:14:51
Good afternoon,
ladies and gentlemen.
:14:54
On this circuit, the world's
most famous motor race is run.
:14:58
Conceived by Charles Faroux
and Georges Durand
:15:01
shortly after
the first World War,
:15:02
shortly after
the first World War,
:15:04
the course was named after
the nearest town
:15:06
and the number of hours
that men and machines
:15:09
are put to the supreme test
of speed and stamina.
:15:13
The circuit is 13.469
kilometers, or 8.418 miles.
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Composed of country roads linked
with the main highway
:15:24
nearly all of it open to traffic
363 days a year.
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Along the 3.2-mile
Mulsanne straight
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the cars reach a maximum speed
in excess of 230 miles per hour.
:15:39
The first race was run in 1923.
:15:43
The lap record was nine minutes,
39 seconds.
:15:47
The average speed,
66.69 miles per hour.
:15:52
Last year, the lap record
was three minutes, 22 seconds.
:15:56
The average speed,
145.508 miles per hour.