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Anybody else off to Le Mans next week for the Centenary? Been sold out for ages but we've got tickets and a campsite booked. They've shut down the campsite we'd been on for the past few years (and last year they made things a PITA by closing the closest track entrance to it) so will be on the new Hippodrome site which looks massive. Bit of a shame as quite liked the small camping blue sud.
Looking forward to seeing the new cars but mainly the vin rouge et fromage 😃
I was going to go this year as it's the centenary and my 50th but things have gotten in the way so I'll be watching from home again :/
but things have gotten in the way so I’ll be watching from home again :/
Shame 🙁
I'm ignoring my recent redundancy and will crack on trying to find a job when I get back!
Still it's usually around about fathers day so that's usually what I get, a day in front of the TV with beer and crisps 🙂
Unfortunately can't see past Toyota but you never know and it should get closer once the other teams get some time under their belts. Next year though! Lots of hyper cars and GT3 cars instead of LMGTE will open the class up to so many makes its going to be great!
The 787b is meant to be showing its face this year I'm probably more gutted about missing that than the race 🙂
At least a few of my auto industry friends go every year. Never normally have a problem getting tickets, but this year it sold out super fast. Another time I guess
I went last year and was asked if I wanted to go this year, but I opted to stay at home.
Quite like watching on the TV, as I feel like I see more of the race. Hopefully I’ll be back next year though. Looking forward to seeing the 13 cars in the Hypercar class this year. Ferrari seemed to be catching up with Toyota, at Spa.
I’m away in Holland working - not sure how much I can catch 🤷♂️
I've never known it be sold out before. Always been able to rock up at a ticket booth and get a General Admission ticket for the week.
The 787b is meant to be showing its face this year I’m probably more gutted about missing that than the race
I love a good ****el engine 😀
I think it's only sold out due to it being the centenary. I'm sure there's a lot of extra stuff happening this year and also the first year of more than Toyota in a proper Hypercar.
Not going but intrigued by how the Garage 56 NASCAR will go
I work at Gaydon near Coventry. Last Thursday I was walking through the Car Park of the British Motor Museum when I spotted this car being worked on. It's the Rover-BRM Gas Turbine powered Le Man Race Car from 1963-1965...
The guys doing the work told me they were preparing the car for shipping to Le Man for the 100th year celebration. The big issue was it wouldn't start! It made all the righ noises until the starter motor 'dropped out' and then the engine just died.
When I left work at about 16:20 it was making the most amazing whistling and howling noises - all sorted and ready to depart for Le Man. Apparently the fuel pump wasn't delivering enough fuel - spare pump fitted and away it went :o)
Another picture...
That's ace.
I'll be at the Historic Grand Prix at Zandvoort when Le Mans is on, but I'll be in Le Mans two weeks later for the Classic.
@futonrivercrossing I'd definitely rock up at Zandvoort if you're in Holland anyway. Imagine they'll have some Le Mans coverage on a big screen somewhere. If not, well, you'll be at Zandvoort. Which is ace.
Bullet
Full Member
Not going but intrigued by how the Garage 56 NASCAR will go
I'm enjoying their Instagram footage so far. If that's anything to go by it looks pretty rapid, and (not surprisingly) sounds great too!
#deltawingwasrobbed
We're going again. Staying at TR. cant wait
Hopefully Porsche can improve, they’re currently leading the IMSA championship in America.
Book tickets and a campsite?
Never done that the four times I've been, just turn up and ride thru the pedestrian entrance (motorbikes) into the huge site behind the main stands.
And once got lucky with buying circuit tickets, main stand seats at half-price from an English bloke who'd two to sell.
Best thing with been on a motorbike was we circumnavigated the entire track on Saturday evening, got to watch from the 1st chicane, bottom corner and Arnage (as it got dark).
Just like the Tour, Le Mans attracts the 'once a year spectator', and for that reason I don't enjoy it as much as other races. Where are all these fans the rest of the year? To be totally honest, both events are over-rated and over-hyped....Both the ACO, and ASO are rather similar in how they run/ organise their events.
Book tickets and a campsite?
Never done that the four times I’ve been, just turn up and ride thru the pedestrian entrance (motorbikes) into the huge site behind the main stands.
And miss 5 or 6 days drinking vin rouge? Non merci.
