Been away for 10 years.. what's new??

Been away for 10 years.. what's new??

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df76

Original Poster:

3,615 posts

277 months

Tuesday 9th May 2017
quotequote all
Haven't been for ten years (2006 I think) but a regular beforehand... any advice on what has really changed or what we might get caught out by? There wasn't a tram last time we went and most campsites were access all areas (stayed in Houx Annexe previously, but got old and with Travel Destinations this time). Any recommendations / advice would be appreciated!

ellroy

7,006 posts

224 months

Tuesday 9th May 2017
quotequote all
All incremental stuff to be honest, nothing to worry about.

Village is a lot more corporate, much more private camping. Lost the Grand Marnier stand, THAT was a tragedy. Slightly differing route in to camping vert and lost some camping areas around and about.

lucido grigio

44,044 posts

162 months

Tuesday 9th May 2017
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There is no truth to the rumour that Toyota have requested a 23 hour race.....nono

Printertosh

563 posts

167 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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The sun doesn't come out as much rofl
cool

SimoN138

207 posts

231 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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a few things have changed on track, some good and some not so ...

- LMP1 only has half a dozen cars in now ... mainly diesel hybrids ... if you have fond memories of the lola aston you may be in for a shock on the acoustic front
- audi and peugeot have hung up their boots, along with capello, mcnish and kiristensen
- GT2 is gone, now just GT3 (GTE) cars with differing driver mixes ... and lots of manufacturers (ferrari, posrche, ford, corvette, aston)
- the new viewing area at arnage is MUCH bigger ... now goes all the way up to indianapolis ... well worth a visit, especially at night
- porsche have built a massive corporate/media centre just inside the gates at maison blanche so the funfair has moved a bit and some of the MB camping is gone.

but the corvettes still sound mega, the beer is still cold and it's still the best event in the world ... enjoy!

Output Flange

16,793 posts

210 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
quotequote all
SimoN138 said:
a few things have changed on track, some good and some not so ...

- LMP1 only has half a dozen cars in now ... mainly diesel hybrids ... if you have fond memories of the lola aston you may be in for a shock on the acoustic front
- audi and peugeot have hung up their boots, along with capello, mcnish and kiristensen
- GT2 is gone, now just GT3 (GTE) cars with differing driver mixes ... and lots of manufacturers (ferrari, posrche, ford, corvette, aston)
- the new viewing area at arnage is MUCH bigger ... now goes all the way up to indianapolis ... well worth a visit, especially at night
- porsche have built a massive corporate/media centre just inside the gates at maison blanche so the funfair has moved a bit and some of the MB camping is gone.

but the corvettes still sound mega, the beer is still cold and it's still the best event in the world ... enjoy!
LMP1 doesn't have any diesel hybrids!

Truckosaurus

11,183 posts

283 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
quotequote all
As mentioned in the OP the tram is the main change, makes it so much easier to get into the city centre. Makes a good break from the campsite if you are there for most of the week.

The only other thing you'll notice is that it has got a lot more corporate and cleaner, for good or ill.

DJFish

5,917 posts

262 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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More roundabouts.
Re-usable plastic beer 'glasses'.
Bar codes on tickets.
More police at roundabouts....
Fewer burnouts & general stupidity.
Porsche Curves closed to traffic.
Big screens around the circuit.
Improves viewing areas.
Beer is more expensive.

The Surveyor

7,576 posts

236 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
quotequote all
Other thing to watch is that they won't allow you to take beer into the track areas, the days of strolling in for the night shift with a rucksack full of stubbies has sadly gone. You can get them in, but you do need to be a little more cunning.

DJFish

5,917 posts

262 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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However a Camelbak filled with 3litres of red wine is perfectly acceptable.

Output Flange

16,793 posts

210 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
quotequote all
The Surveyor said:
Other thing to watch is that they won't allow you to take beer into the track areas, the days of strolling in for the night shift with a rucksack full of stubbies has sadly gone. You can get them in, but you do need to be a little more cunning.
The restriction is on taking glass in, not beer. Cans or plastic bottles is fine.

The Surveyor

7,576 posts

236 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
quotequote all
Output Flange said:
The Surveyor said:
Other thing to watch is that they won't allow you to take beer into the track areas, the days of strolling in for the night shift with a rucksack full of stubbies has sadly gone. You can get them in, but you do need to be a little more cunning.
The restriction is on taking glass in, not beer. Cans or plastic bottles is fine.
That's partly correct for the camp sites, but not for the circuit. There were cursory searches on the campsite gate but it was only half-hearted and we still got plenty of bottled beer into the site without too much difficulty.

However, last year there was a guy on the gate between Houx and the circuit stopping you taking any booze through regardless of container. The rules seamed to change daily which was all wonderfully French.

Output Flange

16,793 posts

210 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
quotequote all
Coming into the circuit from the Bleu Nord side, there were no issues with bringing booze in that wasn't in glass bottles.

Usual French efficiencies in communicating the rules smile

df76

Original Poster:

3,615 posts

277 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for all the advice so far.. tragic that we won't be walking around with a crate of beer in the rucksack.

I'm guessing that the rules in a private campsite are a little different, so hopefully we can just bring in tins as required.

Follow the WEC closely and went to spa for the six hours last year, so familiar with the current regs and cars. Will still reminisce about the "old days" with lister storms and panoz's though..

davidd

6,443 posts

283 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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ahh panoz...

I was away from 1998 to 2008 and the changes seemed massive when we got back. The Fairground had moved, the table head woman and the strippers had gone, the village had become a shopping outlet.

The racing was still epic though.

D

FredericRobinson

3,668 posts

231 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
quotequote all
Output Flange said:
LMP1 doesn't have any diesel hybrids!
And GTE isn't GT3, it started out being basically GT2 but is now much more like GT1 used to be. The overall volume is much reduced though hybrids and turbos have seen to that.

Printertosh

563 posts

167 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
quotequote all
We still have ice cold bottled beer in the campsite that we take trackside but we always put the empties back in the bag to make a structure back at camp so no glass being left trackside smile It all comes down to what security want to do though.

FredericRobinson

3,668 posts

231 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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Never expect logic or consistency when dealing with the French, some on Tertre Rouge were getting every nook and cranny of their cars searched last year, others in old sportscars just strapped the beer to the boot-mounted luggage rack and got waved through!

delta0

2,334 posts

105 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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How thorough is the search? Do they poke around bags or are they looking for crates? If I hide them in with the clothes are they likely to get through to the campsite (Beausejour)?

gt6

1,422 posts

184 months

Wednesday 10th May 2017
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first time we arrived on TR we had not hidden booze well so got stoped and had to drink some and lose some, after that hid it much better and never got more than a quick look in boot and mostly just waved through