SimHQ.com - Motorsports Zone - Feature: Le Mans

Situated nearby is the Radio Le Mans van and Autosport stands. Both of these are vital to any visit to Le Mans. Autosport is the premier motor racing publication. A weekly English publication, Autosport details every detail of every racing category outside the USA (USA coverage can be a little sketchy at times). Autosport is published every Thursday and is a must have for every motor racing fan, especially considering the last minute deals that are rife before the race itself. Radio Le Mans is the premier information service for any English speaking fan attending Le Mans. Radio Le Mans is often funny, usually irreverent and always excellent with constant information available to anyone with an FM radio.

Walking back up to the Esses you would see the fairground in front of you. This was usually defined by the enormous Ferris wheel and was worth a visit if only to see the incredible diversity to attractions on offer. Everything from freak shows to brothels were on offer and it was eye opening (to say the least!) just to wonder around the fairground. This year the fairground has been moved to the Porsche Curves and I fear that, like many parts of Le Mans, it will lose a lot of its character and become safer and more predictable.

You turn right before you reach the Dunlop Bridge and follow the track on the right hand side. The cars would swoop left and right as they tracked through the Esses (including one unforgettable experience as the cars would literally drive around you!). Finally you will reach Teartre Rouge and watch from the knoll above the curve as the cars slow for this final corner before accelerating down the Mulsanne straight. I was lucky enough to be present to watch and listen to the Ferrari 333SPs on their final outings and the sheer sound of the Ferrari V12 wail as they accelerated into the distance was electrifying.

One common misconception about Mulsanne is that people can see what is going on there. Aside from the Diamond television screens and a very few brave marshals no one is allowed on the Mulsanne straight — in fact there are few people allowed near the circuit before Mulsanne corner and the first decent grandstand after Mulsanne is Indianapolis — a great corner and one that has to be seen to be believed during the night time qualifying. Like eau Rouge or Turn 8 at Istanbul, Indianapolis has to be seen at night if you wish to call yourself a motor racing fan.

At the corner.

Vette.

Following the circuit around, there are few points of any interest either from a driver or a spectator until you reach the Porsche Curves. The Porsche Curves and their sister Ford Curves are the final chicanes leading to the pit lane and start/finish straight. Although the curves themselves are easy enough, fatigue and their on-camber / off-camber nature can lead to many a slip. I have seen such luminaries as Tom Kristiensen, Martin Brundle and Mario Andretti all lose it at this corner.

Heading back up you can see the enormous Race Control buildings in front of you. The cars not diving into the pits will accelerate hard past you. Driving a single lap of this great circuit is worth a hundred laps of somewhere like Magny Cours while the experience of racing at Le Mans is said by many who take part to be said to be second only to competing in a homeland Grand Prix.

If you have read this far you will almost certainly have tried Le Mans in one form or another on F1C or rFactor. All I can recommend is that you should save your pennies and go to the race at least once in your lifetime. I can guarantee you that the weather will not be fabulous (if your campsite isn’t washed away at least once, then you haven’t really been there!).

Expect a wonderful experience but, like the competitors, this is a long distance race, not a sprint! My last attendance at Le Mans was three years ago and the fastest car on the track was the pace car with the leading Bentleys and MGs struggling to keep up while being rained upon in almost biblical proportions. Despite the cold and the wet I wouldn’t have given it up for the world!

Start thinking about how you want to spend a weekend next June.

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