Unlike fixed-distance races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is won by the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours. The race is organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and is held on the Circuit de la Sarthe, composed of closed public roads and dedicated sections of a racing track. The cars on this track are able to achieve speeds of 366 km/h (227 mph), and reached 407 km/h (253 mph) on the main straight in 1988 – instigating the addition of more chicanes to the track to reduce speed reached. Racing teams must balance the demands of speed with the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without mechanical failure.
Launched to present a different test than Grand Prix motor racing, Le Mans concentrates on the ability of manufacturers to build sporty yet reliable cars, encouraging innovation in producing reliable and fuel-efficient vehicles. The race was often part of the World Sportscar Championship from 1953 until 1992. In 2011, it was a part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. Since 2012, the race has been a part of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Competing teams race in groups called "classes", or cars of similar specification, while competing simultaneously for outright placing amongst all classes. Today, the race comprises three classes: the purpose-built Sports prototypes which are also known as "hypercar" and are the highest level in sports car racing, Le Mans Prototypes (LMP) and the production-based Grand Touring (GT) cars similar to sports cars sold to the public. These are further broken down into: Hypercar (LMH or LMDh), LMP2 and LMGT3 (GT cars).
Le Mans has seen many innovations in automotive design to counteract the circuit's difficulties, some of which have been incorporated into everyday automobiles. These include advancements in aerodynamics, engine technology such as turbocharging and alternative fuel sources like diesel and hybrid systems, and braking systems like disc brakes and anti-lock braking systems.
Porsche is the most successful marque in the history of the race with nineteen overall victories. Tom Kristensen holds the record for the most driver victories with nine wins. The race has also been the venue for significant moments, including the first televised instance of a winning driver celebrating by spraying champagne.
Le Mans has seen many accidents throughout its history, some of which have been fatal. The 1955 Le Mans disaster resulted in the deaths of more than 80 people and led to widespread introduction of safety measures. Subsequent accidents have influenced safety regulations and track modifications, such as the addition of chicanes to the Mulsanne Straight to reduce speeds.
Traditions at Le Mans include the waving of the French tricolor to start the race, often preceded by a fly-over. Track marshals waving safety flags during the race's final lap is another tradition. The traditional Le Mans start, where drivers ran across the track to their cars, was replaced in 1970 with drivers already in the car and strapped in, and then by a rolling start in 1971.
The race is broadcast internationally through various television and radio channels. Related events include the Petit Le Mans, the Road to Le Mans, and the Le Mans Classic.
This article is based solely on the supplied corpus. No external sources were consulted; claims that could not be substantiated against the corpus were omitted under the drop-the-claim rule.
Gallery · 4 related images
