knew it was going to be the end of my Le Mans journey this year.

“I’m heartbroken, as Le Mans is very close to my heart, so close that I have it tattooed on my arm to remind myself of my journey getting there the first time back in 2019.

“I’m motivated and determined to come back even stronger, but for now it’s full time for recovery in order to do so.”

It will be Bovy’s first FIA World Endurance Championship start this year having taken up a management position with the team since being upgraded from Bronze to Silver.

Bovy has remained active in racing this year in the IMSA SportsCar Championship and European Le Mans Series.

“I’ll hand over my seat, to my dear team mate and very close friend Sarah, and I’m sure she will do absolutely great together with Rahel and Celia that I will support this year from the sideline,” said Gatting.

“Thank you to everyone for the support in this very difficult moment in my career.”

The 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place on June 11-15.