Anniversary of Le Mans

The first race ended on this day 82 years ago

By PH Staff / Friday, 27 May 2005 / Loading comments

Audi R8 at Le Mans

The first 24 Heures Du Mans finished on this date 82 years ago, in 1923. on a 10.726-mile circuit, winners Andre Lagache and Renee Leonard covered 1,372.928 miles in a Chenard-Walker car, at an average speed of 57.21mph.

By comparison, in 2004, an Audi R8 covered 3,215.3 miles to win, at an average speed was 133.88mph. Only in 1971 has the winning car, a Porsche 917 driven by Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep, driven a greater distance -- 3,315.2 miles at an average 138.13mph, the fastest average speed ever. The circuit's length was 8.369 miles in 1971 compared to 2004's 8.483 miles.

Le Mans is the world's longest-running 24-hour event, the ultimate test of sports car performance. The length of the race demands a car that performs in every forum, and above all endures. Le Mans has become a showcase over the years for the world's greatest car companies, dominated by Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes, Jaguar, Aston Martin and Lotus, as well as Audi and Bentley in recent years. In recent years, BMW and Porsche have both posted fine results.

All races since 1923 have been held in June, except in 1956 (July) and 1968 (September). Traditionally, the race always starts at 16:00 on the Saturday, although in 1984 the race started at 15:00 due to the conflicting French General Election. The race has been held every year since then with the exceptions of 1936, and between 1940 and 1948, when the Second World War intervened.

In the original configuration, the race track used was 10.726 miles long, and has subsequently been shortened on several occasions. The traditional start, where drivers ran across the track to their race cars, was last used in 1969.

The worst ever motorsport accident unfortunately occurred during the 1955 Le Mans race. Having voiced his unease at the narrowness of the straight in front of the pits, Pierre Levegh's Mercedes struck the rear of an Austin Healey driven by Lance Macklin on the pit straight. The car rammed the bank, exploded, and its engine flew into the packed grandstand, killing 80. Levegh died instantly, and the entire Mercedes team was withdrawn, including Stirling Moss and Juan-Manuel Fangio. This precipitated the complete withdrawal from motorsport for Mercedes.

Since then, the danger of the race has made it a captivating subject for journalists and artists alike. The round-the-clock nature of the event makes it a unique experience for spectators and drivers alike. Two or three drivers normally race in four-hour shifts, and sleep is impossible.

The course at Le Mans has changed gradually over the years, but some of its major landmarks have not changed. The three-mile Mulsanne straight that begins the race is perhaps most famous for its supreme length and, consequently, its speed, although two chicanes were introduced in 1990 to slow the cars down. The straight ends in a gradual right-hand curve that, if driven at normal speeds, is nearly imperceptible. At over 200mph, the curve feels mind-bending.

Today, thousands of fans still make the pilgrimage to take part in this unique experience -- including of course many PHers.