Just like the Tour, Le Mans attracts the ‘once a year spectator’, and for that reason I don’t enjoy it as much as other races. Where are all these fans the rest of the year?
Who can afford (both time & money) to go to all of the WEC races? What a strange attitude.
Has just been announced that they've changed the Hypercar BoP. Biggest hit is to Toyota and then Ferrari.
https://www.motorsport.com/lemans/news/le-mans-hypercar-bop-undergoes-wholescale-revisions/10476506/
Thatll be interesting, whether its enough im not sure. You also need to look at the likes of Ford when they came back and wiped the floor with everyone in the GT40s a few years back after sandbagging like pros. Although the BoP helps a lot and is why i enjoy this type of racing more than F1.
Just like the Tour, Le Mans attracts the ‘once a year spectator’, and for that reason I don’t enjoy it as much as other races. Where are all these fans the rest of the year?
Who can afford (both time & money) to go to all of the WEC races? What a strange attitude.
Yeah, the races are all over the place. However I do watch all of them on TV, so hopefully that means I can attend Le Mans if I want to. As an aside, I also know a lot of F1 fans who have only been to Silverstone just the once. 🤷🏼♂️
No extra weight for the Peugeot I see …………..
No extra weight for the Peugeot I see …………..
i think the weight gains for the other cars are coming from the Peugeots, which is a shame as id love to see the concept of not having a rear wing work. I think theyll either stop at the end of the year if theyre left behind or do a Mercedes and do a fairly big redesign.
I’m a bit surprised that Peugeot haven’t just whacked a wing on that car yet. Although the design freeze rules might stop them?
Anyway, he’s a nice wee video to get you in the mood
i think the weight gains for the other cars are coming from the Peugeots,
Definitely. French manufacturer at the French premiere race……….
Shame. I love the look of the car and was really routing for Peugeot when it was just them and Audi in LMP1, but they do seem to be struggling.
What’s the best endurance racing forum?
The competition are gradually moving up on Toyota, they’ve gone from finishing two laps ahead, to finishing on the same lap. Anything can happen at Le Mans! So annoying to miss it live 🙁
The pugs wont make it past half way. They've been pretty diabolical so far despite competing for nearly a year now. No amount of BoP in their favour will help them if they can't finish.
Toyota are a well oiled machine now against teams who have just stepped back in and will be finding their way a bit.
It seems that they're just making it up as they go along. I've always disliked BoP in racing, I would rather the team that has done the best job within the regulations wins. I think MotoGP had a good solution with the concessions to manufacturers who were off the pace to be allowed extra testing, ability to change engine spec during a season etc.
https://www.motorsport.com/lemans/news/fia-aco-explain-le-mans-bop-changes-/10476640/
It's all about controlling spend though. If Toyota accidentally released a stinker they could they pour ££££ into those mid-season upgrades. BoP means they get them for free (sort of).
I'm not a fan either, but hopefully it gives us years of a top spec endurance series rather than the boom-bust seen through the likes of Group-C and GT1
It’s all about controlling spend though
Oh I realise that and know that it is necessary but it makes me sad.
The Hypercar class is a shadow of the the LMP1 period in 2017 - the acceleration of the Porsche 919 out of a corner was mind blowing. They’ve had to slow down the LMP2 cars to compensate for the slower Hypercars. The upside is many teams joining the Hypercar/LMDH class, Lambourgini and Alpine joining next year. Also customer teams as well, adding to the grid.
The Hypercar class is a shadow of the the LMP1 period in 2017
There were 6 LMP1 cars racing in 2017 - that's not a proper racing category imo. Yes the cars were quicker, but whats the point if only 3 manufacturers and 0 privateers even have a go at running them.
In my ideal world there would be a mix of prototypes and homologated road cars able to complete for an overall win (e.g. 1997 when there was a mix of 33(!) GT1* and LMPs on the grid
*Admittedly some of these GT1s were starting to stretch the rules at this point, look at you here Nissan
out and out laptimes dont really make a difference to the observer so it's best to limit spend and get more cars on the grid. Loved P1's but they were spending silly money and net result is Toyota in their own class.
Yeah, I think the current situation with Hypercar, should make for a better race overall, especially with 13 cars in the class. Excited for Jota to be running the Porsche, as they are my local team. They did well at Spa, on their first outing, but of course, it was only a quarter of the race time at Le Mans.
