Since 1971, what type of start has begun the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

Since 1971, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has begun with a rolling start. The cars leave the grid for a formation lap behind a safety car, and the race begins when the field receives the starting signal after the safety car returns to the pits.

This replaced the famous traditional “Le Mans start,” used for decades. Drivers once stood across the track from their cars, ran to them when the French flag fell, climbed in, started the engine, and drove away. The spectacle was distinctive, but it encouraged drivers to leave before fastening their safety belts properly.

Safety concerns intensified during the late 1960s. In 1969, Jacky Ickx deliberately walked to his car rather than sprinting, strapped himself in, and started from the rear. John Woolfe was killed on the first lap that year, reinforcing concerns about the old procedure. In 1970, drivers began the race seated in their cars, but the cars still started from the grid.

The rolling format introduced in 1971 is sometimes called an Indianapolis start. It should not be confused with a standing start, reverse-grid start, or the earlier Le Mans running start.