Le Mans Classic

[lowdrag]

Not sure if people are already aware, but the press release today from Patrick Peter says 4/6 July 2014. If this is superfluous, please delete mods.

[bubblehead]

Can't wait, just booking the ferries for our group now, Pompey-St Malo on the way out Caen-Pompey on the way back. I'm like a kid waiting for xmas, I really wish they would stage it every year.

[Rs2oo]

Or if you can't make that, try the Silverstone Classic, far far far much more to do and see, decent rock bands in the evenings, free grandstands, good food, pub priced beer, a massive collection of cars, fantastic racing and lots of it, really excellent camping facilities, organised by Englishmen.

[bubblehead]

Attended the Silverstone Classic this year and rate it very highly, as you say so much to see and do and some great racing this year plus evening entertainment. I particularly enjoyed the trans-atlantic challenge with the Minis and Ford Falcons going hammer and tong, great fun. I'd be more than happy to attend both every year

[Rs2oo]

bubblehead said:

Attended the Silverstone Classic this year and rate it very highly, as you say so much to see and do and some great racing this year plus evening entertainment. I particularly enjoyed the trans-atlantic challenge with the Minis and Ford Falcons going hammer and tong, great fun. I'd be more than happy to attend both every year

I've not been so can't really comment on the Classic Le Mans but have done Silverstone for the past two years (wish I had known about it years ago) friends have done the Classic LMS and were not impressed with the lack of pretty much everything except the exceptional racing cars. It's a long way to go especially when we do the LMS 24hrs every year, the Silverstone Classic, Goodwood FOS, all very close together plus trying to squeeze the family holiday in !

[stevo666]

bubblehead said:

Can't wait, just booking the ferries for our group now, Pompey-St Malo on the way out Caen-Pompey on the way back. I'm like a kid waiting for xmas, I really wish they would stage it every year.

Booked ferry tickets (Portsmouth/Le havre thu night) with cabin about 4 weeks ago and they were filling up fast then. For us part of the appeal is being 'away' in France - we stay in Le Mans at a nice campsite to avoid all the issues on circuit. (toilets/showers/hassle).
Will probably do Silverstone classic next year as well just to give it a try.

Would also recommend Dix Milles Tours (Paul Ricard) that occurred last weekend - although only covers 60'3 70's 80's cars - worth it just for the Grp C........ no crowds and unlimited access to ALL pits/paddocks/cars.

[Storer]

I have been to the Silverstone Classic for the last few years and gradually have fallen out of love (for want of a better word) with the event.

Goodwood is head and shoulders better. I have yet to try Le Mans Classic (next year) but the Le Mans 24 Hours especially the French hospitality and "add-on" events.

I may be alone but I find club motorsport more interesting, easier and cheaper to see.

Going to Le Mans is much higher on my "must do" annual list than the Classic.

[gt6]

Well I have done 4 LM classics and several silverstone ones but did the Spa 6 hour classic last month and that was just superb, the main race was good but the support races where also incredible and the access to paddocks and everything at the circuit was amazing. except for the 6 hour race you had full access to the pit lane even during the races, to be there as the historic F1 cars came in and left the pits was incredible and Spa is also such a wonderful track, I think in 2014 I will have a hard choice as to which races to attend, but Spa in late september will be on again.

[lowdrag]

Strikes me that those of you who seem to love the Silverstone Classic have no knowledge of the original Silverstone Classic sponsored by Christies and then Coys, days when the Scarf and Goggles pub drew all and sundry in the evenings to discuss the day's racing, drivers and public alike. When there were loads of stalls, when you could buy food, not just a pizza or other crap, Where clubs pitched their tents alongside their cars and had convivial evenings and bacon butty breakfast cooked on site, when the racing was pure, with no Minis with mid-engines and enormous spoiler, and just a real festival of classic racing, including some spectacular pre-war races. I don't like the new circuit, the new layout, find it more difficult to find, even with press passes, really good places to take photos like the old second pits (part of the Luffield complex that ceased to exist years ago) where driver changes took place. Here are a few memories though.







The old café at breakfast. Look outside the door.

