Tag: Le Mans 24 Hour

2024 Reflections-The Dream Come True 

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Editor’s note: This is the first of a series looking back at my racing season of 2024. Of course I’m starting with Le Mans.

Reality exceeded the dream. Emotional highs and goosebumps marked my 10 days in Le Mans. I was 10 years old when I first learned of the Le Mans 24-hour race. I read everything I could find about it. Two years later I announced to my family that I wanted to go to Le Mans.  I would accept the trip as any gift for any occasion- graduation, birthday, Christmas- the occasion didn’t matter.  

I never received an envelope with plane tickets to Paris. I still followed the race and learned more of its history. During my freshman year in high school, I spent my study hall time writing a novel about Le Mans. I’m pretty sure it was not a classic. I grew older, and life got in the way.  

In 2023, after a health scare, I made up my mind. I am going to Le Mans next year. I can wait no longer. I called a travel agency in London that specializes in motorsport travel and booked lodging at the track and bought a race ticket. Friends who had been there inundated me with advice. I don’t think I could have navigated the Paris Metro without their help. 

While I spent the entire time on an emotional high, there were three times when my excitement boiled over and spilled out of my eyes. I entered the track for the first time on the Sunday before the race. The first step through the gate onto that hallowed ground ended a 65 year wait. The track was still a mile away, but I had made it.  

The next day at the museum two of my favorite cars of all time- the 1959 Shelby Cobra and the 1970 Gulf Porsche sat silently and proudly, anxious  to Have their engines roar to life again and roll onto the circuit just a few hundred feet away.  

I had eagerly awaited and dreaded race day. I knew containing my feelings would be a challenge. I told myself I had control, and I enjoyed the opening ceremonies until the first notes of La Marseilles. Control failure.  

The start of the race calmed me down. I took in as much of the track as I could, defying the intermittent rain and the long tram lines. Twenty-four hours goes by quickly when you want it to last forever.  

Everything was just as I had pictured, and in many ways the event was even better than I had imagined.  

All dreams must end, and it seemed that just a minute later I was in Charles de Gaulle airport boarding my flight home. 

Final Thoughts on Le Mans

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I arrived home at 10 pm last night after a loooong day of traveling. It is always great to be home after an extended trip. This blog is more of an advice column for anyone considering going to Le Mans, or for a 77-year-old blogger who may be planning a return visit. I’m not mentioning any names here.

Getting around Paris

The Paris Metro system is amazing, and the entire city seems connecting by the mainly underground railroad network. To get to the train to Le Mans from Charles de Gaulle Airport requires a transfer. Be careful to read the route map so you don’t end up traveling the wrong way. Each ticket allows one free transfer. Don’t count on help from employees there.

Bullet train– The TGV train takes an hour or less to get to Le Mans, which is about 136 miles northwest of Paris. The train is clean, quiet, and efficient.

Le Mans Transit– The T1line on the city tram goes directly to the track, which is the end of the line. The penultimate stop takes you directly to Tetre Rouge. It is an easier track entry and involves quite a bit less walking to the track than the gate at the final stop. From Tetre Rouge, you can walk toward the Dunlop bridge and cross over to the fan village.

I cannot say this enough- there is no such thing as a short walk at Le Mans.

Track shuttles– there are some internal shuttles which will save many steps from Porte Est- it’s about a mile walk to the track itself-then you need to walk back to the main plaza, but it’s a much shorter walk.

Visiting turns– Free buses will take fans to what i call the outer corners- Mulsanne, Arnage, and the Porsche curves. My advice- plan to go early Waiting until evening means a long wait in a line. Make sure you take the correct bus.

I found out that I could avoid a bus transfer to Arnage by going to the Ouest Parking area, which is just behind the Ferris wheel.

Take time to enjoy the city– Since most track activity doesn’t begin until mid to late afternoon, use the morning time to enjoy the city of Le Mans. It is very peaceful, and the architecture there is wonderful. I did not get a chance to explore the old city as much as I wanted to. It’s an area on a hilltop with buildings from medieval times. There is a very cool vibe there.

I enjoyed having a mid-morning coffee at an outdoor cafe near Place de la Republique on the days when no race activities took place there. The plaza is one of the tram stops on the T1 line.

