Running a lap of Le Mans?

[Stuart]

Stay with me, I haven't had some sort of episode...

What are the chances do you think of me being able to run a reasonably complete lap of Le Mans on Friday morning? We're staying at the PH campsite so know that I can get pretty much from there to Tertre Rouge inside the circuit on the perimiter road. Then it's presumably out onto the main roads until I can get onto Mulsanne. Do you think I could stay on the road for the rest of it back around to the Porsche Curves?

Lastly, anyone want to join me? I think a 13km run early doors on the Friday would be a great cobweb blowing exercise...

[MadMacMcMad]

Stuart
Team Langoustine have a circuit run on Thursday morning, about 9am from the Tertre Rouge bend, you are welcome to join us then.
You will be able to run the circuit in the morning either day, but Thursday is less chaotic.
Friday the track sees a lot of traffic and a bit too much hooning about to make for a safe run. Although Indy all the way back to Tertre Rouge will be mostly inaccessable to the majority of cars. The Gendarmes tend to shut the track leading to Indy on Friday.
Forgot to say, we have never had to leave the track and have completed the full circuit through the Grandstands and under the Dunlop bridge. We also have a few prizes for first back this year. T shirts and wrist bands.

Edited by MadMacMcMad on Tuesday 9th April 11:22

[Bolognese]

I checked out doing a proper paid lap last year - hooning included but my M3 didn't cut it. Has to be something more exotic apparently

Cant remember off the top of my head who was the organiser. I would love to be able to do this though.

[gt6]

That sounds more like the classic never heard about doing a full lap in a car at the main event

[Stuart]

Thanks everyone. To clarify - when I say "run" I mean on my legs, in trainers. Possibly some lycra involved. Yes, really

[Bolognese]

gt6 said:

That sounds more like the classic never heard about doing a full lap in a car at the main event

Good point, must have been the classic. It all one big Le Mans haze..

Didn't know you meant "run" round the track. Ill leave that to you guys!

[MadMacMcMad]

Stuart said:

Thanks everyone. To clarify - when I say "run" I mean on my legs, in trainers. Possibly some lycra involved. Yes, really

Yes, we use legs too. Tend to leave the Lycra at home though. Don't want to give the French the wrong idea.

[Stuart]

MadMacMcMad said:

Yes, we use legs too. Tend to leave the Lycra at home though. Don't want to give the French the wrong idea.

Ah, excellent. Slight problem is that I might be travelling on Thursday, but if I'm not then count me in.

[MadMacMcMad]

Stuart
I will post on PH when we have a plan, so please keep an eye on this forum.
Cheers

[taylor172]

i wanted to try n do this this year too, but we wont arrive untill thursday night

[Stuart]

taylor172 said:

i wanted to try n do this this year too, but we wont arrive untill thursday night

If I decide to organise something on Friday morning, feel free to join me.

[lowdrag]

This'll be fun to watch. OK, you set off from - hum - where? From the entrance to Porsche Curves to Tertre Rouge, so pit straight and the Dunlops as well, is closed, and as always now the main road between Mulsanne and Arnage is also closed - to cars.

So, you set off from Tertre Rouge in all the traffic, ignore the two chicanes (closed), take the roundabouts, arrive at Mulsanne and you should be OK to turn right and jog on to Arnage where you turn right towards the Porsche Curves but carry straight on to the roundabout, straight across and you arrive in front of the circuit entrance. If you want to complete your "lap" carry straight on past the bar, turn right on Panorama Road and you'll arrive back at Tertre Rouge. However, no speeding please.

A lovely idea, but on a serious note I don't see how it can be achieved in today's world.

[MadMacMcMad]

lowdrag said:

This'll be fun to watch.
A lovely idea, but on a serious note I don't see how it can be achieved in today's world.

On a serious note, Very easily. WE have done it for the last 3 years. Start at Tertre Rouge run the FULL circuit (short cut the chicanes on the Mulsanne) carry straight on from Arnage into the Porsche curves/ford chicane/start/finish straight/under the Dunlop bridge/esses and back to Tertre Rouge. 8.5 miles of circuit only running (inc racing lines). Join us on Thursday and we'll show you.

[Stuart]

lowdrag said:

This'll be fun to watch. OK, you set off from - hum - where? From the entrance to Porsche Curves to Tertre Rouge, so pit straight and the Dunlops as well, is closed, and as always now the main road between Mulsanne and Arnage is also closed - to cars.

So, you set off from Tertre Rouge in all the traffic, ignore the two chicanes (closed), take the roundabouts, arrive at Mulsanne and you should be OK to turn right and jog on to Arnage where you turn right towards the Porsche Curves but carry straight on to the roundabout, straight across and you arrive in front of the circuit entrance. If you want to complete your "lap" carry straight on past the bar, turn right on Panorama Road and you'll arrive back at Tertre Rouge. However, no speeding please.

A lovely idea, but on a serious note I don't see how it can be achieved in today's world.

Tony, I was counting on you to be my refreshment stop man. I run past, you run alongside with a cup of something (I'll let you decide) and I'll run on, err, "refreshed." OK?

[lowdrag]

OK Stuart. I will be at Mulsanne bend. Watch out for someone in a blue-hooped t-shirt wearing a black beret and sitting on an old boneshaker black push bike draped in onions. Alongside will be a pastis stall. Will that do?

Alternatively, if you look knackered, I'll lend you the bike.

[Stuart]

lowdrag said:

OK Stuart. I will be at Mulsanne bend. Watch out for someone in a blue-hooped t-shirt wearing a balck beret and sitting on an old boneshaker black push bike draped in onions. Alongside will be a pastis stall. Will that do?

Absolutely spot on. See you then.

[ecain63]

I asked the same question 2 weeks ago. If anyone is organising a friday morning run then please add my dad. He'll be well up for it.
We are camping at T.Rouge with TL.

[Stuart]

ecain63 said:

I asked the same question 2 weeks ago. If anyone is organising a friday morning run then please add my dad. He'll be well up for it.
We are camping at T.Rouge with TL.

There will be a couple of us on the Friday morning, so let's work on that basis and use this thread to coordinate?

[ecain63]

Stuart said:

ecain63 said:

I asked the same question 2 weeks ago. If anyone is organising a friday morning run then please add my dad. He'll be well up for it.
We are camping at T.Rouge with TL.

There will be a couple of us on the Friday morning, so let's work on that basis and use this thread to coordinate?

Lets!

[subaqua]

Bolognese said:

I checked out doing a proper paid lap last year - hooning included but my M3 didn't cut it. Has to be something more exotic apparently

Cant remember off the top of my head who was the organiser. I would love to be able to do this though.

Both are possible... did the Classic laps last year (due to the chaotic organisation, my mates got to run two 20 minute sessions, the cheeky b*stards).

At 24hrs in 2011, I also ran three/four laps prior to the race at around 8am on Saturday morning. I think the ACO ask a few "select" car clubs if their members fancy a spin... I got on with Club Lotus France and I think AMOC and a few others got the invitation. My French isn't awesome... so I understood little of the briefing prior to getting on track apart from they seemed to suggest that the more you kept you speed up, the more laps you are likely to get in. Gotta love France