[Aysedasi]

Hi atmow - always good to welcome newbies to Le Mans - but be warned, it's highly addictive!

At the risk of repeating what others have said already, I've added my thoughts to your questions too. I also have a first-timers page on my site - I wrote it a few years ago but much of it is still applicable....


Ayse's Tips for First-Timers

Originally Posted by atmow

My girlfriend and I are headed to the race for the first time this year. We are coming all the way from Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. I've read through the Club Arnage guide (which is excellent), but I still have some questions. If anyone can help us answer these, it would be appreciated. We have grandstand tickets, Row A, Leonard (20).

Can we bring food and beverage into the track/grandstand or do we have to buy it there?

Personally, I don't think the food situation in the circuit is as good as it used to be - I struggled to find a baguette and a bottle of water anywhere near the T34 grandstand pre-race last year, but you should be OK on the other side (outside) of the track. Make sure you have plenty to drink. And have some water - not just wine and beer!

We have parking passes for the Rouge lot. I know these are not reserved, but do they sell more passes than spots? What time do we need to arrive to be guaranteed a parking space?

We have rouge spots too - well done you for sorting them in advance, we got badly caught out without them in 05 and were only rescued thanks to the kindness of our old mate Fab. There are a lot of cars in rouge by lunchtime, but if you get there in the morning for the Group C race, you'll be fine.

We are planning to be at the track for the entire race, but we are not camping. A friend who drives in the Le Mans Classic said he rents a cot in a big tent for sleeping. Is this normally offered at LM24, too? Or can we bring a sleeping bag and stretch out in the grandstands? Is sleeping in the car really not allowed?

Never, ever heard of renting cots anywhere at Le Mans. Perhaps it's something reserved for the Classic. You can kip down in your sleeping bag in the car or in the grandstands - they empty down to just the most hardy during the night, so you can spread out over a few seats. If you look around, I may even be waving to you from Lagache (white and blue floppy hat, balding, beard and moustache and ever-increasing girth...... ) But, if you're a first-timer at Le Mans, what on earth are you contemplating sleeping for?! Get a couple of early nights in before race day and stay up all night - you won't regret it!

Any other tips for first timers?

Thanks in advance.