Le Mans with Sebah Racing - could it get any better ?
Discussion
We went down to Le Mans on Thursday expecting to have our usual weekend - spending the race moving from vantage point to vantage point, enjoying a few beers, dinner at the Hunaudieres cafe or the Chinese restaurant, sunrise at Arnage, a few hours sleep and enjoy the finish.
As things worked out, I didn't get to do any of these things ...
On Friday we headed for the pits to take a look at the cars.
Last year I worked on a project with a chap who is involved with the Sebah team. We spent a couple of evenings in the bar talking TVRs and 7's and I was hoping that if he was about we might be able to get a closer look at the car and take some photos.
We were in luck and were invited into the garage and were able have a close up look at the car (a 997 GT3 RSR) and watched the crew practising pit stops. After we had been chatting for a while Steve asked me if I could do them a favour. I said "of course", expecting to be asked if I could go and grab a tray of beers for the mechanics or be sent into Le Mans to pick up something. Instead he explained that they were one guy down in the pit crew and asked if I could help by manning the pit signalling board for the race !
I didn't take long to decide and I was soon being fitted up for a race suit (regulations now say that everyone on the pit wall must wear a fireproof suit), and kitted out with a stop watch, headphones with a radio receiver for the team radio net, pit lane pass, and a pit wall arm band. They even managed to find a spare pass for my wife so that she could get into the pits when she wasn't watching the race with our other friends.
My duties consisted of watching the lap chart and the statistics from the race TV feed, putting the appropriate signal on the board (position, count down to pit stop etc) keeping an eye on the stop watch and hinging the board out for the driver to read as he passed on each lap. I also had a lollipop sign to hold out into the pit lane to help the driver sight our garage when driving up the pit lane.
The experience was amazing :
- being a small part of a team that was trying 100% for a result and seemed to have a passion for what they were doing.
- spending most of the race on the pit wall, just a couple of feet from the passing cars and able to see everything that was going on in the pit lane.
- the noise !
- how hot it is in a fireproof suit - must be unbearable in the car.
- eating a banana sitting on the pit wall in my red suit and wondering if Ross Brawn ever felt as good.
- the blast when a car overtook along the pit straight and passed close to my perch
- straining to spot our car as it came around the corner onto the pit straight and giving the driver the signal
- worrying that I would make a mistake and screw things up for everyone
- being very envious of the Lamborghini guys pit wall set up (they had cool recaro seats, we had stools !)
- feeling so tired at 7am that I thought I would have to ask someone to cover for a few hours whilst I grabbed some sleep, then being instantly alert as the driver radioed that there was a problem and he was coming in for an unscheduled pit stop. The tiredness didn't return, and I only took a couple of breaks for coffee and food during the entire race.
We had a couple of problems with the car and made some unscheduled pit stops for a water leak (fixed in 5 mins), a broken drive shaft (both changed in 25 minutes), a split water hose (changed in 2 minutes) but our race came to an end after 21 hours when the car suffered a drive shaft or transmission failure, lost drive and stopped on the main straight just before the pit lane exit. The mechanics ran up the pit lane hoping to be allowed to push the car back down the pit lane to the garage, but the marshals were adamant that this was not allowed. The kept trying to get it moving so that he could complete a lap back to the pits, but it couldn't be done and we had to retire.
The drivers and mechanics were really disappointed, but somehow still all in good spirits - sharing the disappointment and commiserating with each other. I dread to think how many hours of work and preparation they had made. I was impressed to see how inclusive the team was - with the drivers being almost apologetic to the mechanics that we had been forced to retire - and I certainly didn't expect to see one of the drivers taking photos of the crew "so he would remember" !
I'm sure the Sebah team will be back at Le Mans next year - but I've got the bug now. Thanks guys, and I hope that I didn't mess anything up and don't have to wait that long before going racing with them again !
edited for spelling & because I still can't get the smile off my face !
