Grandstand Seats

[TheArchitect]

Hi Guys

Im Looking at Grandstands and looking which ones to book for the 24hour race.

Which of the following would you book? and can you seen the pit lane from the pit stand?

Panorama T4
Dunlop T5
Wimille T11
Benoist T12
Barnatto T14
Chinetti T15
La Sarthe T23
Pits Stand T34


Cheers

Edited by TheArchitect on Friday 7th October 16:22

[MadMacMcMad]

Each to their own, but T34 (Pit stand) is OK if you hang over the rail and you can then look at the pit lane from above. View of the track is not good as the track enters and leaves the main straight from the wrong direction for you to be able to see any more than the straight in front of you. More action on the M4!

Best stand is ACO T18. Toilets showers bars and food. Plus an in door lounge area with TV coverage.
More expensive and you need to be an ACO member or guest. Well worth it though. The view is excellent with a big TV off to the left and views directly into the pits. Approx £220 inc GE and membership.
T19,20,21 offer a similar view without the big screen. Approx £175 inc GE

T16 Sommer at the pit exit is brill. A bit cheaper directly opposite the big TV and right at the Dunlop chicane. So views of the start/finish straight and the Dunlop curve to the Bridge. Approx £160 inc GE.

Only my opinion!

[TheArchitect]

Cheers some good advice, just found a decent map showing all the stands and its confirmed they're all in order.

http://www.lemansrace.com/images/Lemans_Map_detail...

Ill speak with the people im going with and see which they prefer.

[The Leaper]

Son and I have been going since 1996, had seats in La Sarthe every year, so you can expect me to say it's the best, even though as ACO members we have stayed in T18 for Le Classic Le Mans.

Why so good? It's alongside the Ford Chicane where there's plenty of action usually, you get to see all the cars entering the pits, the triubune is angled so that you can see directly up the entire pit straight and get the noise, there's bars and food stalls nearby, access to the tunnel for The Village is good, and last year for the first time there was a large screen directly opposite. What more do you need? OK, so you do not sit opposite the action in the pits but get Radio LM and that will do you just as well. You can always spend a few hours standing opposite the pits if you wish.

By the way, T34, pits tribune, is no good for any pits action unless you are in the front row or get to stand at the bottom of the steps. This tribune is angled so you can see no pits action anywhere else.

I do accept that many PHers will have their own favourite place to be, so everyone to their own choice etc. I can see why Dunlop, for example, will be supported.

Whatever, IMHO a tribune seat is a must for the entire event. Anyway, I'm too old to rely soley on a GE ticket!

R.

[DubaiMike]

Just to provide an alternative opinion, I don't think a Tribune seat is necessary at all. To get the most from the event you should see the action from all the viewpoints, Porsche Curves, Arnage, Esses, Mulsanne corner, Tertre Rouge etc. You can do this by walking and by the free shuttle buses, but it will take you away from the pit straight for hours and hours in total, meaning the (expensive) grandstand seat goes to waste. I have not had a Tribune seat for the last two years, (which were my 12th and 13th Le Mans visits), and I don't feel that I missed out.

[TubbyNorman]

Grandstand = waste of money.

Lots of money for a seat which is actually only really of great use at start and finish.

Money better spent on beer.

[Rs2oo]

In answer to your question,
we use Sommer. it is at the pit exix opposite the Audi garage and has a full size screen directly ahead. It is also near the loos and bars etc and about 2mins from the tunnel.

[gt6]

I would agree with the earlier comment, never paid for a grandstand in 27 visits to main Le mans, they are so over priced that it is not worth it, the track is so big that you will not want to be in the same place for long and even on the start line the terracing means that you can see evrything without paying for a seat. Better to invest your money in other things

[DS240]

If you fancy a grandstand then get one. Personally, I wouldn't go without one. It is great to have the choice. I still go off around the circuit but it is nice to have.

As for value, I think they are good. Compare them to F1 or other sporting events and it is good.

[Rs2oo]

There are pro's and cons as in most things. I personally don't think they are overpriced but if it is chucking it down as it was in 2007 for-instance, they are a real bonus. We stayed dry and warm for hours towards the end of the race and some of our party who opted out were like drowned rats, so it was worth every penny of the £85 we paid that year. With seats, you also miss the scrum for the best viewing areas unless you arrive very early for the start or end of the race. This year we didn't get grandstand seats and had a pretty good view but too far away from a screen which IMO is a must. Without seats, if you arrive early for the main bits, start/finish, you should get a good position.

[DS240]

Cocked up in 2010, mis-timed getting to the track. Ran from car park, got to grandstand 2 mins before race start.

Straight to seat, great view, very relieved.

Well worth it.

[Irish]

I went for Tribune 4 - Panorama last year.

Great for me - as an ACO member it was a short stroll to the members viewing area. Good screen view. Close to the camping (Team Langoustine) - in fact skipped much of the village hassle. Booking again.