It's an irony of big events like races or motor shows that the last place you want to be for up to the minute news or information is there on the ground. I'm sure it was cock-up rather than conspiracy that meant the ACO's on-site wifi was up the spout for much of Saturday but, regardless, it was pretty late in the day that word reached me of Allan Simonsen's death at Tetre Rouge in the opening laps of the race.
#95 Aston with Danes Simonsen, Nygaard and Poulsen
I'd watched the start from the Dunlop grandstand just up from the startline and from the screens opposite minutes later I saw footage of a wrecked and smouldering Aston spinning to a halt in the centre of the track somewhere. The replay didn't show the impact, just the car coming back into frame losing wheels and bodywork in the process. Usually as a spectator you shrug these things off, curse the annoyance of a safety car procession robbing you of racing action and go off for a wander around. But I just got a sense that this had been a big one. There was something about the way the bodyshell had deformed and the driver's door was missing that suggested a more serious incident than the ones we're used to seeing drivers sprint away from unharmed. The human chain of marshals around the car as the drivers were led past under the safety car just underlined the disquiet.
I thought little more of it and carried on with my day. As arranged I arrived at Aston Martin's hospitality around half five and dropped my kit off in the press room, where there were serious faces, phones glued to heads and lots of frantic typing.
Aston kept racing with Simonsen family's blessing
It wasn't until we returned from our helicopter ride that we heard the news. And it was all a bit surreal. There we were in Aston's glitzy hospitality, fancy food being served, favoured customers sitting there with laminates around their necks, team staff pacing about but hanging over it all a suddenly gloomy atmosphere. You could almost see the news rippling around the room and the chill descending, all the while cars including the GTE Pro leading #97 Aston thundering past just yards outside as they braked for the Ford Chicane.
Shortly afterwards there was a sudden movement upstairs and word that David Richards was going to say something. It wasn't slick, it wasn't prepared but it was most definitely sincere, Richards simply grabbing the mic and saying "I thought it would be remiss not to address you all..." before describing the heart-rending conversation he'd had with Simonsen's parents and girlfriend before they departed the circuit having said "they want us to continue racing and that's what we fully intend to do." That this impromptu presentation took place within sight of where over 80 people were killed when Levegh's Mercedes 300SLR left the track back in 1955 only added to the poignancy.
Simonsen's death a rare tragedy these days
A few hours later I was picking somewhere to go and watch some of the night action and ended up at Tetre Rouge. Watching the speed with which the cars came through as they started the run up Mulsanne was mighty, the percussion of exhaust noise taking the wind out of my chest and sheer noise and speed breathtaking. And, yes, it was as exciting as ever, even if that thrill was tempered by the knowledge someone had lost their life there just hours before.
Was it morbid or callous for the race to continue, for Aston Martin to stay in the hunt for a win, for us as spectators to still take enjoyment in watching the drivers lay it on the line like nothing had happened? I don't think so. Everyone there knows the risks. That we so rarely get reminded of them these days makes it more shocking when it does happen. But, from Richards and the team to Simonsen's countryman and overall winner Tom Kristensen, the respectful and dignified conduct during and after the race was a credit to all. Heartbreaking that Aston's lead car in GTE Pro crashed out on Sunday morning - thankfully without injury to driver Fred Makowiecki - and robbed the team of some sort of solace in victory. But at least the #97 car made it onto the podium, allowing drivers Darren Turner, Stefan Mucke and Peter Dumbreck to pay a simple and public tribute by holding a giant Danish flag.
Turner, Mucke and Dumbreck pay tribute
A sombre way to look back at Le Mans 2013, one a few have applied Mario Andretti's "unhappily, motor racing is also this" quote to. He originally said it in reference to Ronnie Peterson's death in 1978 but it's as appropriate now as it was at the time.
Photos: Aston Martin/LAT (Simonsen portrait and on-track images)