The official programme for the week had indicated that there would be a pitwalk all afternoon from 2 pm so we walked down behind the pits to see if that was the case. I had done the pitwalk before on the Tuesday, but normally getting in 'by stealth' rather than official intention however this time we had no difficulty getting in, although we did have to walk around from the pitlane entrance to do it.
I have a vague recollection (as I write this some seven months later!) that we may have taken some lunch before the pitwalk but beyond that, I just can't remember!). For those who have braved the throngs of people for the pitwalk on Friday, walking the pitlane on Tuesday is quite a revelation as there are nowhere near as many people there as there always are on Friday and it was easy to see cars (and some drivers). I did however resist the temptation to reel off hundreds of photographs this year. They were also doing a tyre-changing challenge with each team trying to set the fastest time.
We did see Fabio Scherer, one of the drivers of the Inter Europol Oreca #43 posing for some media photographs outside their pit. The things drivers have to do these days.... We also paused outside the Jota pits to take in the fabulous livery of their two P2 cars, spotting also Will Stevens and (I think) Jonathan Aberdein as well.
As we neared the end of our swift visit to the pits we bumped into Le Mans 'royalty' in the shape of 'Mr Le Mans' Tom Kristensen, for whom the Le Mans pitlane is now a different place of work....
After finishing our pitwalk we headed back out under the circuit ready for the walk back to the car. My wonderful wife had supplied Lauren with some funds to get me a belated birthday present at the circuit and as we walked back we popped into the small ACO shop behind the grandstands where I decided upon a rather nice little set of espresso cups, each of which carries a Le Mans car design through the years. They now sit on display in my study - a nice little reminder of the trip.
And so we come to the return to the hotel.... As this part of the story is being written many months after the event, I find my memory clouded to an extent even greater than usual as my mood after the event wasn't conducive to making my usual notes of things done, where and when. This will sadly be a feature on several of the pages which follow. My vague recollection is that on route back we almost certainly paid a shopping visit to Auchan and then later went for dinner, at the Old Wild West, if my (and Lauren's!) memory serves me correctly!
