Some thoughts on Le Mans 2006........
Discussion
Apologies to the Tivvers who never go to Le Mans, but there are quite a few who do, hence the thread here.
This year was my 10th year, but I felt that this year was quite a bit different from normal. Audi seem to have got a grip (presumably financial) on the organisation of the race (I'm not talking about the bloody diesel car itself - that should be banned as it's too quiet). For example, a new Audi hospitality block between the Dunlop bridge and the esses, the village demolished and rebuilt with Audi signs up everywhere, the crappy Audi TT used as the pace car for the warmup lap. Security was significantly tighter. Lots more couples here. I'm not familiar with F1 events, but a couple of mates who are familiar with F1 clearly thought that Le Mans is turning into a sanitised F1 event.
Even Sunday night in Arnarge was quieter than usual, rescued only later on by Biggles and his mate, the former leaving tyre tracks around the roundabout in a Peugeot and the latter directing traffic with his whistle. A number of the 'better' cars used to show off at the roundabout, this year only a handful did this.
However, the real buzz for me is the ability at Le Mans to get physically close to the cars - and I mean physically close. We literally had our hands on a number of the cars in the pit lane on Friday night and Monday morning, chatting to the mechanics/team managers. You can't so this at F1 events without a proper, expensive ticket, but we have no tickets for this at Le Mans yet we can do this. A great event, but IMHO it lost its sparkle this year and indeed our group of 12 guys is now seriously considering 2006 as being our last Le Mans.
The camp sites were, as usual, buzzing, so I'm really talking about the organisation of the race itself rather than off-track activities.
How does the PH Tiv massive feel about Le Mans and the way the organisation is going?
Julian
This year was my 10th year, but I felt that this year was quite a bit different from normal. Audi seem to have got a grip (presumably financial) on the organisation of the race (I'm not talking about the bloody diesel car itself - that should be banned as it's too quiet). For example, a new Audi hospitality block between the Dunlop bridge and the esses, the village demolished and rebuilt with Audi signs up everywhere, the crappy Audi TT used as the pace car for the warmup lap. Security was significantly tighter. Lots more couples here. I'm not familiar with F1 events, but a couple of mates who are familiar with F1 clearly thought that Le Mans is turning into a sanitised F1 event.
Even Sunday night in Arnarge was quieter than usual, rescued only later on by Biggles and his mate, the former leaving tyre tracks around the roundabout in a Peugeot and the latter directing traffic with his whistle. A number of the 'better' cars used to show off at the roundabout, this year only a handful did this.
However, the real buzz for me is the ability at Le Mans to get physically close to the cars - and I mean physically close. We literally had our hands on a number of the cars in the pit lane on Friday night and Monday morning, chatting to the mechanics/team managers. You can't so this at F1 events without a proper, expensive ticket, but we have no tickets for this at Le Mans yet we can do this. A great event, but IMHO it lost its sparkle this year and indeed our group of 12 guys is now seriously considering 2006 as being our last Le Mans.
The camp sites were, as usual, buzzing, so I'm really talking about the organisation of the race itself rather than off-track activities.
How does the PH Tiv massive feel about Le Mans and the way the organisation is going?
Julian
11th year for me, give it another couple of years and it will one be the lager louts that what to fill your car up with water and then wonder why no one wants to drive around and show people some fine cars.
As for the race, it appears there is too much money going into it now, they are improving the circuit and they are bound to increase the cost for the tickets to recoup this. Bring back 1995!
As for the race, it appears there is too much money going into it now, they are improving the circuit and they are bound to increase the cost for the tickets to recoup this. Bring back 1995!
I have been about 4 or five times since 2000, didn't bother this year, frankly getting a bit bored with it, think its maybe getting a little bit too popular. Even the French roads seem to have got busier since 2000, used to be a great drive but now seem to be too many lorries cluttering up the route.
