Au revoir, Mulsanne

13 December 1989

RUNNING FOR 3.7 miles, the Mulsanne Straight on the Circuit de la Sarthe was one of the most fearsome sections of racing track in the world. So fearsome, in fact, that it could well have proven the downfall of the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours.

When this straight was first used in 1921, 130mph would have been the fastest achievable speed. Come the advent of turbochargers in the 1980s, though, and 200mph-plus was reached – resulting, unsurprisingly, in some terrifying crashes.

The all-time record of 252mph was set in 1988 by French firm Welter Racing’s WM P88, whose Peugeot V6 was tuned for ultimate power over dependability.

It was perhaps this that resulted in Le Mans being cut from the 1989 World Sportscar Championship at the last minute. That winter, we described how “it must conform exactly to FISA’S standards or face being banned altogether”, as its licence was due to expire.

“Motorsport’s governing body desperately wants Le Mans in the championship, but only under its terms.”

French racer Jean-louis Schlesser explained to Reuters at the time: “The problem is that it feels like nothing very special, nothing different, and that’s why it’s so dangerous.”

Already spectators were no longer allowed to stand trackside at the Mulsanne Straight, and our prediction that it would have to be broken up proved right, as two chicanes were added for 1990, splitting it into three small straights.

The highest speed set that year was 227mph, as the turbocharger wastegate of Mark Blundell’s Nissan R90CK stuck shut, giving him some 1100bhp. It has never since been surpassed.