Fullers is the 3rd incarnation …
Le Mans to Berlin and a bit beyond
- Thread starter Wapping
- Start date
More returns than the Lord.
A good evening yesterday, the chilli seeming to go down well, accompanied by a robust red.
Food over, we went to watch the nighttime practice through to midnight:
Arnage Corner is a really sharp right hand bend and has been a part of the circuit since day one. It’s the slowest corner on the track and the closest a spectator can come to the cars.
The speeds that the cars approach has to be seen to be believed, especially at night.
Food over, we went to watch the nighttime practice through to midnight:
Arnage Corner is a really sharp right hand bend and has been a part of the circuit since day one. It’s the slowest corner on the track and the closest a spectator can come to the cars.
The speeds that the cars approach has to be seen to be believed, especially at night.
Friday and it’s cloudy, with a hint of rain in the air. I started the day by pedalling to Mulsanne to pick up two boxes of wine for Saturday night.
Next event will be lunch at the Bar du Centre in Arnage village, then back to my friends’ accommodation for more nonsense through the evening.
Next event will be lunch at the Bar du Centre in Arnage village, then back to my friends’ accommodation for more nonsense through the evening.
I’m the advance guard:
The price of a pint has jumped from Friday’s EUR 7 to EUR 10. Hey ho, they have to make a living while they can.
The price of a pint has jumped from Friday’s EUR 7 to EUR 10. Hey ho, they have to make a living while they can.
Drugs and hookers?
The rest we just squander.
Saturday, it’s race day.
Finally
Hope its a good race, thinking about it, its almost impossible for Le Man to not be entertaining.
Indeed so.
Marshals assembling at the entrance to Indianapolis:
On the exit of Indianapolis:
And away down at Arnage Corner:
They stand out on the track, until the four safety cars come around. Then it’s back to their various stations:
You can just see the assorted flags, used to alert the drivers to assorted issues during the race, all stacked up:
The flags have remained all but unchanged since racing was first formalised. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The only addition are the illuminated ‘flags’ which are used at night.
I understand that the marshals are unpaid, which seems extraordinary, as without them there’d be no race.
On the exit of Indianapolis:
And away down at Arnage Corner:
They stand out on the track, until the four safety cars come around. Then it’s back to their various stations:
You can just see the assorted flags, used to alert the drivers to assorted issues during the race, all stacked up:
The flags have remained all but unchanged since racing was first formalised. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The only addition are the illuminated ‘flags’ which are used at night.
I understand that the marshals are unpaid, which seems extraordinary, as without them there’d be no race.
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The first of the support races is underway, with a very big field for the Ferrari Challenge:
They start the race in two blocks of cars, separated by a few seconds. This is to break the very large field up between the more experienced drivers (in block one) with the less experienced in block two.
They start the race in two blocks of cars, separated by a few seconds. This is to break the very large field up between the more experienced drivers (in block one) with the less experienced in block two.
Been a long build up
It has. I do though like coming down for the practice week, which is pretty relaxed. So relaxed, that I didn’t even bother to go to the north of the circuit where the pits and ‘village’ are.
Not least, I hadn’t been in the Arnage Corner campsite for maybe 20 years, so I wanted to be at the gate pretty much as soon as it opened, simply as I didn’t know what to expect. The campsite has worked out really well and is very well organised. On the same theme, I knew that the best viewing positions at Indianapolis would fill up pretty quickly, so I was up and about early to secure us position A1 at 06:00. I was first on the banking but others were arriving by 06:30. Now at 09:45 it’s pretty full:
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My young buddy, Dries, is on pole. He has come a long way since I first saw him race in 2016. He’s always been quick, but now brings experience and maturity.
His team, WRT, is, in effect, the works BMW team. It’s led by Vincent Vosse. Their chief Sporting Manager for the WEC programme is Thierry Tassin - one of the few who truly understand that a detailed knowledge of the rules brings a sporting advantage. Between them all, they are strategy masters!
WRT and BMW bagged the top two steps of the podium last time out at Spa. But that was a 6 hour race.
Les 24 Heures du Mans brings a much greater level of competition. It will be interesting!
His team, WRT, is, in effect, the works BMW team. It’s led by Vincent Vosse. Their chief Sporting Manager for the WEC programme is Thierry Tassin - one of the few who truly understand that a detailed knowledge of the rules brings a sporting advantage. Between them all, they are strategy masters!
WRT and BMW bagged the top two steps of the podium last time out at Spa. But that was a 6 hour race.
Les 24 Heures du Mans brings a much greater level of competition. It will be interesting!
I was at Spa to see that, a great race which boiled down to a 20 minute sprint at the end.
There’s always something going on through the 24-hours, with some hopes dashed and others elevated to their surprise.
Settled into position A1:
Filming another episode of Last of the Summer Wine?
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