Photo : Pierre-Yves Riom/ACO

 

Like the Mulsanne straight and the stretches through Arnage and Mulsanne, the Indianapolis corner is much the same now as it was for the first Le Mans 24 Hours in 1923. After the Mulsanne corner, the Indianapolis corner is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular places to overtake for Le Mans drivers. Located in one of the circuit’s fastest sections, Indianapolis is the place where drivers can demonstrate the full extent of their talent.

The spectator area at the corner has undergone several alterations over the years, for safety reasons, but it remains THE vantage point for many fans. At Indianapolis, fans can witness skids, daring overtaking, cars touching each other and more. There is never a dull moment on this banked corner. Sometimes the action grinds to a halt here, like in 2007 when Dindo Capello’s Audio R10 lost a wheel.

The action at Indianapolis is particularly spectacular because the sequence is one of the most deceptive on this circuit. Drivers brake sharply coming into Indianapolis, then accelerate out, then slow into the Arnage corner and the combination of moves can save or waste precious seconds on a lap time.

At night-time, the magic of Le Mans comes into its own when the dazzling headlights appear out of the darkness of the forest. The cars whizz by with their reddened brake pads and from time to time a flash of flame emerges from an exhaust pipe and illuminates the track.

During the day, fans are so close to the drivers that they can observe their precise, incisive movements. All in all, it’s worth your while including Indianapolis on your tour of the circuit when you come to watch the Le Mans 24 Hours this year.

Pierre-Yves Riom / ACO - Translated by Emma Paulay

PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), 24 HOURS CIRCUIT, LE MANS 24 HOURS, WEDNESDAY 10 JUNE 2010, PRACTICE SESSIONS. Loïc Duval in action at the wheel of Oreca’s Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.