New start time for this year

[crmcatee]

Just been advised that the start time this year is to begin at 5pm instead of the usual 4pm.

Might screw up some peoples plans for a mad dash back to the ferry ports..

[andy_vtec]

from ACO:

2006 : for a year of exceptional celebrations, an exceptional starting time!
On Saturday 17th June the start of the 74th “24 Heures du Mans” will be given at 17h00 instead of 16h00.



The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has decided on this modification taking into account the major sporting event that is the Football World Cup and the enormous amount of TV coverage it receives. Bearing in mind the matches scheduled at 15h00 and 18h00 (French time) and the agreements concluded with the international channels wanting to show these two events of planetary importance, a study of the programme schedules shows that putting back the start of the “24 Heures du Mans” is the best solution.

Postponing the start by one hour means that it will go out live on channels throughout the world so its impact will be preserved and the race’s supporters whether present on the circuit or watching it live on TV world wide will not suffer any frustration as would have been the case with a recorded broadcast. The same thing applies to the finish on Sunday and the rostrum ceremonies slotted in between two football matches (Japan - Croatia at 15h00 which will be massively watched by the Japanese who are football – and “24 Heures du Mans” fans, and Brazil – Australia at 18h00).

While changing from the traditional starting time of 16h00 is not a first in the long history of the “24 Heures du Mans”, starting the race at 17h00 is!

[Tripps]

Hmm, Saturday could be interesting, a whole day to do stuff before the main events begins, what to do...

Perhaps they'll fill the extra hour with some other racing or something else

[combover]

I reckon they should put football back, not the start time of Le Mans! What a bloody stupid but hardly suprising thing to do!

Combover

[spdpug98]

I think this is going to cause problems for the hundreds of people who need to get back for Monday morning, people like me!! I just hope they delay the ferries coming back Sunday night, although I don't think that will happen

>> Edited by spdpug98 on Tuesday 10th January 08:55

[Tripps]

spdpug98 said:

I think this is going to cause problems for the hundreds of people who need to get back for Monday morning, people like me!! I just hope they delay the ferries coming back Sunday night, although I don't think that will happen

Won't help that SpeedFerries brought back the time of all their crossings back by around 40 mins when they changed the timetables last week either.

[spdpug98]

I have just spoken to the coach company who I am travelling with, they say it should not be a problem, lets hope so

[door]

Great I always find it difficult to make it to my seat for 16.00 this way I can stay in the bubbles tent even longer

[ApexArt]

combover said:

I reckon they should put football back, not the start time of Le Mans! What a bloody stupid but hardly suprising thing to do! Combover

World Cup.......once every 4 years, no surprise at all. I'm one of the lucky ones who head back on Monday, had quite enough of the Sunday rush back !

[rude-boy]

ApexArt said:

combover said: I reckon they should put football back, not the start time of Le Mans! What a bloody stupid but hardly suprising thing to do! Combover World Cup.......once every 4 years, no surprise at all. I'm one of the lucky ones who head back on Monday, had quite enough of the Sunday rush back !

Not sure what we'll do this year. '03 and '04 involved watching the GP on the box and finishing off the bacon, sausage and eggs whilst the packing the last few bits away to avoid the lemming rush for the gates.

Last year was a bit of a mass thanks to the French deciding that a 6 car GP wasn't worth screening, fortunately i had brought along the portable DVD player and Bullet though...

[vario-rob]

You mean some of you actually go to watch the race? What ever next?

That is a bit of a pain in the backside as I’m driving back to Suffolk on the Sunday night for the first time this year as I’m off to the England Sweden game on the Monday night from Harwich.

I know it’s only an hour but that means a whole load of finger twiddling before the race. I don’t like to get on the beers during the day time so we can drive down to Mulsanne. Arnage etc in the evening and do the normal Chinese De 24hrs on the Saturday night.

Halfway there already now!

[20vt_mk2dub]

Leave the start time alone.

Bloody football.