[rdjohn]

My wife's great claim to fame is that she managed to go to Coys Classic, as we called it, and bought a pair of shoes. This surpassed her previous best of buying 2 pairs of shoes in Bond Street before a 9.30 meeting.

I tried to top that by attending the Coys auction with a friend who was selling a 26R, and I walked out as the owner of a Frog-eyed Sprite that had not run for 10 years and I had no previous intention of buying.

Last year, bad timing stopped me buying a very original FIAT 500 at the LMC Auction.

[Mark B]

Rs2oo said:

I've not been so can't really comment on the Classic Le Mans but have done Silverstone for the past two years (wish I had known about it years ago) friends have done the Classic LMS and were not impressed with the lack of pretty much everything except the exceptional racing cars. It's a long way to go especially when we do the LMS 24hrs every year, the Silverstone Classic, Goodwood FOS, all very close together plus trying to squeeze the family holiday in !

So, you've not been but there is far far far more to do at the Silverstone Classic than LMC? I would be a little more reserved with your opinion unless you have actual experience. I would say of the two, the LMC event is significantly better than the Silverstone Classic, the amount of classic cars on show out does the Silverstone event by 2 or 3 fold, the shopping area is excellent, the array of race cars in the paddocks (all Le Mans type) are exceptional, the track laps by the clubs offers excellent viewing on track and more so if taking part and the racing is everything you would expect from a long lap endurance circuit. It's no GFOS from a racing point of view, but neither is the Silverstone GT race a patch on LM24hr for similar reasons. But then, you don't get to watch D Type Jaguars, Aston Martin DMR1's, Porsche 935 or BMW M1s racing in the middle of the night at either the Silverstone or Goodwood events. The racing in 2012 was a little more disjointed due to on track (or off track) exploits

For those reading, LMC is an excellent event and well worth the journey across the channel.... I'll be back in 2014 having been to all of them...

[rdjohn]

At the risk of stating the obvious LMC and Silverstone are both great events as also are Goodwood Revival or FoS. They all seem to have a unique quality that make them worth a visit some time, if you can manage it.

I don't think that there is any "must do", or "must miss" events, they all just need a budget, and available time.

Having said that LMC is unique in bringing together ex competing cars at the place they first met, it also fits in well with a longer holiday break, rather than just driving to a venue and back over a long weekend, in the UK.

[lowdrag]

Mark, if I try and be devil's advocate (difficult living at Le Mans) I'd also say that the LMC has somewhat gone down hill over the last six years. The old village has disappeared, and like the Scarf & Goggles the little bar at the pit entrance with it. The ACO members club is now a restaurant and the club access is outside the circuit, not in the village, and security has gone through the roof. It is now one of those lifetime CV boxes to tick for the stag weekend and to hell with cars and racing. Yes, I've seen it and decry it. I would also mention that the actual viewing of the circuit is far better at Silverstone than Le Mans, where you are crowded into the pit straight, Tertre Rouge, Mulsanne and Arnage on an 8.5 mile circuit. I will also make you aware of a fact that will astound you all. If you look here, on the official Silverstone web site, check the length of the circuit:-

http://www.silverstone.co.uk/track/circuit-maps/gr...

At first glance it does seem to be a very long circuit! So, 40,000 spectators on a 3.6 mile course circuit or 120,000 (2014 estimate) on less than two miles of viewable circuit? Take your pick, but for me forget the both of them and go to the Spa 6 hours which so far seems to be undiscovered. Bugger, have I let the cat out of the bag?

Edited by lowdrag on Monday 21st October 15:44

[gt6]

would heartily recommend the spa 6 hour classic it is every year and absolutely brilliant, had a great time there this year, but next year will probably do the LMC Spa and the main 24 race as well as a few silverstone events

[Mark B]

Lowdrag, although I would agree with popularity the event has deteriorated, but to say the viewing is reduced is a bit harsh, you view at the Go Kart track, Porsche curves, Arnage/Indianapolis , Mulsanne, Ford chicane all the way through to Tetre Rouge. The only place missing as such is Mulsanne straight, for which we stood on the Armco and watched by the Chinese last year..... 2 miles, I beg to differ, maybe 3 of the 8.6 miles you can't see.....

