Le Mans Journal- Day 3 Ferrari Fans Take Over; Old City Parade

Silly me. I thought Day Two of Scrutineering would be a repeat of Day One. I was wrong. It was even better.

The crowd grew to twice the size of the Friday gathering, and Ferrari fans were everywhere, caped in Ferrari flags, wigs adorning their heads, a sea of red no matter which direction I turned. Saturday belonged to Ferrari.

Scrutineering ended at 3 pm. The prototypes staged a parade, not down the streets near Place de Republique, but through the oldest part of the city. Old as in Roman and Middle Ages.

My friend and fellow journalist Michael Duforest, who lives in Le Mans, took me on a tour of what is called the old city. We walked across what looked to the remnants of a Roman aqueduct to cobblestone streets and ancient stone and wood buildings, now the home of artisans and niche enterprises.

I felt a sense of calm and peace here, in contrast to the hectic pre race activity just two blocks away.

A very old cathedral, one of the oldest in Europe, anchors the area. is quite peaceful there.

The cars drove slowly, one at a time, down the street that divides the aqueduct, and lined up under the bridge. The final car was a replica of the 1924 winning Bentley. The two photos below show how much progress in race design there has been in just more than 100 years.

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I don’t like this car’s chances in this year’s race.

Today (Sunday) I get my first look at the Circuit de la Sarthe, the official name of the Le Mans track. Practice begins at 10:00 am local time. I would say I am excited, but that would be a gross understatement. Look for more photos on The Pit Window Facebook page. Thanks for following along and sharing my journey.

2 thoughts on “Le Mans Journal- Day 3 Ferrari Fans Take Over; Old City Parade

  1. You know a lot more about this race than I do, but it sounds like you’re having a blast. Think of what that old cathedral has witnessed over the centuries.

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    1. I am so overwhelmed, George. I’ve thought about this for 65 years and to finally experience it is just a lot to take in. I hope to explore the church and tgat whole area tomorrow.
      I’ve been to lots of tracks but this one is the best I’ve ever seen.

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