[LM24 Race] Le Mans 2010 - Where Will You Be?

[rdjones]

If I was going to Le Mans this year then I think I would be in T34 as well, sadly it's the sofa at home for me......

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by isynge

I like T34 a lot - although last year it was rammed home how strong the sun at Le Mans can be - very much had to run for cover after the first couple of hours to avoid getting borderline heat/sun stroke.

Funny that Ian, I was in the front row and had been really worried about frying there but didn't find it nearly as hot as in some previous years.....

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Funny that Ian, I was in the front row and had been really worried about frying there but didn't find it nearly as hot as in some previous years.....

The danger of the front row is that it doesnt help very much if it rains - but as it won't I wouldn't worry

[Bentley03]

Honoured to have Ayse riding shotgun with me this year!

We've decided to stick to the Monday crossing, Portsmouth-Caen 08:15. Should be at our digs (in Saint-Saturnin) by late afternoon in time for a trip to Auchan for essential supplies (water and sun cream ).

Scrutineering on Tuesday, then we're joined by another 10Tenther on Wednesday morning in time for the start of the business end of Le Mans week.

Parking Blanc spaces reserved as well as an Arnage/Mulsanne parking ticket for the weekend.

Whilst Ayse makes his way to his favourite T34, the other member of our trio and I will be heading to T17 this year (a first for both of us). We've apparently secured front row seats, so thank goodness, Mal, that it won't be raining this year!

I suspect we'll join Ayse on his Porsche Curves excursion during the night, before heading to Arnage (where we'll hopefully bump into PascaLM) and Mulsanne for dawn/sunrise.

We return home to Blighty on the 16:30 Caen-Portsmouth crossing on the Monday.

Really looking forward to renewing all those (generally) 'once a year' friendships with other 10Tenthers. Hopefully, we'll be able to arrange a number of impromptu get togethers prior to the Saturday.

Roll on June...........

[Aysedasi]

Sounds great James, and count me in on that Arnage trip - can you believe in 24 years I have never been to Arnage during the night. Mulsanne many times, but never Arnage.....

[GT6]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Sounds great James, and count me in on that Arnage trip - can you believe in 24 years I have never been to Arnage during the night. Mulsanne many times, but never Arnage.....

You must do that trip, not been there for 2 years now but this was always my favourite spot, the cars breaking for indianapolis the full accelleration out of the bends towards arnage the heavy on the brakes for the slowest corner, brakes glowing like 1000 watt bulbs lighting up the sides of the cars, plus the compressing of faster and slower cars in that section which makes knocks and small accidents more likely.

And all this just yards from where you are standing, on the banking over looking the fencing, fabulous place even if it is a pain to get to. You must go this year best time is about 12 at night but even in the daytime it is still one of the best places to watch. Easier to get to during practice so you might prefer that, during the race it can take hours to get there and back.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by GT6

You must do that trip, not been there for 2 years now but this was always my favourite spot..........

..........best time is about 12 at night but even in the daytime it is still one of the best places to watch. Easier to get to during practice so you might prefer that, during the race it can take hours to get there and back.

My favourite spot too, although I do curse the extent of the floodlighting there these days.

As far as 'when to go', the roads generally begin to ease after 02:00, and are pretty clear by around 02:30-02:45. I usually keep an eye on the traffic behind the tribunes around that time and make a move once it's flowing relatively freely. I stay at Arnage until I can feel dawn beginning to break (about 04:30) then head to Mulsanne (roads completely clear by that time) until the sun rises over the roundabout, by which time my tummy's rumbling and I need some breakfast!

[GT6]

[QUOTE=Bentley03;2620867]My favourite spot too, although I do curse the extent of the floodlighting there these days.

I had forgotten about those ruddly floodlights, they are now so bright particularly around the last indianapolis bend that it could be daylight there, if it is bad for us imagine what it must be like for the drivers, after 8 hours of racing they must know how the curves are without the need for that much illumination and it must be hard for thier eyes to adjust from the darker indianapolis straight.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

My favourite spot too, although I do curse the extent of the floodlighting there these days.

Didn't they die for a while last year?

I still yearn for the old Indianapolis corner when it was possible to actually see back up the track for a few hundred yards prior to Indianapolis.....

Old Indianapolis view


... and the debris fencing there is just as obstructive to the lens as that along the main straight.....

[Hursty]

Hi Ayse, yes it was fantastic last year when the lights went out at Arnage - it started a whole new thread!
Plans are in place to bring AllonFS again this year, but I am lead to believe we will miss Craig again.
Mike.

[Aysedasi]

Hi Mike, I'd naturally assumed that Allon would be back although I hadn't been banking on Craig, although it would be great to see him back again.

[GTfour]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Didn't they die for a while last year?

I still yearn for the old Indianapolis corner when it was possible to actually see back up the track for a few hundred yards prior to Indianapolis.....

Old Indianapolis view


... and the debris fencing there is just as obstructive to the lens as that along the main straight.....

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Honoured to have Ayse riding shotgun with me this year!

We've decided to stick to the Monday crossing...........

