Le Mans Classic - first time
Discussion
This will be my 6th classic, having just been to my 30th le mans, the whole event is very different, the main thing that i enjoy is the 6 paddocks, one for each plateau (age range of cars) you must get a paddock pass to enter and be reasonably dressed, you can walk around and see all the cars that are racing up close but give plenty of time for this as it will take ages. Also all around the circuit are thousands of classic cars in marque area's so again this takes quiet a bit of your time. To watch the races it is easy to get grandstand seats at a fraction of the price of those seats in June. Between each of the 18 races you have time to walk around and eat/drink. usually no radio but the tannoy has plenty of english commentary. Village is full of displays and very worth a good stroll around.
- Paddock ticket, as mentioned
- Good shoes for LOTS of walking
- Check the practice / race times so you can see the cars you're interested in on track at different times
- Spectator viewing bank after the Dunlop Bridge on the village side - not open during the main race, but a great place to watch
- Arnage at night with Plateau 6 cars - flame-tactic !!
- Eyes in the back of you head so you don't get run over by cars on their way to / from the grid
- decent data plan for your phone so you can google all the weird and wonderful cars you'll see but don't recognise !!
- Good shoes for LOTS of walking
- Check the practice / race times so you can see the cars you're interested in on track at different times
- Spectator viewing bank after the Dunlop Bridge on the village side - not open during the main race, but a great place to watch
- Arnage at night with Plateau 6 cars - flame-tactic !!
- Eyes in the back of you head so you don't get run over by cars on their way to / from the grid
- decent data plan for your phone so you can google all the weird and wonderful cars you'll see but don't recognise !!
2012 weather wasn't much better on Saturday afternoon.
2010 was the exact opposite, Extremely hot. No shade, expensive water that was served hot.
Paddocks, ditto,
Walk the whole buggati circuit to see all the car club stands. Or you can miss things like the TVR club. There is a Noddy train to take you around if its not full.
2010 was the exact opposite, Extremely hot. No shade, expensive water that was served hot.
Paddocks, ditto,
Walk the whole buggati circuit to see all the car club stands. Or you can miss things like the TVR club. There is a Noddy train to take you around if its not full.
The one downside of the Classic track action is that due to the size of the grid and speed of the cars there are often several minutes of silence until the cars come back around.
Much less crowded than the 24hr so easier to get out to the Arnage and Mulsanne compounds.
Plenty of Owners Club parking/displays on the Bugatti Circuit to look around and a better interesting/dull car ratio in the camping than for the 24hrs.
Definitely get a paddock ticket if you've not got one. They are not too strict for the dress code (the official guidance is pretty much 'no shorts and t-shirts') and it's not as 'fancy dress' as Goodwood Revival.
Things don't get properly going on track until 4pm on the Saturday so plenty of time to check out other things before having an evening of racing.
Much less crowded than the 24hr so easier to get out to the Arnage and Mulsanne compounds.
Plenty of Owners Club parking/displays on the Bugatti Circuit to look around and a better interesting/dull car ratio in the camping than for the 24hrs.
Definitely get a paddock ticket if you've not got one. They are not too strict for the dress code (the official guidance is pretty much 'no shorts and t-shirts') and it's not as 'fancy dress' as Goodwood Revival.
Things don't get properly going on track until 4pm on the Saturday so plenty of time to check out other things before having an evening of racing.
The 'Classic' is very different to the LM24. Go to the Classic with the view that it's a wonderful classic car show with parade laps rather than a race weekend like the LM24. It has a lighter feel without the booze-fuelled lunacy often seen (and enjoyed!) at the 24 but is still a great weekend on a huge scale.
There are cars on the track, and some of them are going quite swiftly but my recollection of the 2012 event (I missed 2014!) was that only about 50% for the cars 'racing' are properly 'racing'. The other being very happy just to be taking part.
As before, make sure you spend time around the paddock areas and the car club displays and enjoy the huge array of cars. Lots of walking and loads to see.
There are cars on the track, and some of them are going quite swiftly but my recollection of the 2012 event (I missed 2014!) was that only about 50% for the cars 'racing' are properly 'racing'. The other being very happy just to be taking part.
As before, make sure you spend time around the paddock areas and the car club displays and enjoy the huge array of cars. Lots of walking and loads to see.
