After an overnight flight from New York following IMSA’s excellent Watkins Glen event it was a very quick turnaround for the DSC Editor, who went straight to France to experience a second first time event in a single week: The Le Mans Classic.
Held every two years and the only other event to use the full Circuit de la Sarthe, the Le Mans Classic is firmly established as one of the world’s premier historic racing events.
And with previous calendar commitments making it impossible to attend the event an offer from our friends at Travel Destinations to take a look at the event with them was gratefully accepted by GG and DSC co-owner David Lord.
After picking up media partner in crime John Brooks en route to Portsmouth, and then rendezvousing with Lordy close to the Ferry Terminal is was almost a deja vu moment to arrive for the 23:30 service to Le Havre.
Almost but not quite the same as for Le Mans proper (or indeed for that matter the Test Day) because there was one very particular difference: This time the cars waiting to go aboard were rather less the stickered up brigade that gives Le Mans its particular car culture flavour, and rather more the classic car enthusiasts.
From Triumph Spitfire to Lea Francis ‘woody’, from Lotus Turbo Esprit to Jensen Interceptor and from Competition spec MGB to Austin Maxi everyone was out of their cars and chatting. Everyone was looking forward to an event where the ‘show’ is just as much about the cars in the car parks and campsites as those on track.
Oh, and before you ask, every single one of them fired on demand and did so again after the Channel Crossing.
One quick tip before we go any further. The overnight Portsmouth crossings are great fun, with a couple of nightcaps at the bar, a late supper, watching the ship leave and pass the remnants of the Royal Navy – including on our crossing, the opportunity to view, at close quarters, the new, impressive and immense HMS Queen Elizabeth supercarrier. However, don’t prevaricate or delay – book early because, believe me, you will regret it if you don’t book a cabin.
The available alternatives – an enticing-sounding reclining chair (trust me you won’t sleep), finding somewhere to take advantage of a dark corner, sofa or soft play area, or walking the decks like an increasingly desperate soul – are all less than ideal after a full working day – or in my case a transatlantic flight! We learned our lesson some years ago and so to bed!
A clear run on Thursday morning at the French side of the Channel saw the familiar outskirts of Le Mans appear within three hours, even with a coffee shop, and with the formalities of accreditation complete we presented ourselves at Travel Destinations’ Flexotel Village, a hop, skip and ever so manly jump from the Antares Tram Stop and a comfortable walk from the paddock.
After arriving on a real-live red carpet (seriously!) at the site entrance where Travel Destinations ever smiling welcome desk was situated we were shown to our quarters by the ever charming Helen and, as a racegoer that decided some 20 plus years ago that I would never (ever!!) again camp at a race meeting – I was prepared to be underwhelmed!
Instead we were presented with a very neat and tidy, perfectly proportioned and totally weatherproof space for two with a parking space alongside for the DSC fun bus and with toilet and shower facilities very close by together with an on-site bar and food, plus seating and a large screen TV promising both motorsport and World Cup football over the weekend.
The space swallowed all of the DSC duo’s mountain of bags with ease still leaving space for a large cat-sized animal to be comfortably (except for the animal) swung.
The essentials were installed immediately – DSC’s faithful kettle ‘Russell’ immediately pressed into action.
Then it was off to the circuit to see how this event works. And how very different the Le Mans paddock looks from the scene just a couple of weeks ago!
No huge race transporters, the paddock instead transformed with the installation of tentage housing an astounding array of period machinery ranging from the very early days of the Le Mans 24 Hours in the 1920s, through to the 1980s. From Bentleys to BW M1s, Lorraine Dietrich to Datsun 240Z and Alfa Romeo 2300s to Aston Martin DB V8 – a visual feast for now – the really fun bit starts tomorrow!
Richard Bradley was there for some racing fun with the family-owned Aston Martin Ulster, Gunnar Jeannette was fault-finding on a Porsche 935 and IDEC Sport’s Paul Lafargue was attending to some last minute chores around of a pair of family-owned Lola T298 BMWs, one to him, the other for father Patrice.
The pit lane meanwhile was a very quiet place for now – most garage doors down with only a couple showing signs of life beyond – with a couple of exceptions here’s where the Group C monsters are housed – one exception is the Peugeot 908 entered for the Global Endurance Legends demo runs (of which more later), the diesel-fuelled behemoth garaged next door to it’s older sisters, a pair of wailing Peugeot 905s!
A trot over to the inside of the approach to the Ford Chicane and the first opportunity to see the remainder of the assembled entry for the Global Endurance Legends demo, most, but not all, of the promised 79 car entry on site by 4 pm on Thursday.
Amongst them some familiar faces. Gregor Fisken is here to drive his Aston Martin DBR9, chassis 001, a very storied car which saw service with the factory team, with Larbre and, in the FIA GT1 World Championship, with Hexis.
The car is fielded here by Larbre Competition and has not, says Gregor, been out of France for many years, the owner having had it restored to Larbre’s racing colours.
Gregor also took a moment to visit another old friend, the 2004 Racers Group fielded Porsche 911 GT3R that he shared with Ian Donaldson and Lars Erik (father of Christina) Nielsen. Lars Erik meanwhile is also here, racing a very splendid Porsche 908
2018 ELMS race winner Norman Nato was closely examining the glorious Toyota TS020 – (aka GTOne) which he will drive in the on-track demos, together with Manu Collard.
“It is fantastic,” said a very happy Norman, “I have never seen the car for real before. I know it only from playing Gran Turismo!!”
Henri Pescarolo was visiting a couple of old friends: Jacques Nicolet and the Onroak-owned Pescarolo 01 LMP1 whilst Patrick Peter was keeping a watching brief on a finely restored Honda motorbike. He should be delighted with the turn-out, rather less so with the state of the paddock that greeted the entrants!
Still to arrive as the DSC party left the paddock was Shaun Lynn’s 2003 Bentley Speed 8 and a pair of Audi R8 LMP900s, ready to greet them was one Howden ‘H’ Haynes, the ex-Audi Sport engineering guru looking after some of his old charges this weekend and looking forward to a relatively stress-free day at Le Mans!
Come back for more, much, much more, tomorrow!