Autographs– There is a better chance of the driver autographs you want at scrutineering than there is of getting an autograph at the official autograph session. Drivers walk around the ring after the official photographs and sign for fans who wait all day behind the barricades.

Back to Reality

I understand there was slight bit of Indycar news while I was away. I’m still trying to catch up to it all. I discussed the new television package last week. Tomorrow, i will have some thoughts about the 2025 schedule, and during the race weekend, I will talk about the McLaren situation. It sounds like McLaren and Juncos Hollinger deserve to be partners. They have the same philosophy when it comes to treatment of drivers.

Now to go back to sleep.

Au Revoir Le Mans- Many Thoughts on Reaching a Dream

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The clock went to zero, the checkered flag waved, and my life long dream of going to Le Mans accomplished. I will try o distill my thoughts into two blogs. There are too many to condense in to one. If you are a reader of my blog and not a personal friend, consider yourself lucky. My friends w2ill be hearing ab out this for months, maybe until next June.

My first impression of the entire week is that Le Mans blows Indianapolis away. This is not meant to be a put down of most beloved 500. It is a matter of scale. Everything is bigger in Le Mans. From the pre race buildup that begins with scrutineering, to the post-race podium ceremony, everything is made to feel like it is the most important event.

Pre-Race

The palpable buzz in the crowd built all day. The grid walk, like those of Sebring and the Rolex 24, was a madhouse of fans looking for their favorite teams. The scene reinforced why I don’t do grid walks anymore. I was content to watch from the stands.

The brief simple pre-race ceremony was direct and to the point. I remember when the 500 opening ceremony was like that.

Two things stood out. The parade of flags of each drivers’ nation acknowledge that Le Mans is an international event. Flag bearers then moved to stand by the cars of that country. It’s as if this race is the Olympics of motorsport.

La Marseilles– I have always liked the French national anthem, but to hear it sung accompanied by a brass band live brought me to tears. It is such a stirring anthem.

The cars then started and rolled off for the pace lap, The field lined up, came off the final turn, the tricolor waved, and the clock started.

The Race

At the end of lap 1, when Ferrari had already jumped to the lead, I had to remind myself that I was not dreaming. After the second lap, I settled into watching the race. I was glad that the rain had held off for the start.

Rain would play a major role in the story of the 2024 edition of Le Mans. An early shower had some teams deciding to go to wet tires immediately. Others stayed out. The shower was brief, and the track dried quickly. That set up two different strategies early. In a 24 hour race, even early decisions can have a long-term effect.

The four hour full course yellow for rain set up an intriguing ending.

In the end, Ferrari won again. Nolan Siegel was the American bright spot as part of the winning LMP2 United Autosport team.

Watching Le Mans

Veterans of Daytona and Sebring are accustomed to walk around to various vantage points during the race. everyone has their favorite spots for the start and the finish. At Le Mans this is difficult to do because of the siz of the track. I wanted to go watch from Arnage. All I had to do was leave the track, catch a bus and take it to catch another bus, reenter a track gate. The process took nearly an hour because of the long lines waiting to board the buses.

Of course, three minutes after arriving, the rain started. It was one of the heavier downpours akthough it di not last long.

Arnage is a slow corner right after the high speed Indianapolis corner. It is a public road that has been incorporated into the track. I got a few photos, but not as many as I had hoped.

The track has provided several big screen televisions in the several villages for fans to watch the race.

Going to L e Mans has fulfilled a 65-year-old dream of mine. My heart was so full at the end of the race. Le Mans is more than a 24 hour race. It is an entire week of revealing the components one by one. It’s a fascinating process.

In the week before the race, I learned a lot about myself as well. I can travel alone to Europe. I learned enough French to understand what people told me and to make myself understood. Thanks, Google Translate and my AirBnB host.

I have a few more things to share, including some travel tips, then I will move on. I promise. Thanks for following along and allowing me to share the journey of a lifetime.

Le Mans Journal Day 8-Estre’s Last Lap Nips Cadillac

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Alex Lynn had to be feeling quite good. His final Hyperpole lap edged out Sebastien Bourdais by 0.018 seconds to take the top spot and give Cadillac a front row lockout. But Kevin Estre in the Penske Porsche had yet to complete his final circuit. Estre gaiuned enough ground in the second half of the lap to steal the pole from Cadillac. His margin over Lynn was 0.148 seconds.

