New start line at LM

[lofty]

Next month the start line gets moved 145m to accommodate more cars on the grid.Up to 60.

[aricus654]

I thought that there weren’t enough garages?

Ian

[Rhino]

There were 60 cars last year. I think they finished the garages in time for 2016

[Kristof]

There were 60 cars last year. I think they finished the garages in time for 2016

Correct.  At first it was planned to have 60 cars and extra garages in 2017, but that's been forwarded to 2016. 

[Lorry]

The idea is to have all the cars rolling past the pits and grandstands in formation, before they accelerate off, rather that get choked at the Ford chicane, but you know what racing drivers are like, as soon as the pace car pulls in at the start of the pits (he can't go elsewhere) everyone will be going at it hammer and tongs, exactly like last year.

The bad news is there will be a large sponsors banner at the new startline, so nobody will be able to see the cars go up the Dunlop.

BTW the startline used to be there in the days of the Le Mans start.  The celebrity starter would stand in the middle of the road, with the big embroidered flag, and when he dropped it, the drivers would run across the road and jump in.  It seems that only at this late stage, the celebrity realised that he had to get out of the way quick. 

[clkgtrlm1]

Another bloody pointless decision by the French!
I mean!!
Given the rolling start scenario and presumably the lead safety car is still going to peel off at pit in (well before the Ford Esses), the cars are already racing as they come out of the first corner onto the pit straight?
Right??
 
Am I missing something?
Are the cars limited by the VSC until they reach a certain point on track?? Namely the START line – Which is now NOT THE SAME as the FINISH line???!!!

[Lorry]

......the START line – Which is now NOT THE SAME as the FINISH line???!!!

But its only been the same for 50 years

There seem to be at least two sets of rules for rolling starts, and a third for the single file safety car restart.  Racing will start either when the cars cross the finish line (in formation of course) or when the red lights go out.  Being French, they don't use red lights, just a celebrity with an embroidered flag (the one that had to run out of the way 50 years ago)

If any car accelerates early, overtakes or breaks formation, they get penalised.  If its complete mayhem then they might order a restart.  

Reality:  Everybody will floor it out of the Ford chichane and as a restart would be a great dishonour for the French, they'll let it go.  

So no change there then!

[lofty]

Voila new start gantry being installed.