Long before being interrupted by two chicanes in 1990, the Mulsanne Straight had already been shortened in 1929.

At the creation of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1923, the circuit's route was the one used two years earlier for the GP of the ACF. It was more than 17 km long and stretched deep into the city of Le Mans!

The famous Pontlieue hairpin was very popular with spectators because of the spectacular braking of competitors for the tight corner. Once safely around the hairpin, cars then had 8 km of almost straight road, and the very first version of the Mulsanne Straight.

Considered hazardous, the hairpin was shorted from 1929. Competitors then took a short-cut now called 'Rue du Circuit'.

The circuit layout was changed again in 1932 with the creation of the Dunlop curve, the 'esses' and Tertre Rouge corner. That 13.492 km circuit has not changed dramatically again since then, and now stands at 13.623 km.

Agrandir le plan - L'épingle de Pontlieue, toujours visible aujourd'hui.

Agrandir le plan - Le tracé de l'Epingle de Pontlieue.

Agrandir le plan - Entre 1929 et 1932, les concurrents des 24 Heures du Mans empruntent la Rue du Circuit.

Julien Hergault

Photo : PONTLIEUE (SARTHE), 24 HEURES DU MANS, SAT 12th JUNE 1926. At the exit from Pontilieue hairpin, Tim Birkin sets off on the 'ligne droite des Hunaudières' (Mulsanne Straight) in his Bentley Speed 6.