Hi Gents, your comments are very helpful reading - I'm also a 'first-timer' for the Classic. We're going to be in the Maison Blanche camping - not our usual haunt for the 24H, are there showers etc ? - can't say I've ever noticed any when walking through.
Also, any suggestions regarding eating ? We're not able to take much food with us. In recent years of the 24H the eateries have become very centralised in the Village - is it much the same for the Classic ? Are the bars near the circuit very busy ?
Also, any suggestions regarding eating ? We're not able to take much food with us. In recent years of the 24H the eateries have become very centralised in the Village - is it much the same for the Classic ? Are the bars near the circuit very busy ?
You could always do what I did this year at the 24hr Walked out of the circuit at the Tet rouge entrance, walked up the road following the tram line towards Le mans town centre and on the right is the Hotel Green, walked up to the reception and paid 10 euros each for the buffet breakfast, Tea or coffee, cereal, fruit, juices, boiled eggs, toast and a hot plate of scrambled egg, sausage and bacon. Bargain 
Also a bit further along if you fancy a Grille (chicken wings etc) there is the Buffalo Grille opposite carrefour.
Another option is to walk out of the main entrance turn right, walk under the bridge past the Kronenberg bar, walk up the hill past camping Expo, walk past the cemetery and on the right you will come to a small french bar, they have a small menu where you can get a very nice omelet and chips, toasted sandwich and chips etc Much, much cheaper than the junk in the circuit, its not a proper restaurant but nice for a cheap snack with the food cooked fresh.
Also a bit further along if you fancy a Grille (chicken wings etc) there is the Buffalo Grille opposite carrefour.
Another option is to walk out of the main entrance turn right, walk under the bridge past the Kronenberg bar, walk up the hill past camping Expo, walk past the cemetery and on the right you will come to a small french bar, they have a small menu where you can get a very nice omelet and chips, toasted sandwich and chips etc Much, much cheaper than the junk in the circuit, its not a proper restaurant but nice for a cheap snack with the food cooked fresh.
Truckosaurus said:
The one downside of the Classic track action is that due to the size of the grid and speed of the cars there are often several minutes of silence until the cars come back around.
Much less crowded than the 24hr so easier to get out to the Arnage and Mulsanne compounds.
Plenty of Owners Club parking/displays on the Bugatti Circuit to look around and a better interesting/dull car ratio in the camping than for the 24hrs.
Definitely get a paddock ticket if you've not got one. They are not too strict for the dress code (the official guidance is pretty much 'no shorts and t-shirts') and it's not as 'fancy dress' as Goodwood Revival.
Things don't get properly going on track until 4pm on the Saturday so plenty of time to check out other things before having an evening of racing.
But don't miss the Group C race which is earlier in the day. Much less crowded than the 24hr so easier to get out to the Arnage and Mulsanne compounds.
Plenty of Owners Club parking/displays on the Bugatti Circuit to look around and a better interesting/dull car ratio in the camping than for the 24hrs.
Definitely get a paddock ticket if you've not got one. They are not too strict for the dress code (the official guidance is pretty much 'no shorts and t-shirts') and it's not as 'fancy dress' as Goodwood Revival.
Things don't get properly going on track until 4pm on the Saturday so plenty of time to check out other things before having an evening of racing.
You can easily walk to Tertre Rouge Bar. Never too busy for a casual beer. You can even hear the cars go overhead onto the Mulsanne.
Went in 2012 and echo the above. Disappointed with the racing: they do the traditional run-jump-start, but then stop all the cars on the mulsanne to check belts, etc so the first lap is about 20mins long. And as others have said nit all of it is racing. And the racing itself is very disjointed. And if an oldie creates an oil slick...
Its like the ACO knows it has all this history, but didn't record it all the first time round so is desperate to capture all the old stuff now.
There was, however a track day beforehand which was both hilarious and dangerous. Imagine breaking for the chicane before the start/finish straight in your 2CV, to have a 911 undertaking you...whilst a GT40 and Ultima overtake you. Madness in a very French way.
Its like the ACO knows it has all this history, but didn't record it all the first time round so is desperate to capture all the old stuff now.
