LM Virgin Question - General Enclosure Ticket

[v8lover]

Our first year of going but can anyone please adivse where the general enclosure ticket gets you? Is it enough or is worth investing a few extra quid in the grandstands?

Thanks in advance

[JulesV]

I have been to LM many times and have always felt that a General Enclosure ticket is enough. It allows viewings from beyond the Ford Chicane, all the way up the start/finish line and right down to Tetre Rouge. You are allowed into the grandstands for some of the qualifying sessions anyway. Plus you can drive down to Arnage and Mulsanne and get into the viewing areas there.

[Mr Edd]

The genral ticket is good enough. There is plenty of good viewing areas. If you take a fold up seat the ones with a beer holder are better, Its better than a grandstand seat. I been in the grandstands during qualitying and you dont get a huge amont of space and you do get heads in the way.

[MadMacMcMad]

I am of the opposite opinion.
If it's hot, it has shade, if it's raining, you stay dry and with 1/4 million people there, it is good to get out of the crowd and not fight for a supperb elevated view looking directly into the pits.

LeMans is once a year, so I would always take a grandstand seat, even if I only use it for 5 or 6 hours.

[coogy]

I'm in the "It's not really worth it" camp. We got up in the grandstands for the qualifying and that was great. But for the race I prefered wandering around. The grandstand seats aren't that comfy either!

[JulesV]

If you are going in a group it might be worth getting just a couple of granstand seats and then sharing them during race.

[The Leaper]

I've been going to LM since 1996, always had a GE ticket plus a grandstand, always Maison Blanche. The GE is great value for money and gets you access to all unreserved areas, but not into any grandstand. However, during very quiet periods, say between 2:00 am and 7:00 am on the Sunday it is usually possible to sneak into an unmarshalled grandstand and you have the possibility of staying there until they fill up again. I think both tickets does give you all the advantages, including importantly respite from the heat of the Sun and, as last year, the pouring rain.

R.

[E36GUY]

Another vote for GE ticket being enough. I've never seen the value of a grandstand ticket. I spend too much time walking about and watching from legal and not-so-legal spots to worry about having a seat somewhere.

[Piglet]

MadMacMcMad said:

I am of the opposite opinion.
If it's hot, it has shade, if it's raining, you stay dry and with 1/4 million people there, it is good to get out of the crowd and not fight for a supperb elevated view looking directly into the pits.

LeMans is once a year, so I would always take a grandstand seat, even if I only use it for 5 or 6 hours.

Wot he said!

We don't always bother with GS but as a Newbie you really want to experience the build up and the start from a GS somewhere around the start. You can sit down in the stands but you'll need to be there a couple of hours early and that's hard work in the sun.

The noise of a LM start is enough to make you grin for a week! Take a radio with in ear buds and then full cans to go over the top so you can hear RLM!

[Longers]

First couple of times I went I only had GA, last couple of times I've had a seat. As said above seats get you some cover from heat/rain plus if there is a group of you it's easy to go for a wander, get beers etc and easily find everyone else. I've also found that when I have a seat it's a lot less tiring so I'm able to watch the racing later into the night/earlier in the morning. Only downside is the cost - seats are not cheap but on balance I think they are (just!) worth it. And don't forget that your GA ticket will also give you access to the Arnage and Mulsanne enclosures which are well worth going to after dark.

[//j17]

In addition to protection from the elements it also makes for a more relaxed Saturday afternoon. If you want to good view of the start with a GA ticket you need to get there 2/3PM (for 5PM start). With a grandstand seat you can get there at 4:30/4:45.

I'm slightly confused by the "I don't get a grandstand seat because I like to wonder around" replies - the ACO don't lock you in the grandstands for 24 hours you know - you can come and go as you please! We normally spend a couple of hours in the stands before wandering off, maybe returning for a bit on the way back from Mulasanne/Arnage at night and back for the end of the race.

Having done a few hot ones and a wet one (and having pushed through the start/finish srum to get there) I'll take the grandstand every time.