1997 24 Hours of Le Mans

It was won by teammates Michele Alboreto, Stefan Johansson, and Tom Kristensen, driving a Porsche WSC-95.

[1] The race was the first of a record 9 wins (as of 2024) at Le Mans for Kristensen, on what was his La Sarthe debut.

The Dunlop chicane was modified slightly in order to slow speeds again but also accommodate larger gravel traps as runoff area for the protection of motorcycle riders using the Bugatti Circuit.

Frenchman Sébastien Enjolras lost his life in a pre-qualifying accident in his Welter Racing WR LM97-Peugeot.

The race’s governing body, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), decided that the starting order would be decided by the fastest LMP cars lining up in the odd positions of the grid, and the fastest GT1 cars lining up in the even positions.