I realy ennjoyed it again this year, only downer being A handbag stolen from A friends Parents Tent while they were in it asleep 
Found by the guys at Team Langoustine minus a Granstand Ticket and Cash. They also found some French Pikey rummaging around there Gazebo..said he was looking for food..Yeah right.
Apart from that it was good Went to Town on Friday eve for the Parade and didnt get past the main Square Pubs at the start. Saturday was bad tring to get to Arnage Bend at about Midnight. racing was excellent especially GTs with many a twist. Admit the Diesel seem strange as the swoosh past.
Arnage meet on Friday was great too, Got shot at once inthe Face while driving which must admit if i had seen it coming I would have probably got out and lumped the Bloke, I dont mind it but direct in my face while driving
Great also to see so many Phers at such a great event.
if your peeved of with all the super soakers etc just dont go to Houx roundabouts on Friday night
BB
Found by the guys at Team Langoustine minus a Granstand Ticket and Cash. They also found some French Pikey rummaging around there Gazebo..said he was looking for food..Yeah right. Apart from that it was good Went to Town on Friday eve for the Parade and didnt get past the main Square Pubs at the start. Saturday was bad tring to get to Arnage Bend at about Midnight. racing was excellent especially GTs with many a twist. Admit the Diesel seem strange as the swoosh past.
Arnage meet on Friday was great too, Got shot at once inthe Face while driving which must admit if i had seen it coming I would have probably got out and lumped the Bloke, I dont mind it but direct in my face while driving
Great also to see so many Phers at such a great event.
if your peeved of with all the super soakers etc just dont go to Houx roundabouts on Friday night
BB
Apart from 1999 i have been every year since 1992
I think you have hit the nail on the head - It is still a great event and well worth a visit as the spirit and fun are still excellent but the race itself and the facilities are becomming more professional each year and it has lost the " feel " of a few years ago
to try and define the change - we used to drive around in the cars having fun and the odd burnout to cheers and applause but now all you get is soaked by idiots with super soakers if you dont stop and do a burnnout - our support car was a bmw diesel all in viper stripes and racing numbers but even with everything turned off and rolling backwards in reverse before flooring it you can only get about six inches before it grips and the idiots just think you messed up so soak you anyhow !!!
The drive down this year seemed awfully quiet to me and the overtaking and racing on the 138 from rouen seemed unusually quiet ( the elise in our group with the sports exhaust made up for the noise ! )
I will be back again next year but getting older and remembering the good old days are something my dad used to do and i swore it would never happen to me .......
Ty
I think you have hit the nail on the head - It is still a great event and well worth a visit as the spirit and fun are still excellent but the race itself and the facilities are becomming more professional each year and it has lost the " feel " of a few years ago
to try and define the change - we used to drive around in the cars having fun and the odd burnout to cheers and applause but now all you get is soaked by idiots with super soakers if you dont stop and do a burnnout - our support car was a bmw diesel all in viper stripes and racing numbers but even with everything turned off and rolling backwards in reverse before flooring it you can only get about six inches before it grips and the idiots just think you messed up so soak you anyhow !!!
The drive down this year seemed awfully quiet to me and the overtaking and racing on the 138 from rouen seemed unusually quiet ( the elise in our group with the sports exhaust made up for the noise ! )
I will be back again next year but getting older and remembering the good old days are something my dad used to do and i swore it would never happen to me .......
Ty
I've been loads of times (probably 10..) but feel it's become too sanitised and also too many yobs spoiling the fun.
Decided not going next year (or maybe after).. until I read the comments above I just assumed I was getting too old for it.
Maybe the Nurberg 24hr has more of the old Le Mans spirit ?
Plenty of other things to do with my time and dosh
Decided not going next year (or maybe after).. until I read the comments above I just assumed I was getting too old for it.
Maybe the Nurberg 24hr has more of the old Le Mans spirit ?