As things worked out, I didn't get to do any of these things ...
On Friday we headed for the pits to take a look at the cars.
Last year I worked on a project with a chap who is involved with the Sebah team. We spent a couple of evenings in the bar talking TVRs and 7's and I was hoping that if he was about we might be able to get a closer look at the car and take some photos.
We were in luck and were invited into the garage and were able have a close up look at the car (a 997 GT3 RSR) and watched the crew practising pit stops. After we had been chatting for a while Steve asked me if I could do them a favour. I said "of course", expecting to be asked if I could go and grab a tray of beers for the mechanics or be sent into Le Mans to pick up something. Instead he explained that they were one guy down in the pit crew and asked if I could help by manning the pit signalling board for the race !
I didn't take long to decide and I was soon being fitted up for a race suit (regulations now say that everyone on the pit wall must wear a fireproof suit), and kitted out with a stop watch, headphones with a radio receiver for the team radio net, pit lane pass, and a pit wall arm band. They even managed to find a spare pass for my wife so that she could get into the pits when she wasn't watching the race with our other friends.
My duties consisted of watching the lap chart and the statistics from the race TV feed, putting the appropriate signal on the board (position, count down to pit stop etc) keeping an eye on the stop watch and hinging the board out for the driver to read as he passed on each lap. I also had a lollipop sign to hold out into the pit lane to help the driver sight our garage when driving up the pit lane.
The experience was amazing :
- being a small part of a team that was trying 100% for a result and seemed to have a passion for what they were doing.
- spending most of the race on the pit wall, just a couple of feet from the passing cars and able to see everything that was going on in the pit lane.
- the noise !
- how hot it is in a fireproof suit - must be unbearable in the car.
- eating a banana sitting on the pit wall in my red suit and wondering if Ross Brawn ever felt as good.
- the blast when a car overtook along the pit straight and passed close to my perch
- straining to spot our car as it came around the corner onto the pit straight and giving the driver the signal
- worrying that I would make a mistake and screw things up for everyone
- being very envious of the Lamborghini guys pit wall set up (they had cool recaro seats, we had stools !)
- feeling so tired at 7am that I thought I would have to ask someone to cover for a few hours whilst I grabbed some sleep, then being instantly alert as the driver radioed that there was a problem and he was coming in for an unscheduled pit stop. The tiredness didn't return, and I only took a couple of breaks for coffee and food during the entire race.
We had a couple of problems with the car and made some unscheduled pit stops for a water leak (fixed in 5 mins), a broken drive shaft (both changed in 25 minutes), a split water hose (changed in 2 minutes) but our race came to an end after 21 hours when the car suffered a drive shaft or transmission failure, lost drive and stopped on the main straight just before the pit lane exit. The mechanics ran up the pit lane hoping to be allowed to push the car back down the pit lane to the garage, but the marshals were adamant that this was not allowed. The kept trying to get it moving so that he could complete a lap back to the pits, but it couldn't be done and we had to retire.
The drivers and mechanics were really disappointed, but somehow still all in good spirits - sharing the disappointment and commiserating with each other. I dread to think how many hours of work and preparation they had made. I was impressed to see how inclusive the team was - with the drivers being almost apologetic to the mechanics that we had been forced to retire - and I certainly didn't expect to see one of the drivers taking photos of the crew "so he would remember" !
I'm sure the Sebah team will be back at Le Mans next year - but I've got the bug now. Thanks guys, and I hope that I didn't mess anything up and don't have to wait that long before going racing with them again !
edited for spelling & because I still can't get the smile off my face !
Edited by red rose on Friday 23 June 16:25
Edited by red rose on Friday 23 June 19:25
Great post and a great experience.
I always think that you can tell a lot about the finances of the different teams by the equipment they have on the pit wall.
It seems to me it is always the last thing that the budget is spent on.
