- 19 and 20 September 2020
Le Mans is known as the Plantagenet City and is a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status.
It is also called the Ville Nature because of the wealth of green spaces in and surrounding the town. The name Le Mans is also synonymous with the annual 24 hour race which, in 2020 has been rescheduled for 19 and 20 from its usual June date. The Le Mans, held since 1923, is the world's oldest active, endurance sports car race. It is also one of the most prestigious, forming part of the Motorsport Triple Crown along with the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix. The race is won by the car covering the greatest distance in 24 hours and teams must balance speed with the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without mechanical failure. The reason for first establishing the race was to test endurance rather than speed of sporty yet reliable vehicles.
The design of the track added to the importance of the engineering of the cars. No other track has as long a straight. For those wanting to attend the event, the most popular option is to drive to Le Mans and camp at the circuit. Although the public campsites have just basic shower & toilet facilities, they are all just a short walk to the circuit. Of interest : American driver Dan Gurney, is responsible for starting the podium champagne shower tradition. He was keen to recreate a scene from the previous year when the cork accidentally shot out and sprayed the crowd. The largest winning margin was 350 kilometres between the winner, in a Bentley, and second place in the 1927 race.
Top speed was clocked in 1988 by Frenchman Roger Dorchy at 400 km/h. The only cancellations were in 1936 due to the General Strike, during the Second World War and because of the political turmoil in 1968.
Website: www.lemans.org/en/24-hours-of-le-mans
It is also called the Ville Nature because of the wealth of green spaces in and surrounding the town. The name Le Mans is also synonymous with the annual 24 hour race which, in 2020 has been rescheduled for 19 and 20 from its usual June date. The Le Mans, held since 1923, is the world's oldest active, endurance sports car race. It is also one of the most prestigious, forming part of the Motorsport Triple Crown along with the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix. The race is won by the car covering the greatest distance in 24 hours and teams must balance speed with the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without mechanical failure. The reason for first establishing the race was to test endurance rather than speed of sporty yet reliable vehicles.
The design of the track added to the importance of the engineering of the cars. No other track has as long a straight. For those wanting to attend the event, the most popular option is to drive to Le Mans and camp at the circuit. Although the public campsites have just basic shower & toilet facilities, they are all just a short walk to the circuit. Of interest : American driver Dan Gurney, is responsible for starting the podium champagne shower tradition. He was keen to recreate a scene from the previous year when the cork accidentally shot out and sprayed the crowd. The largest winning margin was 350 kilometres between the winner, in a Bentley, and second place in the 1927 race.
Top speed was clocked in 1988 by Frenchman Roger Dorchy at 400 km/h. The only cancellations were in 1936 due to the General Strike, during the Second World War and because of the political turmoil in 1968.
Website: www.lemans.org/en/24-hours-of-le-mans
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