Plenty of other things to do with my time and dosh
Edited by rev-erend on Friday 23 June 22:35
This was our 4th Le Mans spread over about 15years and the best yet. It strikes me as funny that, before the event, there were threads about using water pistols and having a bit of fun, after the event and it's now become loutish behaviour. I must admit that I did not see anything that could be so described, Houx Annexe roundabout was a bit of damp fun and if you don't like it, don;t go there.
True, the approach taken by the organisers and teams has become more professional but that is the way of the world, even UK club racing is by far more slick than it was thirty years ago when I was racing. And the race (at least for the lead) is a forgone conclusion after the first hour but it has been since Tom Walkinshaw stopped racing the Jags and Mercedes moved on to formula one.
The Le Mans atmosphere is still there, the flash cars are still there, the loos are still awful and I'll be there again next year. If the "don't do that, it's naughty" brigade aren't there, perhaps it'll be a better place.
True, the approach taken by the organisers and teams has become more professional but that is the way of the world, even UK club racing is by far more slick than it was thirty years ago when I was racing. And the race (at least for the lead) is a forgone conclusion after the first hour but it has been since Tom Walkinshaw stopped racing the Jags and Mercedes moved on to formula one.
The Le Mans atmosphere is still there, the flash cars are still there, the loos are still awful and I'll be there again next year. If the "don't do that, it's naughty" brigade aren't there, perhaps it'll be a better place.
My third year in a row and it was the best yet for me. I did notice however the ever increasing dominence of Audi everywhere. It seems the Germans have switched their fascination of invading from Poland to Le Mans!
Audi even had a power advantage of 100bhp over the rest of the class - surely that's just not cricket eh?
On the tickets - Audi. On the bridges in Indianapolis - Audi etc.
Anyhow, great week, just a shame we didn't get the thunder storm towards the end of the race as promised!
Audi even had a power advantage of 100bhp over the rest of the class - surely that's just not cricket eh?
On the tickets - Audi. On the bridges in Indianapolis - Audi etc.
Anyhow, great week, just a shame we didn't get the thunder storm towards the end of the race as promised!
Fire99 said:
Sounds good and bad.
Sad thing is i'm hoping to go next year.. It'll be my first year so hopefully things will be back on the up next year.
Sad thing is i'm hoping to go next year.. It'll be my first year so hopefully things will be back on the up next year.
Fire99, you must go next year, don't be put off by the, I've been there more times than you Victor Meldrew brigade. It was my 1st time this year, I been wanting to go for years, and I did it, 2006. 1st impressions...........It was fantastic, the drive down, the drivers parade, the race, Houx campsite, the folks, the toilets, hang on, no, not the toilets. Everyone, race fan or not must live the Le mans 24hr at least once in their life time. I regret not getting a stadium seat but I will for 2007. I'm hooked, move over Victor Meldrew your time is up!
Audi was everywhere - not sure about the TDis but hey, Porsche didn't win GT2!
I thought the new village looked good (or it will do when it's completed!).
The tram track laying caused some disruption and my impression was the drivers parade was shortened because of it.
But the usual was all there - great convoys, great cars, thousands of petrolheads, great party atmosphere, great people - definitely a do before you die experience.
This year, I was mostly in convoy with a XJ220 on the way home.
31 bebee - I think I have you power extension cable - thanks for leaving us connected * - do you want it back soon ?
Cheers,
Andy.
* The wiring in Houx was as creative as ever. As I was camped by the dirt track I think I was connected via 3 other tents!
I thought the new village looked good (or it will do when it's completed!).
The tram track laying caused some disruption and my impression was the drivers parade was shortened because of it.
But the usual was all there - great convoys, great cars, thousands of petrolheads, great party atmosphere, great people - definitely a do before you die experience.
This year, I was mostly in convoy with a XJ220 on the way home.
31 bebee - I think I have you power extension cable - thanks for leaving us connected * - do you want it back soon ?
Cheers,
Andy.