Yes security is higher, but then I think it needs to be to an extent. Club access for us was via Houx Annex last 2events, rather than via Tetre Rouge previously. Not an issue at all.

Having been to Silverstone, I found the viewing to be ok, but not as good, each to their own.

Edited by Mark B on Monday 21st October 21:34

[Mark B]

And, for what it's worth, Spa hasn't the greatest of viewing points.....

[Rs2oo]

Mark B said:

So, you've not been but there is far far far more to do at the Silverstone Classic than LMC? I would be a little more reserved with your opinion unless you have actual experience.

I agree, but I have spoken to and know a number of people who have been and who won't go again when they feel the Silverstone Classic offer lots more to do and see. They all say the same thing about the lack of pretty much everything at the CLassic Le Mans that Silverstone offers and I have to believe them as they are intelligent honest people who's opinions I value. Reading Lowdrags comments above do confirm what most people I have spoken with think. They all agree there is far less there than the Le Mans 24hrs which offers very little and I speak from nine years experiance of going there. Please don't think I'm slagging the Classic Le Mans off, I haven't and I won't/can't I'm just suggesting an alternative based on information and what I know. This is a discussion forum after all.

I'm glad you enjoy it but I'm listening to my very knowledgeable friends who don't recommend it.

Edited by Rs2oo on Wednesday 23 October 23:30

[Storer]

I think a lot depends on why you go to such events.

I have yet to go to the Le Mans Classis (2014 planned) but I have been to a number of Silverstone Classics. Each year I enjoy Silverstone less and less despite the supposed improvements. A big part of my declining enjoyment is the disjointed pit arrangement. I do not consider my time well spent sitting on a bus between the two pits. This year I spent 30 mins waiting for god knows how many posh Beetles to get onto the track to set some pointless record!!!

If you go to France just to watch the LM Classic and stay in a tent, taking most of your food and drink with you and then blast back to the Channel, you miss most of the best parts of the trip.

France and the French (at least around Le Mans) is a lovely place with a very amiable populace. The food and wine is great, there are places of interest to see and roads to enjoy. It needs to be enjoyed as a holiday, not just a race meeting.

Paul

[Rs2oo]

You're so right. We blatt down to LMS 24hrs every year, watch the race have a great time then blatt back to the port. We even went in a motorhome one year and came straight back to the UK.

You say the Silverstone Classic has gone down hill over the past few years which for you is a shame. For us, we have only been for the last two years and love it so I hope it continues to rock our boats for a few more years.

[Mark B]

Rs2oo said:

I agree, but I have spoken to and know a number of people who have been and who won't go again when they feel the Silverstone Classic offer lots more to do and see. They all say the same thing about the lack of pretty much everything at the CLassic Le Mans that Silverstone offers and I have to believe them as they are intelligent honest people who's opinions I value. Reading Lowdrags comments above do confirm what most people I have spoken with think. They all agree there is far less there than the Le Mans 24hrs which offers very little and I speak from nine years experiance of going there. Please don't think I'm slagging the Classic Le Mans off, I haven't and I won't/can't I'm just suggesting an alternative based on information and what I know. This is a discussion forum after all.

I'm glad you enjoy it but I'm listening to my very knowledgeable friends who don't recommend it.

Edited by Rs2oo on Wednesday 23 October 23:30

Fair enough, as you say a discussion forum. I just think you would be better placed to make your own mind up., as I see very little difference between Silverstone and Le Mans.... UNLESS you want to see a wider variety of classics such as touring cars or older F1 then Silverstone is far better than LM as this purely a classic event for past LM cars.

As an event though, I see little difference. The village has a wide array of shops of interest, the classic car displays are far bigger than Silverstone and the opportunity to drive the full circuit at pace (assuming you have a suitable car) is something not to be missed IMHO.

I am a little surprised at Toads comments, having spent time with him at his local home at the first CLM event, I knw how into LM, Classic cars, particularly Jaguars and a social chap he is.

Having been to LM for over 20 years the CLM events attracts me a lot more than the main event as it has left me cold for a few years. When McLaren or Jaguar return, I will be back. Although next year with the return of Porsche is appealing.