Audi of course have the complete works, others just have a makeshift tent and board to hang over the lane. I find it interesting each year on pit lane day to see the different teams setup. I was really rooting for Henri this year as I think it would be great for Le Mans and great for the locals if he could pull it off.
I always think that you can tell a lot about the finances of the different teams by the equipment they have on the pit wall.
It seems to me it is always the last thing that the budget is spent on.
Audi of course have the complete works, others just have a makeshift tent and board to hang over the lane. I find it interesting each year on pit lane day to see the different teams setup. I was really rooting for Henri this year as I think it would be great for Le Mans and great for the locals if he could pull it off.
Did you meet any of the Camembert Run boys during the weekend? - Andy/wainy/Big Cheese knows Steve through work so we follow Sebah.
We were asked for a volunteer to do the pit board like you but no-one was willing to go the 24hrs without drink.
Sadly I wasn't there this year (Camembert Run got home just I was taking the mrs into the labour ward) but like you, I would have snapped up the opportunity to be that close to the action.
Well done you lucky git!
Seb
We were asked for a volunteer to do the pit board like you but no-one was willing to go the 24hrs without drink.
Sadly I wasn't there this year (Camembert Run got home just I was taking the mrs into the labour ward) but like you, I would have snapped up the opportunity to be that close to the action.
Well done you lucky git!
Seb
Red Rose,
Which project do you know Steve from? Do you also work for Cap?
Sounds like it was well worth the experience. Spoke to Steve on the Tuesday and he mentioned this, though didnt fancy time away from our group (beers and going round the track etc).
Bet you were so hot in that suit standing on the wall with no shade
Have some pics of the car in the pit on the Friday, will have a look see if we have anything of it during the race.
Which project do you know Steve from? Do you also work for Cap?
Sounds like it was well worth the experience. Spoke to Steve on the Tuesday and he mentioned this, though didnt fancy time away from our group (beers and going round the track etc).
Bet you were so hot in that suit standing on the wall with no shade
Have some pics of the car in the pit on the Friday, will have a look see if we have anything of it during the race.
wainy said:
Red Rose,
Which project do you know Steve from? Do you also work for Cap?
Sounds like it was well worth the experience. Spoke to Steve on the Tuesday and he mentioned this, though didnt fancy time away from our group (beers and going round the track etc).
Bet you were so hot in that suit standing on the wall with no shade
Have some pics of the car in the pit on the Friday, will have a look see if we have anything of it during the race.
Which project do you know Steve from? Do you also work for Cap?
Sounds like it was well worth the experience. Spoke to Steve on the Tuesday and he mentioned this, though didnt fancy time away from our group (beers and going round the track etc).
Bet you were so hot in that suit standing on the wall with no shade
Have some pics of the car in the pit on the Friday, will have a look see if we have anything of it during the race.
Hi Wainy
I work for one of Caps clients ... met Steve on a project in Poland last year.
Will have to chase up and see what they are planning for '07. Although I missed the normal LM experience I plan to drink enough during the rest of the year compensate for one dry weekend !
Cheers
Ian
You jammy git, that sounds an amazing experience! My ears are still ringing to the sound of the cars a week after and I never got within 30 feet 
I have some pics for you (I think the rear shot is the same car?) - mail me if you want the uncropped originals.
More pics of our weekend here: www.giveitfish.co.uk/Misc/200606_lemans/index.html
Cheers,
Steve
I have some pics for you (I think the rear shot is the same car?) - mail me if you want the uncropped originals.
More pics of our weekend here: www.giveitfish.co.uk/Misc/200606_lemans/index.html
Cheers,
Steve
Wow! What a thread resurrection! I was just googling a few Sebah Racing and Rebellion topics and came across this thread - not sure if I read it when it was written 11 years ago (nice write up Ian!), just wanted to say hi to the 2 friends I haven't seen for a very long time so Hi Ian and Andy, hope you are both well!
Edited by Grubbster on Wednesday 27th December 21:30
Gassing Station | Le Mans | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff