In sports car endurance racing, no two words have quite the same power as Le Mans. The race known as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, or as the Grand Prix of Endurance, is the ultimate test of a driver’s skill and ability to outlast the competition.The focus of Le Mans is not necessarily on pure speed, but on reliability and fuel efficiency. This is due to the “endurance” aspect of the race, as well as the fact that the race takes place on closed public roads. Each year, approximately 50 drivers compete in a number of classes. The most recent class divisions are Le Mans Prototypes 1 and 2 (LMP1 and LMP2, the top two classes) and from 2011 onward, Grand Tourer (GT) Endurance Pro and GT Endurance AM. At least three drivers are necessary for each teamno one driver can driver more than four hours consecutively, and no driver can drive for over fourteen hours total.Le Mans takes place on the Circuit de la Sarthe, a combined course made up of permanent track as well as closed public roads. The course is currently 13.629 km in length. The race winner is determined by the number of laps made. Only cars that cross the finish line after 24 hours and have covered 70 of the distance of the winner are classified in the race results.Originally, Le Mans began with the famous “Le Mans start,” where all of the cars were lined up alongside the pit wall in qualifying order, and the drivers stood on the opposite side. The drivers were allowed to walk to their cars when the flag dropped. However, safety issues arose when drivers began ignoring their safety belts (which were introduced in the 1960s) or switching the starter on without depressing the clutch. The start was done away with in 1970, and in 1971 the rolling start was introduced. With this method, the drivers are already moving around the track, preceded by a safety or pace car. When the pace car leaves the track, that lane of drivers is allowed to start.