Le Mans Classic

Tried posting this over in GP travelling, but no takers. So maybe this is the right place for such a question?

 

 

I am going to Le Mans for the classic this year, and wonder if anyone might have some good idea's for the weekend. I did go for one day only back in 2012 (girlfriend gave me time off for good behaviour, or possibly I bought my way to a day of racing), but didn't explore the venue that much.

 

How big a part of the track can one visit? Is it just the complex and Dunlop bridge, or are larger aeras available to be explored?

 

I imagine watching from the Mulsanne straight is out of the question, but what about Indianapolis/ Arnage?

 

Any ideas are most welcome.

 

T J

 

 

T J

You can dine at the Restaurant Hunidaires (sp?) which is on Mulsanne Straight...

 

I think there is a spectator area at Mulsanne Corner, but the place to be (if you can get there) is Arnage or White House in the middle of the night.

Restaurant des Hunaudieres was due to close in 2007, when I was there but was eventually taken over by 2 racing enthusiasts.

 

I remember ordering a bottle of the house red, with a bespoke Hunaudieres label. The waiter said it was their last bottle, so I took it as a souvenir of course!

 

Since lost of course!

 

Yes - Arnage is a great place to watch at night.

 

There are enclosures at Mulsanne Corner and Arnage and I think there are shuttle buses to each from the main area plus car parking if you have a vehicle.  There is also viewing at the Porsche Curves.  (I guess that is what Ray meant by White House, which is off the circuit these days!), plus all the grandstands and GA from the Ford Chicane right round nearly to Tertre Rouge on both sides of the track.

 

Plenty of different opportunities and of course plenty of time to get from one to another.

I think I've posted photos I took at Le Mans, from the non-spectator area towards the hump at the end of Mulsanne...

 

They're not of 'classic' cars yet, just 41 years old:

 

 

I'm fairly sure the place where I enjoyed the sights and sounds at night was other than at Arnage, but it might have been there. The impression in the dark was always that the car was out of control. This was also a non-spectator area, but I had a press pass.

I think I've posted photos I took at Le Mans, from the non-spectator area towards the hump at the end of Mulsanne...

 

They're not of 'classic' cars yet, just 41 years old:

 

 

I'm fairly sure the place where I enjoyed the sights and sounds at night was other than at Arnage, but it might have been there. The impression in the dark was always that the car was out of control. This was also a non-spectator area, but I had a press pass.

 

Wasn't that the place where Boutsen had his unfortunate accident in one of the other WMs? Lafosse was in the early part of the Hunaudières, I think?

I have no idea...

 

But I'm quite sure that there was a good reason this wasn't a spectator area.

One year I went with a Nissan arranged trip.

 

During the night, we persuaded one of the Nissan courtesy car drivers to sneak 3 or 4 of us to the marshall's post at the fastest part of the straight.

 

Very eerie in the complete darkness. Then the sound of an engine with an increasing glow of light through the trees and finally the blur of a car going past at 200+ mph.

 

Impressive! 

Yes, the spot where we were sitting in the bush was near the point of terminal velocity...

 

You would see a car coming, a moderately fast car (Porsche 935 etc) your eyes would follow it through until it started to slow. Then start to turn your head back to where you'd seen it come from and there was another car, a faster one, right there in front of you!

Wasn't that the place where Boutsen had his unfortunate accident in one of the other WMs? Lafosse was in the early part of the Hunaudières, I think?

 

 Pretty much, the wreckage of Boutsens WM ended up just past the little side road ( La Closerie ) on the entry to the Mulsanne Kink.

 

You Tube link shows the post accident scene.  

 

PFN1 Sporstcars 015 LeMans Thierry Boutsen @ LeMans, 1981 - YouTube

 

Lafosse was after the first kink on the Mulsanne & a few hundred metres before the restaurant.  The video of the accident is on You Tube so I won't post it  

My photo is taken well past the restaurant...

 

As mentioned, I was nearly at the point where cars begin to brake for Mulsanne.

My photo is taken well past the restaurant...

 

As mentioned, I was nearly at the point where cars begin to brake for Mulsanne.

So after the Kink and probably just after the ( much flattened ) hump Ray ? 

Edited by LittleChris, 24 June 2022 - 22:12.

Well after the kink...

 

The cars came into view, as described, out of the kink and then went past us and began slowing, braking over a bit of a hill. Is that the 'hump'?

Well, thanks for all the replies. I will use your suggestions to get the best out of the weekend. Especially looking forward to the Group C race. I might respond to BRG’s thread when I get back, as I also prefer to see classic racecars go flat out when they are out to play.

Currently sitting in Le Mans having a cold beer, anticipating the cool days ahead.

From Le Sarthe, back to the studio.

T J out.