Penske cars have now won poles at the Daytona 500, the Indianapolis 500, and Le Mans.

Team Jota number 12, driven by Callum Ilott, did not participate because the car was not ready in time following a practice crash.

In LMP2, the number 14 car from AO Racing, affectionately known as Spike, will start on pole for that class. Louis Delatraz, who drives for Wayne Taylor Racing in IMSA, looks for his first Le Mans win after several close calls. The car has been in the top three in the practice sessions.

GT3 honors go to McLaren number 70, Brendan Iribe gave McLaren its first Le Mans pole.

The 2024 Le Mans grid is quite deep in all classes. I’m looking for a very competitive race.

Le Mans Continues to Astound

I thought that after a couple of days here i would find this event to return to an ordinary race weekend. The surprises keep coming. I di not expect much from yesterday’s Hyperpole shootout, nor did I expect much interest from the fans. The session had the largest crowd of the week. I watched from the same spot as I did for qualifying, just before the Dunlop bridge.

Wednesday for qualifying the crowd was about four deep from the fence. Thursday fans stood at least eight deep. I have no idea how those in the back saw anything.

I also had a chance meeting with some fellow Indycar fans. I saw on social media that they were coming, but did not have much hope of ever seeing them here. Yet, we found each other. Meeting siomeone you know here is a totally random act unless a meeting point has been pre arranged.

Friday is the Drivers’ parade at Place de la Republique. It begins a 4 pm local time. I plan to be there by 2, just going by the crowds I saw at Scrutineering last week.

I do have some thoughts on the new Indycar television package and the schedule, which I will put in another article later today. The six hour time difference is both a luxury and a curse when figuring out when to post things. It is 1:30 am Eastern as I am writing this. I try to post around 6 am Eastern, as most of you seem to think sleep is more important than reading my blog.

Le Mans Journal Day 7- The Learning Curve of Learning Curves

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Wednesday I found a track entrance near Tetre Rouge, one of the more well known corners. It is a very fast right hand turn which comes after a series of esses. The Dunlop bridge is visible from here. Sunday I was near the bridge, but I did not realize I was that close to Tetre Rouge.

The Road to Le Mans series was on track when I arrived.

Shuttle buses run from various points to the turns, and I will be taking advantage of hose today. Circuit de la Sarthe requires a lot of walking, and golf carts are not available for rent. At least i am getting my steps in.

Wednesday was qualifying for the 24 Hours. I prefer the way IMSA qualifies, where each group gets their own 15 minute time period. At Le Mans, all cars are on track for one hour. The top eight then advance to Thursday’s Hyperpole shootout to determine the pole and the first four rows of each class. Hyperpole is a 30 minute session for all 24 eligible cars.

One of the favorites, a Toyota HyperCar, lost all of its times yesterday and will start at the back of the class.

Into the Night

Wednesday saw the first night practice, from 10 pm to midnight. The session begins at dusk. There is still quite a bit of light in the sky at 10 pm. There is another night practice tonight (Thursday).

Friday is the drivers’ parade, which I understand is a very fun event. There is no track activity on Friday. Fans are invited to walk the track. The time period overlaps the parade, making it hard for fans to do both.

Hyperpole

The BMW driven by Laurens Vanthoor had the fastest qualifying lap yesterday.

Advancing to tonight’s Hyperpole round are the Ganassi Cadillacs. Scott Dixon and Sebastien Bourdais are in ther number. Alex palou is the 2 car. The number 12 Porsche of Callum Ilott is also in the shootout.

The LMP2 car team of which Nolan Siegel is part of will be in that class’s shootout.

Le Mans Journal Day 5- Down the Rabbit Hole of History

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Photo The winner of the inaugural Le Mans 24 Hour race, the Chenard-Walcker.

Auto racing honors the ghosts of their past in a way few sports can. Cars endure, unlike uniforms or equipment. Winning cars are a select class of memorabilia. The ghosts of Le Mans past are alive and well in the Musee Des 24 Heures, the museum located at the north main entrance to the track.

