The Syndicat Mixte du Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans – the public organisation responsible for managing large investments for the track – is in charge of the work that will see the wearing course renewed on two roads: the D338 (Route de Tours) and a portion of the D140 (Route d’Arnage). The programme’s clear objective is to guarantee a track surface that meets motor racing’s stringent technical standards of safety and performance.
The surface used is a thin asphalt overlay with outstanding mechanical properties. This type of asphalt, specially designed for race circuits, comprises high quality aggregate and a special bitumen to guarantee grip and consistency. The mix must be carefully applied at temperatures of over 5°C to ensure an optimum result.
Beforehand, a 34,800 m² area of road surface will be milled and the resulting rubble taken away by the contractor for reuse as aggregate in future asphalt.
Modernising a strategic section of the circuit
The portion concerned stretches from the Daytona Chicane to the Mulsanne roundabout – a crucial section for the straight-line performance and intense braking phases coming into the Mulsanne Corner. The works budget amounts to €656,300 and will be fully financed by the Syndicat Mixte
To ensure optimum working conditions, the D338 will be closed between the Antarès and Mulsanne roundabouts and traffic diverted for the duration of the programme which is scheduled to run from 21 July to 1 August.
Several ancillary jobs will be carried out concurrently. Twenty-one timing loops will be fully restored, finishing work will be conducted on the track joints, road markings will be made with special circuit paint, and the plates used for the installation of safety barriers – when the road is switched to race format – will be replaced at the Leroy Merlin roundabout.
This modernisation operation is all part of a regular circuit maintenance programme harnessing technical requirements, innovation and driver safety. It will result in an ideal surface for prototypes and GTs to push the performance envelope even further at next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.