<P> The circuit on which the 24 Hours of Le Mans is run is named the Circuit de la Sarthe , after the department that Le Mans is within . It consists of both permanent track and public roads that are temporarily closed for the race . Since 1923 , the track has been extensively modified , mostly for safety reasons , and now is 13.626 km ( 8.467 mi ) in length . Although it initially entered the town of Le Mans , the track was cut short in order to better protect spectators . This led to the creation of the Dunlop Curve and Tertre Rouge corners before rejoining the old circuit on the Mulsanne . Another major change was on the Mulsanne itself in 1990 , when the FIA decreed that it would no longer sanction any circuit that had a straight longer than 2 km ( 1.2 mi ) . To comply with this , two chicanes were added to the 6 km long straight . The addition of the chicanes was further influenced by the fact that the speed of WM P88 - Peugeot French driver Roger Dorchy had been timed at 405 km / h ( 252 mph ) during the 1988 race . </P>
<P> The circuit on which the 24 Hours of Le Mans is run is named the Circuit de la Sarthe , after the department that Le Mans is within . It consists of both permanent track and public roads that are temporarily closed for the race . Since 1923 , the track has been extensively modified , mostly for safety reasons , and now is 13.626 km ( 8.467 mi ) in length . Although it initially entered the town of Le Mans , the track was cut short in order to better protect spectators . This led to the creation of the Dunlop Curve and Tertre Rouge corners before rejoining the old circuit on the Mulsanne . Another major change was on the Mulsanne itself in 1990 , when the FIA decreed that it would no longer sanction any circuit that had a straight longer than 2 km ( 1.2 mi ) . To comply with this , two chicanes were added to the 6 km long straight . The addition of the chicanes was further influenced by the fact that the speed of WM P88 - Peugeot French driver Roger Dorchy had been timed at 405 km / h ( 252 mph ) during the 1988 race . </P>
how many miles is the le mans track
how many miles is the le mans track
8.467 mi
8.467 mi