<P> Feeling this type of start was unsafe, in the 1969 race, Jacky Ickx opposed it by walking across the track while his competitors ran . Although he was nearly hit by a faster competitor's car while walking, Ickx took the time to fasten his safety belts before pulling away . Privateer John Woolfe died in an accident on the first lap of that race; Ickx won . </P> <P> The traditional Le Mans start was changed for 1970 . Cars were still lined up along the pit wall, but the drivers were already inside and strapped in . At the dropping of the French tricolor, the drivers started their engines and drove away . Since 1971, when that method was done away with, a rolling start (sometimes known as an Indianapolis start) begins the 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> <P> Due to the shorter length of the straights, top speeds at Le Mans are now generally around 205 mph (330 km / h). </P>

How many miles is the le mans track