The build up to the start of
the 24 Heures du Mans was as inspiring as it is every year and although the
lengthening of the Ten Tenths meeting has now tended to cut down the time that
we have to enjoy the pre-race 'festivities', I still enjoyed them and was able
to spot a number of drivers, both past and present, mingling down on the track
in front of us.
Soon however, the 'show' was
under way and the cars flashed past both the start/finish line and my camcorder's lens for the first
time, the 83rd running of the world's greatest motor race was under way.
The race opened to what we all hoped would be an epic battle between Audi and
Porsche with, rather sadly, Toyota falling back at a rate of knots in what
seemed almost a forlorn performance when compared to the front-running effort of
last year's clear favourites.
This turned out to be a real
mammoth session for us in T17. Its one of those aspects of the race that
we particularly enjoy, just sitting, watching the race unfold in front of us,
getting to the first set of pit stops and then on for several hours viewing the
activity in the pits as well as on the track. From those atmospheric
moments as the cars make their way around that first pace lap and then burst
through in front of us, the grandstand gradually empties as people head off,
perhaps back to the campsites to get the barbecue going, or off to dinner
somewhere, or just to watch the race from somewhere else, but we sit tight.
In 2014, we had left the stand at about 5.45 to go to the Espace Club to meet
Allon and Nane (as well as Andy and Julie). Allon was out and about again
this year as he didn't have a grandstand seat and he texted me just before 6 pm, again
at 6.50 and once more at 7.15, but we were still firmly glued to our seats! In T17, we
have the advantage of food and drink 'on tap' and nice loos, so we don't have to
wander off anywhere for refreshments or a watering stop!
At 8.45, fully 7 hours after
we had entered the grandstand and already nearly at quarter distance in the race we
finally decided it was time to get up and stretch our legs. It had been an
extraordinarily long time to stay in one place but really didn't feel like it at
all, so absorbed were we in the race. I suppose its a clear illustration of our priorities. We go to Le Mans each year to
enjoy ourselves of course, but more than anything else we go to watch the race -
after all, it only happens once a year....
