Circuit de la Sarthe Track Map

This track map shows the Circuit de la Sarthe, the road circuit near Le Mans in France that hosts the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Labels include Tertre Rouge, the Hunaudières straight, the Mulsanne corner, Indianapolis, Arnage, the Porsche Curves, the Ford chicanes and the Dunlop curve.

The lap is 13.626 kilometres long, which makes it one of the longest circuits in top-level motorsport.

Public roads and permanent track

Part of the circuit uses public roads that are closed to traffic for race week, while the rest, including the pit straight and the Porsche Curves, is permanent track. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans took place in 1923, and the race has been run almost every year since.

The Mulsanne Straight, once nearly six kilometres of flat-out driving, was broken by two chicanes in 1990 after speeds above 400 km/h had been recorded in 1988.

Corners to know

Arnage is a tight right-hander at the end of the long straight. Indianapolis and Arnage are slow, while the Dunlop curve and the Porsche Curves are fast and demanding at night. The layout has been modified several times over the years, so look carefully at which year a particular map shows.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans

The race is held in June, and teams of three drivers share each car. Winning cars cover more than 5,000 kilometres in the 24 hours, and the distance record of more than 5,400 kilometres was set by an Audi in 2010. The event is one of the three races of the Triple Crown of Motorsport. Cars run in different classes at the same time, so the track holds machines of very different speeds, which makes traffic management part of the strategy.

Key facts

Questions about this map

What is the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

An endurance race in which teams of drivers share cars for 24 hours.

Why were chicanes added?

To reduce speeds on the straight for safety.

Is the track open all year?

Only the permanent Bugatti Circuit is; the public-road sections close for race week.