RE: Le Mans Classic 2014: PH Blog
Monday 7th July 2014
Across this weekend PH is down at the Le Mans Classic. It's an event that seems to exist a little in the shadow of the 24 Hours, and with the 2014 race running on the same weekend as the British GP it has that to contend with also. But the opportunity to watch a weekend of classic motorsport was too good to miss. The rain has even held off for a while also...
First things first, a huge well done to Harris and Gary Pearson for their victory in the second Grid 3 today. The conditions were abysmal enough on the road following a deluge of rain, so one can only imagine the state of the Le Mans track. They have both earned a little celebration this evening.
Wet, dark Le Mans in this. ScaryLeaving on Sunday rather than Monday as with the 24 did mean we saw less racing than perhaps we would have liked. But we did get to watch the Grid 5 and Grid 6 races in their entirety which were, in a word, magnificent.
Le Mans Classic 2014: PH Blog
The boys are back, ears still ringing slightly from a 7.6-litre Corvette V8 assault
The blog will be updated daily and you can also follow PH at LM Classic through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get all the best bits from what promises to be a brilliant event.
Wet, dark Le Mans in this. Scary
Here's a cross section of the Grid 5 runners: Ferrari 312 P, Porsche 908/3, Lola T70, Matra 660-01, Chevron B16. The programme listed 76 entrants. The cacophony of sound at the start of this race was worth the journey alone (and I know that was nearly said about the static show, but this really was). To hear a 12 cylinder Matra, Corvette V8 and Porsche flat 12 all in the same race is a rare and exciting privilege. To just see that many classics run was an absolute treat, and helped stave off the feeling that the racing wasn't actually that good. Can't have it all.
Grid 6 was described as 'fast cars for faster times' (these were racers from 1972-1979). And yes, the speed here was phenomenal. Predictably the 935s were flying, although overall victory for the weekend went to the Gulf Mirage and a DFV-engined Lola T280 took second. And these competed in a race with a Dodge Charger, Ford Gran Torino and BMW CSL. What a brilliant spectacle.
Attending the Le Mans 24 Hours, Classic and then N24 in a very hectic month is something I'd like to chat about in more detail soon. Suffice to say there's probably an event for all motorsport fans between them. And if there's a possibility to take a Panamera to any, you won't regret it!
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[Pics:LM Classic]
More fun, more sun at LM Friday Service #2
In case there weren't enough classics on track...
Discussion
Do they actually race the cars at the classic? The classic "race" at Le Mans was just rich guys pootling around barely touching the throttle for 45 mins. I felt like crying when the 787B went in after 1 lap and they dude driving the XJR12 teased me endlessly by occasionally touching the loud pedal for a micro-second in front of me :@
Edited by RKi on Sunday 6th July 19:13
HaylingJag said:
W124 said:
Lucky sods. I'm on a Met-Line train just past Moor Park. On my way into London to sit in a dark studio and listen to the same song, over and over again. It's a glamorous life I lead. Next year - I'm going.
"next year" it'll be a lonely trip
But think I might start going to this classic race rather the the 24 hour .
Just looks a bit more relaxed and fun ...maybe less people ?
Went to lemans this year ..record year with 250000 people or so . Just starting to get a bit difficult to get food and views of the cars .....
RKi said:
Do they actually race the cars at the classic? The classic "race" at Le Mans was just rich guys pootling around barely touching the throttle for 45 mins. I felt like crying when the 787B went in after 1 lap and they dude driving the XJR12 teased me endlessly by occasionally touching the loud pedal for a micro-second in front of me :@
Definitely racing from what I could see!Edited by RKi on Sunday 6th July 19:13
Matt Bird said:
RKi said:
Do they actually race the cars at the classic? The classic "race" at Le Mans was just rich guys pootling around barely touching the throttle for 45 mins. I felt like crying when the 787B went in after 1 lap and they dude driving the XJR12 teased me endlessly by occasionally touching the loud pedal for a micro-second in front of me :@
Definitely racing from what I could see!Edited by RKi on Sunday 6th July 19:13
The Le Mans support race this year actually featured the weekend's highest top speed on the Mulsanne - Bob Berridge in the Sauber Mercedes C11: faster even than the 1,000bhp Toyota TS040. And the Werners' Mazda is a 767B, not a 787B.