Slight change of plans, Ayse and I will now be taking an early Sunday morning crossing to enable a mid/late afternoon arrival in Le Mans. Ayse felt it was imperative to be in situ in time to distribute extra fine tooth combs to each of the scrutineers prior to the JLOC Lambo and BMW Motorsport M3's undergoing their technical and administrative checks.

[Yakuncha]

It will be my 1st time, I feel like a small child in August waiting for Christmas

My intention is to see as much as possible, but Im fuming that the scrutiny has been pushed back as I wont arrive until Tuesday

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Slight change of plans, Ayse and I will now be taking an early Sunday morning crossing to enable a mid/late afternoon arrival in Le Mans. Ayse felt it was imperative to be in situ in time to distribute extra fine tooth combs to each of the scrutineers prior to the JLOC Lambo and BMW Motorsport M3's undergoing their technical and administrative checks.

Hell, I want to be there to kick the bally things myself.... Oh and to borrow a Beemer for a trip to the Auchan or Carrefour....

Originally Posted by Yakuncha

It will be my 1st time, I feel like a small child in August waiting for Christmas



My intention is to see as much as possible, but Im fuming that the scrutiny has been pushed back as I wont arrive until Tuesday

You'll still have a fantastic time - there's nothing quite like the first Le Mans......

[Le Vieux]

You'll still have a fantastic time - there's nothing quite like the first Le Mans......

...except the second, third, fourth, fifth etc., etc. Every trip is fantastic!

[Dani Filth]

as undoz says .. best money spent all year

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Le Vieux

You'll still have a fantastic time - there's nothing quite like the first Le Mans......

...except the second, third, fourth, fifth etc., etc. Every trip is fantastic![/QUOTE]


Yep, true enough - one is never enough, as they say..... But the first needs to be approached with open eyes (ears, mouth - and heart!).

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

...except the second, third, fourth, fifth etc., etc. Every trip is fantastic!

Yep, true enough - one is never enough, as they say..... But the first needs to be approached with open eyes (ears, mouth - and heart!).

Mouth agape with amazement....or hunger? (or both!)

[Aysedasi]

For me - both for sure!

Now then 'old boy' (), are we going to persuade you to treck to the Village for the Tenths meet this year? Or do I have to come and seek you out at Arnage?! I just feel that as 'kindred spirits', so to speak, we ought to meet sometime......

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by GT6

I had forgotten about those ruddly floodlights, they are now so bright particularly around the last indianapolis bend that it could be daylight there,...the drivers, after 8 hours of racing they must know how the curves are without the need for that much illumination and it must be hard for thier eyes to adjust from the darker indianapolis straight.

the floodlighting is not for the benefit of the drivers...
it's for the CCTV systems in race control

back to the point tho...
Wednesday Shuttle 06too damn early
steady run down the peages
to poste 106...speccy trips to Arnage and Mulsanne when I feel like it
the main spectator area is just to damn difficult to get to during our limited down time.
back Monday

[Justin Moran]

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

the floodlighting is not for the benefit of the drivers...
it's for the CCTV systems in race control

back to the point tho...
Wednesday Shuttle 06too damn early
steady run down the peages
to poste 106...speccy trips to Arnage and Mulsanne when I feel like it
the main spectator area is just to damn difficult to get to during our limited down time.
back Monday

Al, looks like Im really gonna be able to get to visit you this year as Im actually speccy'ing this year! Obviously not whilt you are on post but at some point before the race? Still got your mobile number (unless you changed it?)

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

For me - both for sure!

Now then 'old boy' (), are we going to persuade you to treck to the Village for the Tenths meet this year? Or do I have to come and seek you out at Arnage?! I just feel that as 'kindred spirits', so to speak, we ought to meet sometime......

'twould be good to meet up. At the moment my participation in this year's event is looking doubtful - it may be my second absence in 26 races. The recession has bitten an old man like me quite hard. At present there is only a slight glimmer of sunlight on the horizon.

Even if I do make it, I'll be head chef for a party of anything from 10 - 25 people, and, since we reside some distance from the track (I can hear the water lapping, the sun's beating down and the 1664's icy cold....) it may be difficult.

But you never know...

[racerkeke]

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

the floodlighting is not for the benefit of the drivers...it's for the CCTV systems in race control

I thought the amount of lighting was much reduced in 2009 compared to 2007 (the previous time I had attended), and that 2007's lighting was less than 2006's and especially 2004's. I recall being completely amazed by the amount of light at the second chicane in '04 -- it lit up all the pine trees around 60-bis. In contrast, last year there were only lights at the entry (braking point) and exit.

I also noticed that last year there was no "god-cam" TV on a lift at 60-bis overnight. So perhaps some of the lighting is for TV? Even at night Indianapolis is a popular TV view.

keke

[Bentley03]

Seems those camping on Tertre Rouge campsite will have new neighbours this year. According to the map on this year's brochure/booking form, the funfair is on the move again and due to be sited between Tertre Rouge campsite and the track, halfway down the hill between the Dunlop Bridge and the approach to Tertre Rouge corner.

There goes the neighbourhood...........