| It’s the most gruelling a strenuous endurance | | | | the 1980s there were teams where only two |
| race in the world. Its famous track has lead to | | | | drivers competed, but by the end of the decade |
| the lives of 21 drivers and 82 spectators being | | | | the rules were changed, stating that all teams had |
| claimed. It is the 24 heures du man on the Circuit | | | | to have three drivers. By the 1990s, due to the |
| de la Sarthe, the Le man 24 hours. | | | | speeds of the cars and the strain it put on |
| | | | | drivers, further rules were put in place in order to |
| Beginning in 1923 near the town of the Le Mans in | | | | aid in driver safety. Drivers could not drive more |
| the north of France, this race was unlike any | | | | than four hours consecutively, and no one driver |
| other at the time and continues to be so to this | | | | could run for more than fourteen hours in total. |
| day. Consisting of mostly public roads that are | | | | |
| closed for the weekend event and lasting for a | | | | The Le Mans race may seem like an extremely |
| full 24 hours this race tests drivers and cars to | | | | challenging and dangerous race even with all the |
| their limits and often beyond. | | | | safety restrictions when compared to other races |
| | | | | in motor sport but it has helped changed the |
| The racing is divided into 4 classes. There’s | | | | automotive world. Beginning in the late 1970s, the |
| the custom built prototypes, LMP1 and LMP2 | | | | necessity of fuel economy led the race to adopt |
| depending on the cars speed, weight and power | | | | a fuel economy formula known as Group C in |
| output. With low ground clearance and extremely | | | | which competitors were given a set amount of |
| powerful engines built on light chassis’ resulting | | | | fuel, from which they had to design an engine. |
| in top speeds over 210 mph and the grand tourer | | | | Although once teams mastered the fuel formulas |
| classes GT1 and GT2, these cars are very similar | | | | Group C was abandoned fuel economy would |
| to their production line counterparts, except all | | | | remain to be very important to some teams as |
| non essential parts have been gutted from the | | | | alternative fuel sources would appear in the early |
| cars and the engines have had the maximum | | | | 21st century, attempting to overcome time spent |
| amount of power squeezed out of them. All the | | | | during pit stops. |
| competitors in all 4 classes are on the track at | | | | |
| the same time and prizes are given out to | | | | These technological innovations have had a |
| winners of their classes and for the overall winner. | | | | trickle-down effect, with technology used at Le |
| | | | | Mans finding its way into production cars several |
| The racers used to start by having their cars all | | | | years later. This has also led to faster and more |
| lined up on the grid and when the flag dropped | | | | exotic supercars due to manufacturers wishing to |
| they had to run from the pit wall start their | | | | develop faster road cars for the purposes of |
| engine and drive off but this was later banned as | | | | developing them into even faster GT cars. Even |
| many drivers wouldn’t bother to strap in their | | | | before the 70’s technological innovations were |
| safety harnesses to save time. Recently, cars | | | | laying down the way for our future cars with |
| start with a ‘rolling start’ as in Indianapolis | | | | supercharged engines being used as 1929 and in |
| with their position being decided by qualifying laps | | | | 1953 disc brakes were used for the first time |
| earlier in the racing week. | | | | ever as seen on a Jaguar C-type. In 1955 |
| | | | | Mercedes introduced the air brake on a car for |
| Originally, there were no rules on the number of | | | | the first time on their 300 SLR, this later trickled |
| drivers in a car or how long they can drive. | | | | down to their incredibly powerful supercar, the |
| Although almost all teams used two drivers in the | | | | 2003 model. |
| early years of the race, some Le Mans drivers | | | | |
| like Frenchman Pierre Levegh attempted to run | | | | This incredible race is a great spectacle where |
| the race themselves, hoping to save time by not | | | | something always happens, a blow out, a fire, a |
| having to change drivers, although this was later | | | | car flips and a great driver claims victory and will |
| banned. For safety reasons as reaction times | | | | continue its great tradition next year June 13th |
| steadily drop after long periods of driving. Up until | | | | and 14th 2009. |