Unlike fixed-distance races, Le Mans is won by the car that covers the greatest distance within 24 hours, demanding that teams balance outright speed against mechanical reliability. Cars on the Circuit de la Sarthe can reach 366 km/h (227 mph); in 1988, before chicanes were added to the Mulsanne Straight, a WM P88 was timed at 407 km/h (253 mph). The race is organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and runs on a circuit composed of closed public roads and dedicated racing sections, currently measuring 13.626 km (8.467 mi) in length.
The race was conceived to test a different proposition from Grand Prix racing: instead of focusing purely on outright pace, Le Mans would reward manufacturers who could build sporty yet reliable cars. The oil crisis of the early 1970s further shaped the event, leading organisers to adopt fuel economy regulations (Group C) that capped fuel allocation, driving innovation in efficient powertrains — innovations with documented trickle-down effects into consumer vehicles.
The inaugural race ran on 26–27 May 1923 on public roads around Le Mans. Originally conceived as a three-year event under the Rudge-Whitworth Triennial Cup, the format was abandoned in 1928 in favour of annual overall winners. The early decades were dominated by French, British, and Italian manufacturers — Bugatti, Bentley, and Alfa Romeo being the leading names. The race was cancelled in 1936 due to general strikes in France, and the outbreak of World War II in 1939 caused a ten-year hiatus.
The race resumed in 1949. Ferrari took their first victory that year with the 166MM of Luigi Chinetti and Peter Mitchell-Thomson. After Le Mans became part of the World Sportscar Championship from 1953, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and others sent factory-backed teams. The 1955 race was scarred by disaster when Pierre Levegh's car crashed into a crowd of spectators, killing more than 80 people — the deadliest accident in motorsport history. Safety standards improved in the aftermath and the entire pit complex was rebuilt further back. Ford entered the picture in the mid-1960s with the GT40, ending Ferrari's dominance with four consecutive victories from 1966 to 1969. When Dan Gurney won the 1967 race with co-driver A.J. Foyt, Gurney spontaneously sprayed champagne on the podium — the first time this tradition was captured on camera at a motorsport event.
Purpose-built sportscars replaced production-based machinery in the premier classes. Porsche dominated the decade with the 917, 935, and 936. The Mulsanne Straight reached its peak speeds: in 1988 the record 407 km/h prompted the FIA to mandate two chicanes on the straight, breaking the 6-kilometre run into three segments of approximately 2 km each.
The race has been contested under the FIA World Endurance Championship since 2012. Current classes are Hypercar (LMH or LMDh), LMP2, and LMGT3. Since 2017, all prototype cars must have closed cockpits. The 2020 race was moved to September due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the 2021 race was held in August. The race record for distance covered stands at 5,410 km, set in 2010.
Three drivers must share each car, with individual limits of no more than four consecutive hours behind the wheel and no more than 14 hours total. Cars must be switched off during refuelling, and mechanics may not work on the car while fuel is being added. The race traditionally starts at 4:00 p.m. local time on a Saturday and finishes at the same hour the following day. The French tricolor is waved to begin the race, typically preceded by a fly-over with jets trailing blue, white, and red smoke.
The race famously used the Le Mans start until 1970, in which drivers ran across the track and started their cars without assistance. Jacky Ickx protested the practice by walking deliberately across the track at the start of the 1969 race; privateer John Woolfe died in a first-lap accident that same year. A compromise start — with drivers strapped in but launching at the flag — was used in 1970, before a rolling Indianapolis-style start was adopted in 1971.
The Circuit de la Sarthe combines permanent track with temporarily closed public roads. The Mulsanne Straight, now interrupted by two chicanes, leads to the village of Mulsanne. The Dunlop Curve and Tertre Rouge were added when the original route through Le Mans town was shortened to better protect spectators. A 10-hour American variant called Petit Le Mans has been held at Road Atlanta annually since 1998.
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