The LMC is a must-do event for all old car lovers; just a brilliant weekend.
Just back from the classic for the first time, have been a regular at the "normal" 24 hours for past 15 years. Personally I really enjoyed the Classic,
Positives
70% less people
99% less Stag do's
Much more an event for the real car enthusiast, vastly less commercialised than the normal 24 hours with a
Classy, calm atmosphere, a bit like Goodwood FOS on steroids
The car club displays and pits were fantastic, as was realising the guy standing next to you looking at a Ferrari Daytona is Jean Todt (Although I did think he was Mel Brooks for a second)
There are guys hooning 1920's racecars with no rollbars in the rain, all I can say is they must have balls of steel
Best of all, there are tons of flames from the cars, and most are spectacularly loud, reminding me of my earliest visits to Le Mans
It feels like, with a windfall, you could be taking part next year
Negatives:
The marshals are a bit over cautious, possibly due to the value of the cars. The races don't slow down for big rain, they stop for good, which was dissaponting, unlike the normal LM there are periods of 30-40 minutes where there are no cars on track at all.
The event is much more focussed than the regular LM, which means no fairground, no karting, no concert and alot of the bars shut at midnight.
Summary
I'll be back, and might be racing ;O)
Positives
70% less people
99% less Stag do's
Much more an event for the real car enthusiast, vastly less commercialised than the normal 24 hours with a
Classy, calm atmosphere, a bit like Goodwood FOS on steroids
The car club displays and pits were fantastic, as was realising the guy standing next to you looking at a Ferrari Daytona is Jean Todt (Although I did think he was Mel Brooks for a second)
There are guys hooning 1920's racecars with no rollbars in the rain, all I can say is they must have balls of steel
Best of all, there are tons of flames from the cars, and most are spectacularly loud, reminding me of my earliest visits to Le Mans
It feels like, with a windfall, you could be taking part next year
Negatives:
The marshals are a bit over cautious, possibly due to the value of the cars. The races don't slow down for big rain, they stop for good, which was dissaponting, unlike the normal LM there are periods of 30-40 minutes where there are no cars on track at all.
The event is much more focussed than the regular LM, which means no fairground, no karting, no concert and alot of the bars shut at midnight.
Summary
I'll be back, and might be racing ;O)
Edited by SteelySteve on Monday 7th July 13:37
Have to say I thought it was poor. Lovely cars and some decent racing but other than the novelty of the traditional running starts (effectively staged I should point out) and being able to watch them drive in the dark I don't see that it holds any advantage over vastly more economical and better run events like the Goodwood Revival.
In fact I'd go as far to say I think it was a rip off. 500 Euro for 'all inclusive hospitality' in the Driver enclosure... excluding 85 Euro entry ticket for the full 3 days, 65 Euro paddock entry ticket (where the hospitality was), grandstand seating, pricey alcohol, I could go on.
The marshals were also getting increasingly officious and rude to the point of not letting our friends who were driving (with access all areas passes) onto the grandstands because they didn't have tickets, and finally not letting us onto the camping shuttle busses at about 4pm to bring our bags back because we didn't have wristbands that weren't mentioned at any point before that over the entire weekend on the dozens of occasions we'd used them!
To top it all the motorhome that we paid through the nose for through one of the recommended suppliers turned into a large 'luxury' caravan, which then turned out to be a single axle portable toilet with a couple of foam mattresses wedged into it and no working water or a shower. Then we had a typically French argument with them where we were accused of being dishonest and breaking the contract for offering to pay a more sensible amount for what was delivered rather than what was actually agreed prior.
Generally a shower of money grabbing b
ds. I wont be going back ever.
In fact I'd go as far to say I think it was a rip off. 500 Euro for 'all inclusive hospitality' in the Driver enclosure... excluding 85 Euro entry ticket for the full 3 days, 65 Euro paddock entry ticket (where the hospitality was), grandstand seating, pricey alcohol, I could go on.