For the last few years, the excitement for me, has come from the racing in the below categories. There’s always good racing between United Autosports, Prema and Jota’s P2 car. And the racing in the GTE am class has been close this season too, with Corvette, Iron Maidens & AF Corse all going well.
Can’t wait. Should be good.
The NASCAR will keep a few folk up at night as it goes by!
Reminds me of lying in a tent, some distance from the track, in the morning listening to hear if there were any Panoz’s still running
Where are all these fans the rest of the year?
Poor.
I haven’t really followed much motorsport in recent years, I used to watch chunks of Le Mans, and the 500 miler in Australia, the name of which escapes me at the moment, and I was especially keen back in the days of Porsche 917’s and GT40’s, but there’s a bit of my heart that wishes I was able to be at LM in 1962 when this beauty finished 3rd overall and 2nd in class for the Ecurie Nationale Belge team, and could have been driven home afterwards. Apparently, it still does the occasional trip to the supermarket! 😳
Oh, and an Italian court recently registered the 250 GTO, officially recognising it as a ‘work of art’; quite rightly so, in my humble opinion. 😎
@CountZero Bathurst is maybe the Australian race you're thinking on which is run at the Mount Panorama circuit. It's also a great race seeing the cars getting chucked around mm from the race ending walls then emerge onto one of the two huge straights.
I'll be following it via Radio LeMans as usual. Not the whole 24hrs but it will be on in the background whenever I can. Will be rooting for the NASCAR to do well, got a new found respect for the series after discovering the Slapshoes YouTube channel over the lockdowns. Not my idea of fun but I now know it's much more than the redneck series it's portrayed as a lot of the time.
Reminds me of lying in a tent, some distance from the track, in the morning listening to hear if there were any Panoz’s still running
I went in '07,'08 and '09 and then it was the Corvettes that made the loud noise. Sitting at the McDonald's having a midnight snack on the Mulsanne Straight you could tell where they were on the lap just by the noise! Nothing will beat the Wall Of Sound generated by the Sauber Mercedes C9 though, was running one of the years in a Group C race on the Saturday morning. The owner was Australian and was determined to run it so when it developed a chronic engine issue on his first lap he was mortified. Instead of giving up he would get into the pits, do a temporary fix, do a lap, pit again etc. Only did 5 laps in 90 mins but he loved every second of each of them. The car went home needing a full engine rebuild as it had been running lean and therefore hot. The owner/driver was interviewed afterwards and said the rebuild would be in the region of £100k and it would be worth every penny!
Nice!
I was just coming on to post that theres some action on Eurosport soon and theres also been some live in car footage on Youtube.
Not jealous at all!! 🤣
For those stuck in the UK it’s well worth podding out for Discovery+ - great coverage on Eurosport. £7 well spent.
Very likely to spend that £7 to keep me going this weekend. However, I concerned that the start might clash with the DH World Cup, would be bloody typical
@mashr I'm pretty sure the men's final clashes with the start of the race :/
Hyperpole is away to start i think!
very excited 🙂
Not as excited as Simon no doubt though
Not as excited as Simon no doubt though
Indeed. We're just back from Tertre Rouge and have now fired up the BBQ 😁
Lucky sod 🙂
No idea what the porsches are playing at leaving it so late to come out of the pits
Well that red flag in my little mind little mind is what Porsche deserve for pissing about. Hope the Caddy isnt too badly damaged.
Oh is that why it's gone quiet?
Aye the Number 3 Caddy stopped on the mulsanne and had a wee fire, looks like there was some fluid leaking and maybe touched something hot. not too dramatic only a wee fire but can never tell what the dameage is.
enough time for a out lap and one flyer so there might be a little burst of activity again before the break and the free practice later on
From what I’ve seen on the tv, it looks pretty busy there. A very large crowd.
Watched the hyperpole yesterday and then the last practice session last night. This was red flagged due to one of the Peugeots conking out on the Mulsanne. They’re not having much luck. The Hertz Jota Porsche has had a few problems over the last few days too, so I’m hoping their luck will improve too.
Race starts at 3pm BST, so could well clash with the end of the DH.
What a weekend though. Shorttrack XC tonight, DH tomorrow, Le Mans and then XCO on Sunday (in the background). Not enough hours in the weekend.
