I haven't got any info, but the sight of red flags, several medical intervention vehicles at high speed, an ambulance and the replacement armco team leads me to believe it to be a big one. After Mulsanne but where I've no idea.

It is usually more advantageous to pay in sterling. Their exchange rate is better than the banks. I took the ferry a few weeks back and it was about 1.15 IIRC.

All drivers are required to know how to find reverse gear.............

I kid you not.

Press members moaning like hell because they have had pit lane rights withdrawn. Rumours abound that it is because several hundred have been allocated to Alonso's mates.

Paid £1.17 for diesel in the UK a couple of weeks back but it is €1.40 here. But put it in perspective please. If using Calais let's for argument's sake say 600 miles there and back. at 40 mpg that's 15 gallons or less than 70 litres at a difference of 20p so £14. Three beer tokens at most!

They are also putting up a couple of big screens this year so people can watch it.

A boring topic, and we have no idea if the BiB are going to use it to fund their own holidays, but as from 1/7/18 the limit on single lane roads drops to 80 kph from 90 kph. Dual carriageways and motorways do not change.

Rumour has it that things are not looking good on the marshal front for the Classic, with many of the French boycotting it. This could be one very dangerous race this year. Last time I saw posts with but five or six marshals for the 24 hours and that surely can't ever be considered safe.

For years the ACO have been having problems getting marshals to turn up for the Classic every other year and they really upset the apple cart in 2016 by having the marshals on post from Saturday morning right through to the end of racing on Sunday. Many have vowed never to return, and I can't blame them in the slightest. To put things in perspective, there are about 1,200 marshals for the 24 Hours and 500 for the Classic, so way understaffed before and heaven knows how many this year. So I give you the text of the wondrous offer now being made by the ACO to try and get them to turn up. Are you sitting comfortably?


First of all, I would like to come back to the edition of 2016. Obviously, we made a mistake and I would really like to apologize for that. The ACO and Peter Auto (it is important to remember that Le Mans Classic is a joint organization ACO/Peter at 50% each) had jointly committed to adjust your time slots by setting up a specific organization for activities outside official races, and then we did not stand by this commitment. During the various parades and additional activities, the race direction called on the Marshall posts to officiate, and thus making the timetables at the Le Mans Classic too busy for you. We would sincerely like to make our mea culpa and reassure you that we rapidly realized our mistake, however too late to correct it in 2016.
 
Aware of this problem, but also, in general terms, of the necessity to make Le Mans Classic more attractive for you, I am pleased to confirm the new disposals that will be effective for Le Mans Classic 2018:
Timetable: you will find with this mail the projected timetable. This year a specific organization will be set up for all the parade phases and other non-sporting activities. YOU WILL NOT BE CALLED ON. Therefore you will have new rest slots at your disposal. (See details in enclosed timetable). We have clearly defined the organization to this purpose, and I hereby promise that the inconvenience of 2016 will not be repeated.
Endowment: in addition to the usual endowment, each Marshall officiating this year will receive:
A superb technical jacket with the logo Le Mans Classic.
A Carrefour gift card with the logo Le Mans Classic worth € 15.
Marshalls’ Trophy Points. It has been decided to allocated specific points in order to reward your presence:
15 points for the day of Friday
20 points for the weekend
Le Mans Classic is from now on eligible for obligatory events, allowing the renewal of the licence paid by the ACO for our licensees (in addition to the number of obligatory events which of course does not change). Currently, a Karting or Rally event is obligatory, from now on a participation in Le Mans Classic will count as well.
Each post will get 2 parking spaces, which will allow Marshalls at rest and their guests to enter into the general enclosure.  Marshalls’ passes as well as their guests’ will give them access to the paddock where you can see those legendary cars up close. Do not miss this moment!

Revealed today.

Poster by Tony Brown, on Flickr

One and a half minutes to go, and the Corvette blows a tyre.

3. The Corvette loses out. by Tony Brown, on Flickr

The front page of the local paper today gave the headlines, page 3 gave the details. It would seem likely that,although it has not been confirmed, Porsche will not be contesting the WEC next year but rather going down the electric route. The article stated that instead of spending €200 million a year it will cost but one tenth of that. A perfect reason, given the state of VW's finances after the emissions scandal and the fact that their share price has halved. Costs must be cut. I'm not saying that this is confirmed, just that the article stated that Porsche have refused to confirm or deny, which to me is a telling sign. The article goes on to say "how sad" Toyota are. More anon.

Will this photo help for the guide? Sorry Werner, only have the side-on shot

Don't worry, you get a - plastic - glass free when you buy a beer at the bar behind the paddock. Sunday I asked for a half after finishing my photography and they didn't understand even though I speak fluent french. I ended up with a pint, and a different kind of french was used when they charged me 10 euros.

There is no talk of a shortage here at Le Mans, although they are thinking of reducing the race to 12 hours if there is a problem

I had a coffee with the head of security a week or so back and he was tight-lipped as to details, but said that security was being enhanced. I went to the circuit Friday and Sunday, had my car and pass scanned, and entered and parked with no problem at all. I carried my camera bags and at no time was I asked toopen them or in any way challenged. There are no airport-style scanners at the pedestrian entries either.