The marshals were also getting increasingly officious and rude to the point of not letting our friends who were driving (with access all areas passes) onto the grandstands because they didn't have tickets, and finally not letting us onto the camping shuttle busses at about 4pm to bring our bags back because we didn't have wristbands that weren't mentioned at any point before that over the entire weekend on the dozens of occasions we'd used them!
To top it all the motorhome that we paid through the nose for through one of the recommended suppliers turned into a large 'luxury' caravan, which then turned out to be a single axle portable toilet with a couple of foam mattresses wedged into it and no working water or a shower. Then we had a typically French argument with them where we were accused of being dishonest and breaking the contract for offering to pay a more sensible amount for what was delivered rather than what was actually agreed prior.
Generally a shower of money grabbing b
ds. I wont be going back ever.Edited by The Wookie on Monday 7th July 14:01
Just got back from my 4th Le Mans Classis and it was Poor. I have always championed this event as the enthusiasts Le Mans where you can take the wife and child - cheap easy access everywhere, much less corporate than the 24 Hour Race BUT not now, oh how things have changed. An ice cream for my 6 year old was €7, a dried out hamburger €15 but worse than that, the organisation was poor. Long long waits between racing - which didn't start til 5pm on Saturday! I mean, we only get a full day out of the 3 day weekend so why start so late? Yes it rained, but it's rained before and I don't recall so many delays in the past. Corporate hospitality hoardings blocked the view, and their were no big screens to watch the action. We stayed in Arnarge so drove round to Parking Bleu which they said was full, yet as you walk past there were vast areas of unused space. You see more at Goodwoood Revival and Silverstone Classic, so for me, this was the last year I'll be going which is a shame as I thought I would support it for many years to come. Dave.
Edited by davejw on Monday 7th July 14:27
Just back from my first Le Mans Classic and am far from disappointed. For me blows FoS and revival into the weeds. Great convoy of 15 cars in our group, normal bonkers mix at the ferry port, Camping at Maison Blanche was ace - with some unbelieveable machinery just in the campsite. Yes it's pricey and low quality to eat and drink in the circuit but that was to be expected. Supermarket visit and a decent gas grill/ hob saw us eating well all weekend for peanuts. Paddock pass was well worth it. Standing directly behind a 935 while it was warming up with the covers removed was fabulous. Never mind standing next to 917/ 908/ 935/ 3.0CSL/ 250 gto LM/ 512 LM etc etc while they were warmed up and driven to grid. The racing was a good mix to give the spectacle of 24hrs without the stress on the cars. 6 grids going off at basically 1 hour intervals for 43 minute races from 5pm sat to 5pm sunday. each grid had 3 races with the winner decided on aggregate times. And they were racing! Watching BMW M1 racecars popping flames into first chicane as dawn broke was very special. As for the open top guys in the rain at night, well that had to be seen to be believed!
This was my 6th visit to the Classic Le Mans, (I come over specially from Cape Town) and apart from the food i was not disappointed! Safety cars were annoying - far too many and too often, other than that what an experience, and i did Silverstone and Revival last year so fairly "experienced"! Would i be back, without a doubt....
Perhaps it's OK for camping in a tent, but put it this way, for the money I spent compared to the Monaco Historic I could have had two nights in the Beach Plaza at Monaco, tickets for both days in the Casino Square grandstands with the cars up close and a large screen directly in front of me, and still with enough cash spare to eat and drink at quality restaurants whilst enjoying what is generally a beautiful part of the world.
As it was I had two crap nights sleep in a rubbish caravan shared with a mate (who snores), had to walk bloody miles to stand on a bank miles from the track with a rubbish view and a screen half a mile away, feed myself from a buffet and still pay over the odds for beer and wine. The only advantage it had was being able to walk around the paddock and get up close to the cars.
Oh and I didn't bother venturing out of the track to take in the sights and sounds of lovely Le Mans itself!
As it was I had two crap nights sleep in a rubbish caravan shared with a mate (who snores), had to walk bloody miles to stand on a bank miles from the track with a rubbish view and a screen half a mile away, feed myself from a buffet and still pay over the odds for beer and wine. The only advantage it had was being able to walk around the paddock and get up close to the cars.
Oh and I didn't bother venturing out of the track to take in the sights and sounds of lovely Le Mans itself!
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