Better than before

[aricus654]

I think that we are into a new classic era of Le Mans racing.

We had three teams who all clearly wanted an outright win in LMP1, and the racing was as close as it gets. 

The technology was innovative and ground breaking and each of the teams took a different approach to solving the racing challenge.

Reliability also became key - something that is key challenge in endurance racing - the choice of going fast or slower and preserving your car.

Fuel consumption was part of the equation - if I'm not mistaken, that's what Group C was all about.

LMP2 and GTAm and Pro were just as hard fought and the outcome unpredictable.

Any of the four classes would have made an exciting event. All four together made it epic.

I think that we may be in the best possible era ever for racing. (Even F1 looks better than before too - cars actually overtake each other and there's intense rivalry even within the same team.)

I think (but stand to be corrected) that the classic races of old were often made up of a grid of what ever happened to be the car of the day, run by different (works supported) teams.  This race was different because of the variety and lack of predictability.

I think that the race that we saw last weekend was not just a classic race (as the CA blog says) but one of the very best.

In one way, I wish I was seeing the TV coverage as I know that trackside, I was struggling to follow every twist and turn.


Aricus

[DeanoX]

I couldn't agree more :-)

I know we love to kick the ACO - and they always find a way of being that little bit more french than they need to, but the current regs - and the freedom it gives manufacturers is clearly working. When you see the hash that F1 is making of change with vested interests bickering etc it is heartening to see the ACO bring the teams along.

Circuit changes also seem to constantly be a cause of angst. The circuit has to evolve to stay safe and if it didn't then eventually it would have ceased to be viable for top flight motorsport and would have ended up a glorified GT race at best. The work up at Tetre Rouge over the last few years for example is excellent with much better viewing. Yes it was nice to pick your way through the trees in years gone by - but great viewing it wasn't. I spent 2 hours up around Dunlop/Tetre Rouge on sunday at Dawn and loved it. (I will be very sad if/when that row of trees on the outside as you exit TR and head onto mulsanne ever has to go. They're a constant in every single piece of footage you see)

I've made 10 (+1 Classic) since 2002 and would agree this was one of the best races yet (second only to 2008? when it was nip and tuck all the way to the final lap between audi + peugot)

Anyway - this is Dunlop bridge round to Tetre Rouge shortly after dawn on Sunday.
20140615_064557 by dean_eatworms, on Flickr

[lofty]

Fuel saving is what turbo f1 cars used to be all about mental little v12s more like 2-stroke bikes.It also makes bike racing great and easy to control speed without changing the engines every 5 years.Just take away fuel allowance.The fences seem more invasive than they used to but they are for our protection and if you dont clean your glasses you dont notice anyway.Be good with Nissan next year then fingers crossed the red cars.

[Andy Zarse]

We noticed the almost complete absence of chavs. Maybe it's fallen out of favour with the football shirt people? The campsites were noticeably quieter and better behaved, though still good fun.

[Andy Zarse]

Ps every year I seem to meet someone nice who I didn't know before. This year it was Lofty. You're a diamond lofty, really enjoyed chatting to you, and you make a lovely Wonderwoman!

[Lorry]

We noticed the almost complete absence of chavs. Maybe it's fallen out of favour with the football shirt people? The campsites were noticeably quieter and better behaved, though still good fun.

I thought so too, till the tyre wall and wheelie bins were set on fire

[Lord Steve]

We noticed the almost complete absence of chavs. Maybe it's fallen out of favour with the football shirt people? The campsites were noticeably quieter and better behaved, though still good fun.

Did you get your bags of Monster Munch?

[Martini...LB]

We noticed the almost complete absence of chavs. Maybe it's fallen out of favour with the football shirt people? The campsites were noticeably quieter and better behaved, though still good fun.

Lots of complaints on PH about chavs, pickpockets, campsite thieves and mad friday hooliganism, funnily a lot of them were english! Pickpockets at the friday parade certainly were. Also someone stole an Aston Martin Golf buggy ad drove it around in a drunken state, crashed into a new Jag XF on another site (I think) and did a runner!

>Martini...LB

[Jules G]

We noticed the almost complete absence of chavs. Maybe it's fallen out of favour with the football shirt people? The campsites were noticeably quieter and better behaved, though still good fun.

Lots of complaints on PH about chavs, pickpockets, campsite thieves and mad friday hooliganism, funnily a lot of them were english! Pickpockets at the friday parade certainly were. Also someone stole an Aston Martin Golf buggy ad drove it around in a drunken state, crashed into a new Jag XF on another site (I think) and did a runner!

>Martini...LB

Martin,

The golf buggy incident was on Sunday after the race on Blue Nord in the PH campsite enclosure. There is another incident of car damage (Audi Q7) also in blue Nord being reported. They were even complaining about fire works being let off, assume that was the Bretheren Friday night party.

Also a hit a run incident occurred with a Swiss registered car:-

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1417846&mid=52794&nmt=Le+Mans+hit+%26+run.+Left+with+injuries+-+video+request.+

[Andy Zarse]

We noticed the almost complete absence of chavs. Maybe it's fallen out of favour with the football shirt people? The campsites were noticeably quieter and better behaved, though still good fun.

I thought so too, till the tyre wall and wheelie bins were set on fire

Not the sort of thing even the chavs generally do? Maybe it was a stray fag end?

Even so, it's generally a marked improvement.

[Bonio]

On BSJ campsite it was noticeably quieter, even on the post race wind down i was preparing for the Mad Max moments during the evening but none happened. We also had a friend come with us for the first time in 15 Yr's. The things that stood out to him were more females attending and how more commercial everything was. When we took him to the Esses though, he was gutted as to what the ACO had done to them and said that it has lost all it's ambiance. I suppose we do not really notice going year after year but with a massive break it sticks out like a sore thumb.

[Newcastle Dave]

Of all the infrastructure changes the one I miss most is the loss of the trees and narrow viewing area infield of the last right hander of the esses before the  run up to Tetre Rouge. For me it was always a magical moment, picking your way along that sandy path, skirting around sleeping bodies at 2AM in the morning, pausing every  few yards to view the cars just feet to your left.

[Lord Steve]

Not really chav related but a bit of an incident on Tetre Rouge. A spontaneous cricket match started and being totally confident with my ability with a piece of English willow I played a straight bat to a slow ball offered by a Frenchman who'd never played cricket before. I missed and he hit middle stump. Oh, the shame!
However, a little later someone took the bat (not me I hasten to add!!), swung wildly and, in the process, lost his grip on the bat which sailed, seemingly in slow motion towards a parked Ferrari. Many hands were placed over many eyes with shouts of "Nooooooooo" as the bat continued in its arc, missing the Ferrari by millimetres and slamming into the side of a BMW.
I think the guilty party fessed up straightaway but the guy with the beemer seemed a trifle miffed!

[Kev_mk3]

First thing I spotted was how quite the campsite was but by god enjoyed the race

[lofty]

Ps every year I seem to meet someone nice who I didn't know before. This year it was Lofty. You're a diamond lofty, really enjoyed chatting to you, and you make a lovely Wonderwoman!

Miss you already Andy.Im going to keep all my promises i made to you.About my typing and stuff.Lee made a better Wonder woman than me.Mac said i was like her trailer trash little sister.You should come to Paul Ricard with us, i can pick you up at an airport in the South of France.Home brew is the order of the weekend.Hic.