LM24 Race chat
Discussion
With the increased crowds the last couple of years and the loss of our 'home' at Tertre Rouge most of our group has decided they've seen the best of LM24 and dropped out but with a fear of missing out there's 3 of us (out of 10) that are looking forward to seeing the Valkyrie on the circuit and a strong overall hypercar field. I must be getting excited as my visits to this forum can now be measured in "per day" instead of "per week".
BeeGT said:
With the increased crowds the last couple of years and the loss of our 'home' at Tertre Rouge most of our group has decided they've seen the best of LM24 and dropped out but with a fear of missing out there's 3 of us (out of 10) that are looking forward to seeing the Valkyrie on the circuit and a strong overall hypercar field. I must be getting excited as my visits to this forum can now be measured in "per day" instead of "per week".
Adapt and overcome! Plenty of times what I thought was the best plan ever for LM has changed through circuit changes or not being able to get the same ticket options. It opens the mind to options and nearly every time, the change has been for the better.
I used to always park on the inside of the circuit. Route in was decent. But the car park went for vip camping. This made me realise I’d been driving past Expo for years and I wondered why I hadn’t used it for all those years and it was so much better.
BeeGT said:
With the increased crowds the last couple of years and the loss of our 'home' at Tertre Rouge most of our group has decided they've seen the best of LM24 and dropped out but with a fear of missing out there's 3 of us (out of 10) that are looking forward to seeing the Valkyrie on the circuit and a strong overall hypercar field. I must be getting excited as my visits to this forum can now be measured in "per day" instead of "per week".
Been there, we went every year to the pre-qualifying weekend and race weekend in the 1990s, to the early 2000s and then moved across to Classic Le Mans as the behaviour got so bad around the circuit. Having returned in 2023 but staying off site either in a Gite or Chateau campsite I am enjoying it again. This year, my son and daughter are joining me. Huge Hypercar field should make for an interesting race. Yes, the main gradnstand area is heaving with people, but Arnage, Mulsanne, Hunadiere are still great viewing!
Mark B said:
BeeGT said:
With the increased crowds the last couple of years and the loss of our 'home' at Tertre Rouge most of our group has decided they've seen the best of LM24 and dropped out but with a fear of missing out there's 3 of us (out of 10) that are looking forward to seeing the Valkyrie on the circuit and a strong overall hypercar field. I must be getting excited as my visits to this forum can now be measured in "per day" instead of "per week".
Been there, we went every year to the pre-qualifying weekend and race weekend in the 1990s, to the early 2000s and then moved across to Classic Le Mans as the behaviour got so bad around the circuit. Having returned in 2023 but staying off site either in a Gite or Chateau campsite I am enjoying it again. This year, my son and daughter are joining me. Huge Hypercar field should make for an interesting race. Yes, the main gradnstand area is heaving with people, but Arnage, Mulsanne, Hunadiere are still great viewing!
I think the ACO should ban folding chairs, the main arear in front of the pits could have 2 - 3 times more people if people didn't sit in those chairs.
Last year we watched the start in the Peugeot shop as we couldn't be bothered to stand around for hours. This year, we will take it in as it's my daughters first time. Or park ourselves down near Tertre Rouge which is good to watch the start.
Last year we watched the start in the Peugeot shop as we couldn't be bothered to stand around for hours. This year, we will take it in as it's my daughters first time. Or park ourselves down near Tertre Rouge which is good to watch the start.
LM240 said:
Adapt and overcome!
Plenty of times what I thought was the best plan ever for LM has changed through circuit changes or not being able to get the same ticket options. It opens the mind to options and nearly every time, the change has been for the better.
I used to always park on the inside of the circuit. Route in was decent. But the car park went for vip camping. This made me realise I’d been driving past Expo for years and I wondered why I hadn’t used it for all those years and it was so much better.
I’ve been going on and off since 2006. Plenty of times what I thought was the best plan ever for LM has changed through circuit changes or not being able to get the same ticket options. It opens the mind to options and nearly every time, the change has been for the better.
I used to always park on the inside of the circuit. Route in was decent. But the car park went for vip camping. This made me realise I’d been driving past Expo for years and I wondered why I hadn’t used it for all those years and it was so much better.
Then in 22, 23 and this year, my lad is coming with me.
He was 11 first time he came and obviously absolutely loved it.
I’m sure as it changes in the future he’ll look back on these first experiences and think it was better back then. Maybe I’m wrong who knows, but like you say just have to adapt with it.
It’s still an amazing atmosphere no matter how much they try and change things.
Mark B said:
I think the ACO should ban folding chairs, the main arear in front of the pits could have 2 - 3 times more people if people didn't sit in those chairs.
Last year we watched the start in the Peugeot shop as we couldn't be bothered to stand around for hours. This year, we will take it in as it's my daughters first time. Or park ourselves down near Tertre Rouge which is good to watch the start.
I love the fackt that we can take our folding chair and sit everywhere and move arround the track. I can not stand for ours (from 10.00) waiting for the start so I love my folding chair. It gets so busy in frond of the pits towards the start it gets to be dangerous anyway, let allone if more people are pushed in.. Last year we watched the start in the Peugeot shop as we couldn't be bothered to stand around for hours. This year, we will take it in as it's my daughters first time. Or park ourselves down near Tertre Rouge which is good to watch the start.
BeeGT said:
Trackside viewing options for the start are my main dilemma this year. We will be taking in Arnage, Indy and Mulsanne on Saturday evening (coach booked) and spend the early hours of Sunday night between Dunlop and Tertre Rouge, but from camping at Hippodrome (new location for us) I'm not sure where to head. The last time we camped inside the circuit we were able to stand on the roof of the karting garages near the exit from Porsche curves, I guess the opportunity to do that is long gone...? Any suggestions out there that don't involve having to set up stall 6 hours before the start, or is that the norm now. The beauty of the Tertre Rouge campsite was a scaffold platform against the fence..... ......
Not sure why you have a coach booked to get you to Mulsanne and Arnage - (subject to the usualy random changes from year to year) at least one of the free buses is likely to from from near the tram station, so not far from Hippodrome. The ACO have just released/pushed to members their new "24h Experience" phone app...which seems to ignore the buses 
For viewing from Hippodrome the pedestrian exit route takes you through the Epinettes campsite so your obvious options are:
a) Turn right along the road and follow it till you get to Tetre Rouge/in from that end.
b) Right/first left, then up the road between Houx/Hour Annex and into the circuit around the Forest Esses.
c) Right/first left/immediately left into Houx campsite, then right at the toilet blocks and take the track up over the Bugatti circuit, cutting through the car park to come out by the medical centre/back of the Village.
d) If you want a longer walk, left along the road to the Porsche Curves.
Something I didn't try last year, my first in Hippodrome but too wet to encourage exploration, is trying to walk out to road entrance to Hippodrome which takes you along the road just 200m back from and parallel to Les Hunaudieres... My assumption is you won't be permitted out that way on foot and the forest there would be heavilly policed but could be worth a slow drive to the KFC (which is rumored to be open during the race) with the windows down to get the sound, if not sight of the cars getting on for flat out/top speed (you're 400m north of the first chicanes).
Mark B said:
I think the ACO should ban folding chairs, the main arear in front of the pits could have 2 - 3 times more people if people didn't sit in those chairs.
Last year we watched the start in the Peugeot shop as we couldn't be bothered to stand around for hours. This year, we will take it in as it's my daughters first time. Or park ourselves down near Tertre Rouge which is good to watch the start.
I always used to watch there but last few years not even been able to get near it.Last year we watched the start in the Peugeot shop as we couldn't be bothered to stand around for hours. This year, we will take it in as it's my daughters first time. Or park ourselves down near Tertre Rouge which is good to watch the start.
//j17 said:
BeeGT said:
Trackside viewing options for the start are my main dilemma this year. We will be taking in Arnage, Indy and Mulsanne on Saturday evening (coach booked) and spend the early hours of Sunday night between Dunlop and Tertre Rouge, but from camping at Hippodrome (new location for us) I'm not sure where to head. The last time we camped inside the circuit we were able to stand on the roof of the karting garages near the exit from Porsche curves, I guess the opportunity to do that is long gone...? Any suggestions out there that don't involve having to set up stall 6 hours before the start, or is that the norm now. The beauty of the Tertre Rouge campsite was a scaffold platform against the fence..... ......
Not sure why you have a coach booked to get you to Mulsanne and Arnage - (subject to the usualy random changes from year to year) at least one of the free buses is likely to from from near the tram station, so not far from Hippodrome. The ACO have just released/pushed to members their new "24h Experience" phone app...which seems to ignore the buses For viewing from Hippodrome the pedestrian exit route takes you through the Epinettes campsite so your obvious options are:
a) Turn right along the road and follow it till you get to Tetre Rouge/in from that end.
b) Right/first left, then up the road between Houx/Hour Annex and into the circuit around the Forest Esses.
c) Right/first left/immediately left into Houx campsite, then right at the toilet blocks and take the track up over the Bugatti circuit, cutting through the car park to come out by the medical centre/back of the Village.
d) If you want a longer walk, left along the road to the Porsche Curves.
Something I didn't try last year, my first in Hippodrome but too wet to encourage exploration, is trying to walk out to road entrance to Hippodrome which takes you along the road just 200m back from and parallel to Les Hunaudieres... My assumption is you won't be permitted out that way on foot and the forest there would be heavilly policed but could be worth a slow drive to the KFC (which is rumored to be open during the race) with the windows down to get the sound, if not sight of the cars getting on for flat out/top speed (you're 400m north of the first chicanes).
Koen_Chevy said:
I love the fackt that we can take our folding chair and sit everywhere and move arround the track. I can not stand for ours (from 10.00) waiting for the start so I love my folding chair. It gets so busy in frond of the pits towards the start it gets to be dangerous anyway, let allone if more people are pushed in..
Fair enough, but the chairs make it more dangerous in my opinion. Even the people sat on them struggle to move about to get a drink/food or go to the loo.Back in the late 90s, we used to be on Maison Blanche, near a group of lads who jointly owned what I believe was an ex-BBC outside broadcasting truck. Restored and painted off-white, and probably 40 years old then, it had a roof mounted viewing platform complete with varnished timber balustrades; not only beautiful to look at, but a great place from which to watch the race, drinking beers chilled in their ice-cream freezer that had been emprunte a une station service, allegedly.
Happy memories, I wonder if they still have it...? Anyone else remember it?
Happy memories, I wonder if they still have it...? Anyone else remember it?
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