Name change for first Mulsanne Chicane deepens Le Mans-IMSA ties
The first chicane on the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans has been renamed the Daytona Chicane, a reciprocal agreement described as a strengthening of the relationship between the circuits' bosses.
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The Bus Stop at Daytona has become the Le Mans Chicane as part of an agreement announced ahead of this weekend's opening round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship at the American venue in Florida.
The kerbing at the Bus Stop has already been painted in the same blue and yellow used around the 8.48-mile Circuit de la Sarthe at Le Mans, while the the kerbs at the first Mulsanne chicane will mimic the predominantly yellow colours of the kerbs at the Daytona International Speedway.
Friday's announcement follows a convergence of the rules for the top prototype class in the IMSA series and the World Endurance Championship promoted by Le Mans organiser the Automobile Club de l'Ouest for 2023 and then a 10-year extension of the partnership between the two organisations announced last August.
IMSA president John Doonan said: "The spirit of partnership between the IMSA and Daytona International Speedway team in Daytona Beach and the ACO in Le Mans has never been stronger.
“Between the historic convergence for the top category of prototype racing, the recent 10-year extension of the IMSA-ACO partnership and today’s introduction of the Le Mans and Daytona Chicanes, together we are embarking on an amazing new era of sportscar endurance racing unlike anything we’ve ever seen.”
ACO president Pierre Fillon revealed the idea had been hatched together with Doonan and IMSA chairman Jim France during the race at Le Mans last summer.
"When I spoke with Jim and John last August and we thought about this idea, I straightaway agreed because it is another step to make our partnership stronger," he explained.
"This is a symbol of the strength of our partnership."
First Mulsanne chicane will henceforth be known as the Daytona chicane
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The chicanes on the Mulsanne Straight have been branded after a number of companies since they were added to the four-mile stretch of public road that was once the main route between the cities of Le Mans and Tours in 1990.
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Gaming companies Forza and Playstation and the L'Arche autoroute services chain have sponsored the first of the two Mulsanne chicanes over the past 30 years.
Fillon said what is now the Daytona Chicane was correctly called simply the 'first chicane' in recent years.
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