Getting to the museum was a bit of a hike from the closest bus stop, but it was well worth the time. Admission is free during race week for fans with event tickets. The rest of the year it is 12 Euros, about the same amount that IMS charged when the museum was open. The admission price I saved easily became moot during the post museum visit to the gift shop.

As happens each time I visit my beloved IMS Museum, goosebumps sprouted on my arms at the first steps inside. I liked the presentation, and I hope IMS will use some of these concepts when they reopen next April.

The journey into the past begins in what is essentially a Hall of Fame of sorts. Race founders, owners, and drivers greet vistors from banners on both side of the corridor. Biographical plaques are in French and English.

Georges Durand was one of the founders of what become Automobile Club l’Ouest, and was an early supporter of the 24 hour race.
Ferrari won nine times between 1949 and 1965, and again in 2023. The plaque mentions the feud with Henry Ford. Enzo never attended the race at Le Mans.
Collette Siko and Marguerite Mareuse teamed up in 1930 as the first all woman team in the race. She finished fourth in 1932. Collette is one of two women in the hall. Christine Beckers also has a banner.

After the Heroes’ walk, the next room is one ofr the most amazing displays i have ever seen. The room contains a detailed diorama of the circuit in its center. Against the walls of this circular space are display cases of diecast cars-virtually one of every car to race at Le Mans. The models are arranged by years, withe podium finishers on a stand.

The Dan Gurney/A. J. Foyt winning car from 1967. The other 90 + races are represented as well.

I noticed a familiar name on the diorama

Cars by Decades

Of course the machines are the heart of the place. The museum has the race cars grouped by decades. I loved this concept. It is easy to see the development of aerodynamics and safety improvements. I have a better understanding of how the modern car evolved. The 1950s seems to be th era when aerodynamic ideas fully took shape.

This is just my opinion, but the cars of the 1980s are some of the most unattractive cars as a group I have ever seen. They are bulky and overly wide. Some of the collection.

1950 Ferrari
1970 Porsche. One of my all time favorites.
Shelby American Cobra.

Chills

The names on this 1994 car gave me chills. This car finished second in the race.

Ratzenberger was killed at Imola that same year. Krosnoff died in an accident at an Indycar race in Toronto two years later.

My journey through the museum brought me back to being that 12-year-old kid, reading tales of a romantic all day and night race half a world away, wondering what it was like to race at this track. It is hard to imagine racing 24 hours in a roofless car, or even racing as part of only a two driver team. I also wondered if I could ever come see this race in person. Can my dreams of seeing F1 at Spa or Monaco be far behind?

Le Mans Journal Day 4-The Track at Last

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Dreams can come true. Sometimes it just takes 65 years. I stood staring at the entry gate to Circuit de le Sarthe for several minutes before I walked through Porte Est, the gate at the end of the tram line. The problem with dreams sometimes is that when they become real, they don’t live up to what you imagined. Le Mans, however, exceeded what I imagined.

Like Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I got the immediate sense that this is hallowed ground. The century of history grabbed me the moment I saw the Dunlop bridge and saw directional signs for the corners I have heard about all my life- Tetre Rouge, Arnage, Mulsanne- no longer just places in my imagination.

As I expected, an 8.467 mile track requires a huge footprint. Road America is probably the largest track footprint I have seen. Le Mans is twice the size of the Wisconsin venue. I thought I had covered a lot of it yesterday, but the track map contradicted my thoughts. I made it to just about a quarter mile past the Dunlop bridge

The fan village is massive. Full blown restaurants and bars, not just food stands and kiosks dot the area leading to paddock in all directions. One stand makes crepes to order. There is a stand to charge electronics at no cost.

Across the bridge in the infield is another large complex of food stands. I have never seen such a variety of food at a track, or so many vegetarian options.

I have never seen a cleaner race track. Given the size of the place, management does an impressive job of keeping trash picked up and the grounds clean. Le Mans has recycling containers in may places.

The middle bun is just for containers and recyclable packaging

The track surface itself is in excellent shape. It appears to have been repaved recently. The front stretch has grid markings for motorcycles.

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Monday’s adventures include a trip to the track museum and a tour of the old city of Le Mans. Last night was the best night’s sleep I have had since I arrived, a restful night of fulfilled dreams. Don’t give up on your dreams.

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

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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.