* The wiring in Houx was as creative as ever. As I was camped by the dirt track I think I was connected via 3 other tents!
Second time to Le Mans, and wasn't really bothered by any increased 'yob' element. People have complained about the Houx Annex roundabout capers and people throwing stuff into peoples cars etc, (never ever acceptable....IMHO) and maybe we should start to distance ourselves from these people. People posted on the Le Mans forum about taking supersoakers before the event, and then we are suprised that people behave like naughty children with them.
We made it into Le Mans town for the drivers parade and stayed in some bars and met some great people. If we'd found ourselves in the middle of the 'brits-abroad' rabble, we'd have moved on, we didn't!, it was a great atmosphere. We got invited to a huge party with some of the Danish guys, which was again unique and could only happen at Le Mans.
I enjoyed this year much more than last, not because i got more drunk, or because i inhaled more tire smoke at the roundabout (i didn't stay because it was getting dangerous), or because i filled somebody's P&J with beer / water / p*ss (because i wouldn't want that to happen to mine..)..... i just felt much more chilled for the whole weekend.
The only down side was the presence of those blo*dy Audi diesel things. Shell and Audi should be ashamed for trying to smother this event!
Le Mans was great this year, even the racing was good (GT1 & 2 anyway) and we had a great time, and certainly will be going back next year.
We made it into Le Mans town for the drivers parade and stayed in some bars and met some great people. If we'd found ourselves in the middle of the 'brits-abroad' rabble, we'd have moved on, we didn't!, it was a great atmosphere. We got invited to a huge party with some of the Danish guys, which was again unique and could only happen at Le Mans.
I enjoyed this year much more than last, not because i got more drunk, or because i inhaled more tire smoke at the roundabout (i didn't stay because it was getting dangerous), or because i filled somebody's P&J with beer / water / p*ss (because i wouldn't want that to happen to mine..)..... i just felt much more chilled for the whole weekend.
The only down side was the presence of those blo*dy Audi diesel things. Shell and Audi should be ashamed for trying to smother this event!
Le Mans was great this year, even the racing was good (GT1 & 2 anyway) and we had a great time, and certainly will be going back next year.
At the parade, we had a frantic search for a different spot as our usual haunt wasn't on the route anymore. We managed to find a decent place on a corner, then a bunch of Danish guys turned up, singing English songs and when the guy said "Hello to the English", they were cheering and at some points being kind of offensive to other people, but they seemed to liven the atmosphere up substantially.
With this new Tram system going in, i think it will open up the whole area, apparently Houx Annexe is being removed and a new Stadium being built, possibly some hotels, the camping side is slowly slowly disappearing in favour of more revenue making venues. The village is nicer, the restaurant was a let down this year as the guys were very rude and the food wasn't as good as before. The Champagne tent was pretty wicked, enjoyed visiting that several times, even the guy who got arsey and stopped his car to get his axe out, how everyone laughed at him then!!!
Rock on 2007, but i'm afraid it might start to twindle if it becomes too commercial and restricted.
With this new Tram system going in, i think it will open up the whole area, apparently Houx Annexe is being removed and a new Stadium being built, possibly some hotels, the camping side is slowly slowly disappearing in favour of more revenue making venues. The village is nicer, the restaurant was a let down this year as the guys were very rude and the food wasn't as good as before. The Champagne tent was pretty wicked, enjoyed visiting that several times, even the guy who got arsey and stopped his car to get his axe out, how everyone laughed at him then!!!
Rock on 2007, but i'm afraid it might start to twindle if it becomes too commercial and restricted.
31 bebee said:
Hi Andy, t'was great to have met you. Re: extention cable, you are most welcome to keep it sir, and thank you for letting me plug in. Hope to see you next year, if you go!
Cheers,
Bebee
Edited by 31 bebee on Tuesday 27th June 14:29
Edited by 31 bebee on Tuesday 27th June 14:29
Thanks, I'll put it in my Le Mans box for next year!
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