24hr 16th/17th June

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
It's come round once again and its next week, with two evening sessions on 13th and 14th which will set the qualifying for the final grid.
Diesels and diesel hybrids are the favoured flavour this year so for the real petrol heads amongst us it would probably be a waste of a weekend. There really aren't any football types and the majority of the English LM entusiasts are fellow sports car drivers in their wonderful variety of British sports cars from over the years, of which examples of many of them have been entered in the race over the years.
The classic is a totally different event and I would never compare the two - probably and mainly because I haven't attended the classic. The one I do is all about endurance racing, very very strong traditions, and megga megga money and one or two rather bizzarre rules.

I work at the 24hr du Mans and my first visit was 1997 with the F1GTR team of Maclaren Cars and run by the Schnitzer team of Charly Lamm. For the last thirteen years it's been with the Joest team of Audi Motorsport [with one exception (Bentley) but the least said about that is probably for the better]. I don't normally have a whole load to do on the Friday of Le Mans week but this year I have a few invites for me and my small band of men to attend a couple of functions - which I supect the function of which is consuming beer.

If you are coming to the 24 hr send me an email on racemet at aol.com and may be we can make some time for a beer (or two).

Dave Morton
 

Keith

Moderator
Cheers David, I will be there in spirit with you - hopefully you will also have rum.

Don't forget to give those "English Football Hooligans" a jolly good telling off as well, the blighters. :shout:
 

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
I certainly will Keith. I will tell them in no uncertain terms to behave properly.
Nasty buggers.

Really funny on the ferry Portsmouth to Caen. I was using one of the recliner seats
and a motor cycling couple all dressed in sort of agressive leathers arrived in the lounge about one hour after the lights were dimmed. Falling over people they finally got to their seats - right in front of me - making loads of noise - and about half an hour she jumped up and screamed at a guy a couple or rows forward who was snoring ("DO YOU EFFING MIND")
She started snoring even louder so when the lights came on at breakfast time, I said to him " I have some stamped addressed postcards in my car. I'll get one for you. Please let me know which ferry you will be returning on so I can avoid it". I got some verbal abuse back but quite a few people in the cabin started shouting back at him.
On the Sunday night return ferry, guess what?
She was there but not him. And she was in a wheelchair and had to be helped into he lift. He wasn't there at all. Hope springs eternal - there might be a God after all.

Probably football hooligans.....
 

Jim Rosenthal

Supporter
But who helped her? Sounds like he or she needs a telling off. After all, they could have left her at the pier, no great loss....
 

Keith

Moderator
Well, I hope you're going to be OK David.. I hear that the English Mulsanne Massiv will be going this year. Do you have security?

They are a FEARSOME BUNCH, AROUND 100,000 OF THEM....THE BASTARDS :worried:

_41750044_win_getty416.jpg


Of course, it all started back in 1987 when Nigell Mansell barely escaped the hooligans with his life and bravely rescued Ayrton Senna from the baying wrath of The English Football Hooligans Motor Racing Possee.

This makes for shocking viewing so discretion is advised...

Nigel Mansell - Silverstone 1992 (track invasion + podium) - YouTube
 

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
Such awful awful people. Straight from the terraces at West Brom by the look of them. They should be banned from travelling and indeed even from breeding but thats too late I fear. They probably have sons and daughters who in turn should not be allowed anywhere near a motor racing circuit.
They should even be given serial numbers tattoed on their foreheads so to keep them apart and forced to wear funny striped clothes.
 

Keith

Moderator
Indeed David, it would make it easier for the Americans to identify them in Austin and/or New York.

This garb has been suggested:

010280981294200.jpg
 

Ian Anderson

Lifetime Supporter
David

If you are reading tis how about some info on weather expectations.

Eurosport says it was wet this morning so could be an interesting race

Ian
 

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
Indeed we had some periods of rain during morning warmup.
Agian after the sart we had very light rain from 1504 to 1511
though at the moment the sun has broken out. It will be a cold night tonight - down to about 14c - with a couple of periods of rain through the night.
By and large its a clear radar screen and we are having afternoon cream tea.
The only hoodlum I have encountered so far was an american but I won't go into that any further.
We are waiting for a hoard of British football fans to invade but so far we are having a party - and the Audi hospitality is sending us some lobsters and a salmon plus salad for dinner this evening. It's really hard this job.....................
Dave
 

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
Excellent dinner last night and I'm back on duty after my five hour break.
We are still in the lead x 3 with the two hybrids in p1 and p2.
Dumas has just stuffed the 4th car in the gravel.
Still a long way to go but nearly half way.
 

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
Paul, don't confuse this event with anything sporting. It's a money thing and them as have it win. Remember other manufactureres have done it in the past (even Ford).
I estimate this to cost $110m (£60+) without including the 90m long two storey pavilion.
In addition to that they have 1500 bottles (250 cases) of Premier Cru Champagne in the coolers which, alone, I think is about £80k. Somehow I think it will get used.
 
Paul, don't confuse this event with anything sporting. It's a money thing and them as have it win. Remember other manufactureres have done it in the past (even Ford).
I estimate this to cost $110m (£60+) without including the 90m long two storey pavilion.
In addition to that they have 1500 bottles (250 cases) of Premier Cru Champagne in the coolers which, alone, I think is about £80k. Somehow I think it will get used.

Understood David, maybe you need to increase your fee, they can obviously afford it!!!
By the way that champagne, that's you sorted. What about the rest? ;-)
 
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