Classic LeMans - a comparison

[penelopepitstop]

I'm starting to get jealous with all the excited LeMans threads running at the moment. As you can probably gather from that we're giving it a miss this year but are opting for the Classic LeMans instead (for the first time).

A group of us are staying in a cottage near Alencon (we're giving camping a miss too - mainly because I'll be nearly 7 months pregnant!!!)

For those of you who've done both, how does the Classic compare? (yes I know the cars are older )

Any hints or tips?

[puffpuff]

I've not been to the Classic before but I'm going to both this year; there's a bunch of us Riley owners staying near Sable-sur-Sarthe.

We did the 24hrs two years ago (an anniversary for Riley at Le Mans) and it was so good I vowed to go to the next Classic too - then Audi entered a TDI so I had to see that in action...

[loudv8]

The Classic is much less busy. It's great to see and hear the cars, but rather like GP Masters, the racing is, er, somewhat contrived.

[mjb993]

2004 Classic was fantastic, and I'll be there this year too.
Firstly, the big obvious difference is that instead of a 24 hour non stop race there are several short 2 hour races for different classes and age of car.

The event is much more social and classy. The racing is very much in the background. Only 10 - 20% of the crowds, access to the rear of the pits and paddock area where the sights and sounds are fantastic, and there is constant traffic in the paddock area due to the race frequency, and many wonderful car displays. Ticket allows entry to any tribune, but it is usually much hotter too.

Although I love the main 24 hour race too (got the bug 14 years ago), its quite sad that it is becoming just a bit too much of an excuse for a boozefest. I like a drink or six like most, and enjoy having a good time, but there have been occasions over the last few years attending where I have seen things that have made me feel ashamed to be english. So I now prefer the classic.


>> Edited by mjb993 on Thursday 11th May 18:27

[ballon]

11th year at the 24hr, 1st at the classic, looking forward to the latter immensely.

As yet not witnessed any completely outrageous behaviour, certainly not anything that would set us apart from our European neighbours.

[wrightyrs]

Doing both this year,

first time at the Classic and really looking forward to it,
am taking my Dad as he loves the older cars so should be good fun.

Am camping approx 25Km north of Le Mans at Beaumont-sur-Sarthe,anyone else doing the same?

we're heading down on Friday morning,7:58am tunnel crossing.

[Piglet]

We did both two years ago and will do both this year. If you compare the main 24 to the British GP and the Classic to the Goodwood Revival it's that sort of comparison!! The main 24 is more commercialised, it's busier, there are many more Brits there who have often had way too much beer and sun!! The Classic is more "French", more families, more relaxed, and as said - a classier event.

You'll love it BUT the last time it was VERY VERY hot and we found it very hard to get out of the heat even though we had the media centre to use. We found ourselves going back to the hotel so that we could get cool and just chill out - we'd not realised how "baseless" we'd feel without a campsite to go back to.

[Mark B]

I've been to the June event 1993 missing only one and have been to both previous Classic events. I love the June event and know full well I will miss it hugely this year. But the Classic event IMHO is excellent, the atmosphere is great and the racing more exciting visually if not an actual 'competition' as such....

For me, the June event has lost it's draw, there are too many ws there and no doubt with the World Cup on even more this year.... I remember the World Cups in previous years down there which were great fun, but somehow I think the way LM has been going in recent years it will be even worse..

I also think the Classic event has reduced the number of exotica and classic cars that used to attend the June event en mass.... making Indianapolis and Arnage on the Friday so good and many years ago the sea of Ferrari's, Cobra's, Porsches, etc, etc at hunadiere.

So IMHO the Classic is the event of choice...... I will be back to LM in June 2007 though...

[FLAT 6]

4.30 am, Arnage corner. Dawn breaks with a mist rolling through the trees. Total silence. Then....four GT40's emerge from Indianapolis, followed by the first 911 that ever raced at Le Mans...

No contest!

[puffpuff]

FLAT 6 said:

4.30 am, Arnage corner. Dawn breaks with a mist rolling through the trees. Total silence. Then....four GT40's emerge from Indianapolis, followed by the first 911 that ever raced at Le Mans... No contest!

But I'd put in a bid for the six Rileys that all finished in 1934 then drove back to England.

[walking hormone]

penelopepitstop said:

I'm starting to get jealous with all the excited LeMans threads running at the moment. As you can probably gather from that we're giving it a miss this year but are opting for the Classic LeMans instead (for the first time). A group of us are staying in a cottage near Alencon (we're giving camping a miss too - mainly because I'll be nearly 7 months pregnant!!!) For those of you who've done both, how does the Classic compare? (yes I know the cars are older ) Any hints or tips?

Do I really spend so much time at work now??? - You could've just asked.... I'm the bloke who comes in really late and sleeps on the other side of the bed

Essentially I mostly agree with the World cup worries. Shame really.

[penelopepitstop]

walking hormone said:

Do I really spend so much time at work now??? - You could've just asked.... I'm the bloke who comes in really late and sleeps on the other side of the bed Essentially I mostly agree with the World cup worries. Shame really.

I wondered who that was



Thanks for your comments guys - looking forward to it even more now!

[cobra andy]

There are a lot of us in the cobra club skipping the main event this year, mainly due to the comments above, but we are going to the classic, about 60 of us, all camping on maison blanche, most arriving Thurs. See you there..