Given the number of offs over the last few days, to gamble on there not being a red flag is pretty dumb 🤷♂️ - perhaps Porsche think that grid position is irrelevant on a 24hr race and are saving tyres?
Anyway - the Ferrari looks FAST! Hopefully Toyota have real competition this time.
Watched Hyperpole last night. I went in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, got the T Shirts still at home 🙂
Not sure I agree with the new safety car rules this year. I guess it will keep the racing closer but is a massive change and lots seem to disagree with it
This was red flagged due to one of the Peugeots conking out on the Mulsanne. They’re not having much luck
I’m going for no Peugeots running by the 6 hour mark. There’s luck, then there’s just being a bit shit. Hoping to be proved wrong though and would like to see them doing well
I've been to Le Mans way back in 1989 - cheap as chips Page & Moy coach trip with no accommodation (slept on coach and at trackside for two nights!). But don't feel I've [i]done[/i] Le Mans!
I'd love to go back but I know the wife won't camp for nearly a week at a race track, so is there anyone who does good accommodation/entry package deals?
I expect there is the full range of accomodation etc available. The "camp site" I used in 2000 was as basic as you can get. The toilets were literally wooden plank things with holes over a pit, unpleasant lol. The other years were a bit better and had showers, these were the cheapest options though, plenty of posher sites and no doubt now you can get cabins or whatever. I wouldn't want to stay further afield like in the city as you want to be near the action to soak in the atmosphere and be within walking distance of the track as driving around is a nightmare when the race is on although is still possible, we used to get to a few different spots
The drive there and back in the early 00's was great, basically a road race with occasional moments of being ~1mph over the speed limit............... these days it's all dual carriageway I expect so loses that appeal although I believe the French are quite strict on speeding now and can take your car if doing 3 figure or something along those lines.
By not having to fit into prescribed boxes these Hypercar regulations are producing some stunning looking cars. Renders of next seasons Alpine...
[img] 
[/img]
...perhaps F1 could learn from this for their 2016 reg changes.
Oooh! Nice! 👍
[blockquote]I’d love to go back but I know the wife won’t camp for nearly a week at a race track[/blockquote]
How about 2 nights? That’s what I did many moons ago and will probably do the same if/when I go back. Down Friday afternoon, head up the road after finish on Sunday.
How was that? Leaving on the Sunday? I did it the second time we went (it was another dominant Audi year), but the race was still going, so the traffic wasn’t too bad.
Love this photo - dinosaur Porsche completes it! 😀
[img] 
[/img]
[IMG-1448.jpg]( https://postimg.cc/QVmTrRKM)
Billion pound firework display followed by drones was very impressive.
Blimey, we can upload photos directly now!
How was that? Leaving on the Sunday? I did it the second time we went (it was another dominant Audi year), but the race was still going, so the traffic wasn’t too bad.
It was grand. Did it twice. Just left sharp after the flag and headed to the train
Why can't it be raining and overcast outside this weekend! Might have to pinch the wife's laptop to at least sit outside to watch.
Good news, I can watch it till about 9am tomorrow , but I have to work after that 👎
Well my hay fever is playing up something rotten so I'd probably be stuck inside anyway.
Formation lap! Still bouncing from the downhill....
Cider and crisps on hand.
Im looking forward to see if there's been any sandbagging and hoping the NASCAR lasts!
First lap safety car
Toyota no 8 not generating power under braking
cadillac crashed!!
Lebron might be good with a ball, but he's not very good with a flag.
25 minutes and counting of safety car. Zzzz
Nice to hear Leena Gade in the commentary box
This safety car is taking up far too much of my £6.99 so far
It's the first safety car but it won't be the last. Caddy driver just caught out in the damp and thinking a 24 hour race can be won in the first lap 🙄
Good for the Peugeots though. They’re getting some track time 😆
40 minutes lost because one car crashed on the opening lap. Wtf.
Nearly turned it off.
40 minutes lost because one car crashed on the opening lap. Wtf.
Barrier repair, always takes ages.
Bloody good race since it got going again though! Ferraris nearly taking each other out on multiple occasions already, wonder if they’ve flown in some F1 strategists for the weekend?
What happened to the number 50 Ferrari? I made a coffee at the adverts and it was 30 seconds behind!