The enduring image of the 84th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours has to be Kazuki Nakajima stopping his race-leading Toyota almost underneath the famous clock at the Circuit de la Sarthe as it ticked towards three o'clock on Sunday afternoon. It wasn't the end anyone wanted to a super-competitive thriller of a race, but then we didn't get the start we wanted either.
I'm not complaining about the race starting behind the safety car, even if it was a first for this event. The shower shortly before the off was heavy and the track conditions not exactly great. My objection is that the safety car stayed out for so long.
My understanding has always been that safety-car starts are undertaken to allow the drivers to acclimatise to the conditions. I recognise the 24 Hours at Le Mans is a special case given that the start can't really be delayed. That might offer a reason for an extended period of yellows, but the conditions on Saturday didn't warrant it.