Le Mans Classic: Pic of the Week
A moment of calm in the heat of La Sarthe
By the time you read this most of the PH team will be back down in Le Mans for the Classic. There's a chance you might be too, if you're booked onto the PistonHeads campsite, or signed up for our Friday Service - but, just in case you're not, here's a look at what you're missing out on.
The beauty of Le Mans Classic is twofold. Firstly, there's the chance to see, hear, feel and smell some of the most beautiful, popular, and successful cars in the history of the famous race. It is a visceral experience; the reverberations shuddering through you as the deafening roar of a field of classic racers thunders past. People may complain that cars - and race cars in particular - aren't what they used to be, and they may be right, but at Le Mans Classic they are, and all the golden eras are happening at once.
Secondly there's the access. Attendance in 2016 was a record-breaking 123,000 - less than half the number of people that attend the 24 Hours - which makes finding a good spot so much easier. Fewer roads around the circuit are closed, meaning getting out to the Mulsanne Straight to see a Ford GT40 roaring wheel-to-wheel with a Ferrari 275 into the darkness isn't a pipedream. And of course, the paddocks are much more accessible to non-VIPs, making witnessing moments like the one in this picture all the more likely.
It may be a different format to the 24 Hours, but racing at the Classic still lasts well into the night. Even in the midst of the constant speed and sound, though, there are still moments of quiet calm, when drivers pray that their cars will get back out on track and mechanics get down on their knees and get to work.
So if you're missing out on Le Mans Classic this year, I implore you to make plans for 2020. For anyone with a passion for motorsport, it's as close to a religious experience as it gets.
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