[LM24] La Sarthe/Arnage Track and Other Changes

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by Adam43

It'll be good to see the finished work to check all this.

I live 150 km away from Le Mans but I bet that Eric will have a look at the works in the next weeks.

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Looks like a lot of tarmac is being laid down as well...

Do you know if the gravel that is being into the trap will be different from the kind in Dunlop, the Mulsanne chicanes and Mulsanne corner itself? Seemed the sharp type of rocks that are used in all of those traps were the cause of many, many punctures over the years, any news on possible replacement of that?

I think they will lay a tarmac strip in front of the gravel trap to prevent gravel on the track as much as possible.

[PascaLM]

Photos of the two new boxes, garages, stands, call them as you want.
http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/les...rtis-de-terre/

[Gingers4Justice]

I'm sorry but seeing those trees being cut down at Arnage might be the most upsetting thing I've ever seen on this forum.

My first memory of Le Mans is picking up the huge pine-cones from the spectator banking and collecting them to take home with me.

It's all gone now.

[YorkshireLad]

Can't believe they didn't keep any of the trees! Don't trees in France get TPO's?

Hopefully they'll plant some fairly decent standards (trees with a substantial girth) to make sure it's kept in keeping.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

I'm sorry but seeing those trees being cut down at Arnage might be the most upsetting thing I've ever seen on this forum.

My first memory of Le Mans is picking up the huge pine-cones from the spectator banking and collecting them to take home with me.

It's all gone now.

And with a lot more cleared following the fires last year it has not been a good year for trees at the track.

Thinking about it, so much of the mystique or atmosphere or whatever of this circuit (in my eyes) comes from the long blasts through the trees between Tertre Rouge and Porsche Curves, and particularly from Mulsanne to Arnage. This is the reminder that you are looking at a public road, and a throwback to the days when all racing was like this. It's not a street track, it's not a road course, it's a road.

And while it is frustrating that so much of these sections of track are out of bounds, in a way I think that adds to the romance of the place. A driver and a car, speeding alone through the trees in the middle of the night. Magic.

You've got me all emotional, G4J. I think I need a lie down.

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by Mike E

And with a lot more cleared following the fires last year it has not been a good year for trees at the track.

Thinking about it, so much of the mystique or atmosphere or whatever of this circuit (in my eyes) comes from the long blasts through the trees between Tertre Rouge and Porsche Curves, and particularly from Mulsanne to Arnage. This is the reminder that you are looking at a public road, and a throwback to the days when all racing was like this. It's not a street track, it's not a road course, it's a road.

And while it is frustrating that so much of these sections of track are out of bounds, in a way I think that adds to the romance of the place. A driver and a car, speeding alone through the trees in the middle of the night. Magic.

You've got me all emotional, G4J. I think I need a lie down.

I concur.

The trees at Indianapolis/Arnage also had the benefit of offering much-needed shade in the morning.

[Aysedasi]

I agree too. I was also saddened when they decimated the trees down at the Esses a few years ago. I'm still struggling to work out why......

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I agree too. I was also saddened when they decimated the trees down at the Esses a few years ago. I'm still struggling to work out why......

I never got to see those in the flesh, but the friend who got me down to Le Mans in the first place still goes on about them.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Mike E

I never got to see those in the flesh, but the friend who got me down to Le Mans in the first place still goes on about them.

The trees always seemed to enhance the atmosphere......

[GT6]

Over the years i have been going the trees in the campsites started to go then those on the esses and then those in the village, now those on the open roads and at arnarge, some one on the ACO must have a lumber yard.

[CTD]

A more natural reason could that the trees had to be taken down because of age or illness to ensure nobody would get hurt as the race was on.

The most plausible, are that they were in the way of good TV images.

[Hedley Verity]

They were felling trees on Tertre Rouge campsite at 8.00am on the Tuesday of raceweek last year, that got a few people out of their tents sharpish

[YorkshireLad]

Originally Posted by CTD

A more natural reason could that the trees had to be taken down because of age or illness to ensure nobody would get hurt as the race was on.

The most plausible, are that they were in the way of good TV images.

Pines usually live for a very long time, 100-1000years so I wouldn't say it's age.

In the above photos, they've been looked after very well (crown's lifted).

Id say it's a safety aspect, mainly due to height as an infection or wind could cause damage.

[Mike E]

Lovely pics, Ayse.

[Adam43]

I agree, it is very sad to see the trees go