[LM24] Weird/hilarious/etc. messages on Le Mans cars over the years

[Victor_RO]

I've been going through a Le Mans video marathon in recent weeks, being right now at the end of Wednesday practice for the 2009 race, and there was a shot of the GAC Zytek (the one driven by one K. Ojjeh) and on the roll hoop there was a sticker saying "Merci Maman!" (I guess as a reference to Ojjeh's family, and particularly his mother, owning that car). That got me thinking... what other teams squeezed onto their liveries various messages with various significances?

Another one that would come to mind is Bill Binnie's car in '07, with the "passenger" headrest possessing a sticker-speech-bubble saying "I'm on vacation!"

So... does anyone know of anything else in this vein done by teams over the years? I'm suspecting that it would be limited mostly to privateers having a bit of fun and joking around a bit...

[The Badger]

It isnt a Le Mans car but ..... Bayside disposal had a Porsche 962 , IMSA days , and on the underside of the rear wing , in big bold letters was written "GO SEE BOB" ..... Bob was Bruce Leven's pet parrot and used to tell people to Go eff off .

So , you get the jist of that message then ?

There was a driver in the BTCC , Ian Flux , he had printed on his car somewhere "For Flux's sake" .

I been at Le Mans plenty of times , and didnt see much in the way of humour on the cars .

[Aysedasi]

I remember Fluxie's helmet - I took a photo of it in the Brands paddock way back in the 80's......

[Aysedasi]

Not on a car as such, but it was at Le Mans - vaguely amusing.....


http://www.aysedasi.co.uk/gallery/1986p/S1/86add64.jpg - 'We will be Back'

[Aysedasi]

And in the spirit of keeping the thread alive (although not really on topic!), a caption please for this one of the Tourists doing what the Tourists always did best at Le Mans......

http://www.aysedasi.co.uk/gallery/1997p/page1/9704.jpg


I even had some hair in those days.

[The Badger]

My mistake ..... the parrots name was Norman , on the rear wing it said "Go See Norman" .

[johntt]

The awning over the pit wall for Bill Binnie's team one year had "Binnie Boys with Bounce back ability"

This was the year that the heavens opened and they put the safety cars out.

When under safety car the Binnie Lola managed to do aquaplane and do a full 360 spin on the start finish in front of the awning before continung on his way

[Duff_44]

I remember one of the ALMS teams had a decal in the cockpit reminding the drivers to take it easy and "DON'T HIT SH_T!" (Petersen/White Lightning maybe?)

And of course who can forget the fans who have had their sticker on many a car in ALMs and Le Mans: The T.W.A.T.S.

[racerkeke]

I'm trying to remember what year it was that I was logging in Race Control for the ALMS at Laguna late in October (2007 or 8?). I noticed something odd in the back window of the Robertson Ford GT, and asked the steward sitting next to me if he could see what it was. (Think about a Ford GT back window and where you'd have to be to see it face-on, rather than sideways.)

Turned out to be a large paper jack-o-lantern cutout taped onto the entire inside of the window!
keke

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Duff_44

I remember one of the ALMS teams had a decal in the cockpit reminding the drivers to take it easy and "DON'T HIT SH_T!" (Petersen/White Lightning maybe?)

And of course who can forget the fans who have had their sticker on many a car in ALMs and Le Mans: The T.W.A.T.S.

Yes it was Petersen , a message from his Mom to take care if i remember correctly .

[TheNewBob]

I recall reading about a message to Eddie Irvine one year, after he removed that car/team from the race the previous year. '94, perhaps?

[gravel_monkey]

obvious ones were a few years ago at britcar 24hr when top gear did it, a honda civic had a sticker on the bumper saying top gear, leave us alone. on the topgear car itself as they were not allowed sponsors they had peniston oils and larsesens bicuits written on each side, so when they opened the doors it read penis on one side and arse biscuits on the other.
i do also remember a metro 6r4 that had a toilet roll on the dash with, in case of emergancy pull written under it

[The Badger]

That was a Ferrari 348 he removed in the warm up lap . It did qualify in 48 though ..... lol .

This is a pick of the car that was taken out :

http://www.racingsportscars.com/phot...-06-20-072.jpg

Couldnt find the pic your on about Bob .

[Nordic]

Not Le Mans but James Hunt had a badge on his overals with the logo

sex - breakfast of champions.

There is also a sticker in the back of a lightweight e type often driven by Derek Bell that says.

never race with a full scrotum.

Neither comic genius but did bring a wry smile.

There was also an F1 Osella with the model number FA1L.

[KA]

Roy Baker's C2 Tigas in the 80's- One of the cars was painted pink, and soon got the nickname 'The Pink Panther'. I'm pretty sure it had a Pink Panther cartoon logo just behind the cockpit- think you can make it out in this pic
http://www.racingsportscars.com/phot...-07-10-198.jpg
IIRC, at Le Mans, the drivers' names on the side included an extra driver who wasn't on the entry list- Inspector Clouseau...

Not one from Le Mans, but in a similar vein of having fun with the drivers' names on the side of the car- Jean-Louis Schlesser at Sauber-Mercedes in 1988.

Remember his one-off race for Williams at the Italian GP (standing in for a sick Nigel Mansell) in which he managed to take out Senna's McLaren while being lapped, handing a very improbable Monza 1-2 to Ferrari and breaking McLaren's 100% 1988 race win record?

As I recall (think there was a pic in Autosport), when Jean-Louis was back in his regular Group C Sauber a week or two later, some comedian in the Sauber crew had replaced the French flag decal next to his name on the car with an Italian one- accompanied by a small Ferrari scudetto for good measure.....

[lemansfan]

Found this Sponsoring List from the GT Forum on the Swiss Ladies Ford GT .

http://s13.directupload.net/file/d/2348/ed5xyvkq_gif

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by TheNewBob

I recall reading about a message to Eddie Irvine one year, after he removed that car/team from the race the previous year. '94, perhaps?

I'm sure you're right about that Bob. I can't remember what the message was though.....