So, the other day, I found myself really diving deep into the Le Mans circuit. Not just watching old races, but trying to get a proper handle on all those corner names. You hear them rattled off during commentary, but I wanted to sit down and really map them out in my head, you know, as if I was doing a lap myself. It turned out to be a bit more of a task than I initially thought!
Starting the Mental Lap
I started, as you do, with the really famous bits. Dunlop Bridge and the Dunlop Curve, naturally. That whole sequence leading into the Dunlop Chicane. Easy enough. Then, in my mind, I’m heading down towards the Esses, sometimes called the “S” de la Forêt, before hitting Tertre Rouge. That’s a classic, the gateway to the Mulsanne Straight. I always picture cars just launching out of there.
The Mulsanne Straight itself isn’t a corner, obviously, but then you’ve got the chicanes. I had to pause and think – the First Chicane (often called Forza Motorsport Chicane these days, or a company name like L’Arche at one point) and the Second Chicane (similarly, often linked to Playstation or other sponsors over the years, like Window Score). It’s funny how those sponsored names stick in your head more than an “official” one sometimes. Then, of course, the big one: Mulsanne Corner. That tight right-hander after such a long straight, it’s iconic.
The Tricky Bits and Deeper Dives
After Mulsanne Corner, things got a bit more fuzzy for a moment. I had to really concentrate. Okay, accelerating out, then that kink, and then you’re barrelling towards Indianapolis. I love that name. It just sounds fast. And immediately after, the almost 90-degree right of Arnage. That one always feels like it sneaks up on you.
Then comes the section I really had to work on: the Porsche Curves. It’s not just one corner, is it? It’s that whole flowing, super-fast sequence. I spent a good few minutes just visualizing that part, trying to break it down. Within that, you’ve got little sections, like what’s sometimes referred to as Corvette Corner, a specific point in that complex. It’s a real challenge to get them all distinct in your mind rather than just one big blur of speed.
Before you get to the main straight, there’s the remnants of what used to be the Maison Blanche section. The very fast kinks leading into the final chicane. The old Maison Blanche corner itself isn’t really there in the same way on the modern track, but the name lingers for that area. The last bit of the puzzle for me was the Ford Chicanes, right before the start-finish line. Sometimes called the Raccordement, connecting back to the Bugatti circuit. I always used to forget those had a specific name beyond “the last chicane.”
Putting It All Together
So, after a bit of mental gymnastics, I managed to piece together a pretty decent list. Here’s what I ended up with, trying to go roughly in order:
- Dunlop Curve (leading to Dunlop Chicane)
- “S” de la Forêt (Forest Esses)
- Tertre Rouge
- First Chicane (Mulsanne – various sponsor names)
- Second Chicane (Mulsanne – various sponsor names)
- Mulsanne Corner
- Indianapolis
- Arnage
- Porsche Curves (a whole complex, including sections like Corvette Corner)
- Ford Chicanes (Raccordement)
It was a good exercise! It’s one thing to hear the names, another to actively try and recall and place them. I found it funny how some names are burned into your memory, probably from years of watching, while others took a bit more effort to dredge up. And it’s also interesting how some corners get known by sponsor names more than their “official” ones, or how sections evolve but old names stick around for the area. It makes you appreciate the history and the sheer challenge of that incredible circuit even more.