There was, however a track day beforehand which was both hilarious and dangerous. Imagine breaking for the chicane before the start/finish straight in your 2CV, to have a 911 undertaking you...whilst a GT40 and Ultima overtake you. Madness in a very French way.
I really don't want to knock the classic as I like the idea of it but it is not the Goodwood Revival by a long shot.
Worst part of it for me is the "Little Big Lemans" Rich dads buy a 1/4 size car for their nippers to drive around the circuit, should not be part of the classic IMO
Parade laps are nuts, I've personally hit well over 150mph then coming around Mulsanne corner you come across some old banger made in the 1930s! makes driving on the track interesting
Only in France
Worst part of it for me is the "Little Big Lemans" Rich dads buy a 1/4 size car for their nippers to drive around the circuit, should not be part of the classic IMO
Parade laps are nuts, I've personally hit well over 150mph then coming around Mulsanne corner you come across some old banger made in the 1930s! makes driving on the track interesting
Only in Francefatboy18 said:
I really don't want to knock the classic as I like the idea of it but it is not the Goodwood Revival by a long shot.
Worst part of it for me is the "Little Big Lemans" Rich dads buy a 1/4 size car for their nippers to drive around the circuit, should not be part of the classic IMO
A agree with all of the above, the only people who are interested in seeing a bunch of kids drive around in these things are there own parents. By all means, keep it, but move it to the karting or Bugatti circuit rather than occupying the main circuit. Those that want to can watch it, the majority who are there to see real cars can choose not to. Having said that, some of them are quite neat. Sadly this has crept into the Revival too with the J40s.Worst part of it for me is the "Little Big Lemans" Rich dads buy a 1/4 size car for their nippers to drive around the circuit, should not be part of the classic IMO
Classic vs Revival? They are very different, I love them both but I know a lot don't like the "theatre" of the Revival, personally I love it, it's what's made it more than just another historic race meet. The Classic is a mini break, a road trip and a vast number of race cars
One thing which is worth bearing in mind is that, in general, the cars are a lot slower, and with the mahoosive gravel traps these days they're a long way away and seem even slower !!
So, it's worth hunting out some choice viewing spots where you can be a bit closer and maybe see the cars moving around a bit, like the Ford Chicane, or the left hand bend into the Dunlop chicane. The Esses are also good, as is Tetre Rouge (inside or outside).
With the track action, it's almost worth thinking of it in terms of a fast demonstration run rather than any sort of racing. Yes, as has been said, some drivers do take it seriously, but for the most part the appeal of seeing the cars on track - some of them at a track for which they were expressly designed - is the sound, the smell and the nostalgia. I couldn't really care less who 'wins'.
The only 'negative' is that the track and village are radically different to how things were 'back in the day', and so historic cars can look a bit lost in a massive modern pitlane, and that's maybe where the Revival scores better because the circuit is pretty much unchanged.
But I'm still really looking forward to it - I'm taking my daughter for the first time as she's finished her exams, so it will be nice to introduce her to the event and see things through a fresh pair of eyes.
So, it's worth hunting out some choice viewing spots where you can be a bit closer and maybe see the cars moving around a bit, like the Ford Chicane, or the left hand bend into the Dunlop chicane. The Esses are also good, as is Tetre Rouge (inside or outside).
With the track action, it's almost worth thinking of it in terms of a fast demonstration run rather than any sort of racing. Yes, as has been said, some drivers do take it seriously, but for the most part the appeal of seeing the cars on track - some of them at a track for which they were expressly designed - is the sound, the smell and the nostalgia. I couldn't really care less who 'wins'.
The only 'negative' is that the track and village are radically different to how things were 'back in the day', and so historic cars can look a bit lost in a massive modern pitlane, and that's maybe where the Revival scores better because the circuit is pretty much unchanged.
But I'm still really looking forward to it - I'm taking my daughter for the first time as she's finished her exams, so it will be nice to introduce her to the event and see things through a fresh pair of eyes.
Inverness said:
So what is the dress code? Are shorts allowed?
Based on what I wore in 2014 and the Speed Chills advice i've had this year, a decent pair of shorts and a plain polo shirt will cut it for the paddock. Nothing lairy basically.Elsewhere on the circuit, there's no obvious dress code. It's certainly not like the Revival where you feel daft in normal clothes.
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