An iconic straight, 38 corners... In a hundred years of existence, the Le Mans 24 Hours circuit has become a myth. And it is not the 2023 edition that will prove the opposite: all the tickets for the Le Mans event have been sold for a long time. Historically, the success of this atypical race has everything to do with the industrial past of the city. "Le Mans saw the birth of the first automobile in history, invented in 1873 by an industrialist from Sarthe, Amédée Bollée," says the director of the 24 Hours of Le Mans museum, Fabrice Bourrigaud. This led to the creation of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) in 1906. This was followed by a decisive meeting at the 1922 Paris Motor Show between ACO Secretary General Georges Durand, sports journalist Charles Faroux and industrialist Émile Coquille.

"The idea was to imagine a motor competition that could put the machines to the test, and therefore offer equipment manufacturers the opportunity to demonstrate their know-how," says Bruno Vandestick, official speaker of the race since 1993. "The symbolic duration of 24 hours is essential. This makes it possible to drive day and night, and therefore, to test all the elements of a car, "abounds Fabrice Bourrigaud. A new racing format, while the fashion of the time was speed racing. It will allow many inventions to come to life on the circuit, such as fog lights or disc brakes. "For a manufacturer, if you pass the 24-hour test bench, then your technology will be in the cars of tomorrow," he continues.

A "legendary" tour on former hunting grounds

The first edition was held in May 1923, with foreign manufacturers, such as Bentley. The international DNA of the race is sealed. "The circuit was developed south of Le Mans on available hunting grounds. There were no buildings and flat land, allowing you to see the cars from afar to count the passages... There weren't cameras yet at the time! " laughs the director of the Museum. If the original circuit has been shortened, from 17 to 13.6 kilometers today, it is almost unchanged. "It reinforces the legend! For example, the 6-kilometre straight line, called the "Ligne des Hunaudières", has experienced the greatest peaks in speed and the public does not have access to it. This arouses curiosity by its excess, "says Fabrice Bourrigaud.



An observation shared by Bruno Vandestick, who is required to keep the public in suspense. "Success comes from his concept: it was the right idea, at the right time. This explains why a century later, the public's fascination remains the same. He continued: "Even today, it remains a sporting challenge. The race requires physical preparation and a lot of mentality. Pilots are athletes. Not to mention that it's a race where you have to know how to communicate with the members of your team. We win Le Mans as a team. »

  • 20 Minutes in the wheel of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
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