WEC adopts Le Mans 24 Hours-style start line-up for all races

They will proceed to the start-finish straight after the pits are opened and park with their tails to the pitwall rather than lining up in grid formation.

The 40-minute grid walk will then take place with the cars facing out towards the grandstands before the cars set out on their formation lap ahead of the rolling start.

WEC boss Gerard Neveu said the new arrangement would "provide a sense of spectacle of the world's greatest race, the Le Mans 24 Hours".

"Sportscars and teams are the real stars of the event," he said.

"This change will put the emphasis on that and provide spectators with a much better experience at each of the six-hour weekends."

The so-called Spirit of Le Mans starting procedure mimics the running starts at the 24 Hours when drivers would sprint across the track, fire up their cars and begin racing.

This tradition was abandoned after a protest in 1969 (pictured below) by Jacky Ickx, who walked across the track to his JW Automotive Ford GT40 and still won the race with Jackie Oliver.

For one year only in 1970 the cars began the race lined up along the old pit counter before the present practice of rolling starts was introduced for 1971, the same year that barriers were installed between the track and the pitlane.