Memorable moments

[Abs]

I am sure I am not alone in that some of my best/favourite memories have been from LM.

The one that really stands out (at the moment!!) was from last year, this was when the Bentley was pulled in for a stop & go penalty. What seemed like the whole of the crowd were whistling, shouting and using air-horns from the time the car pulled in to the time it went out.

I for one have not seen anything like this before, I hate to think what the atmosphere would have been like if the car hadn't managed to get away again.

These are the sort of things that drag us back each year, does anyone else have anything like this that stands out for them??

[Adam43]

1995, gone midnight, in the rain, at Indianapolis corner, listening to Radio Le Mans and watching JJ Lehto lap quicker than anyone else. Top.

1990 was good too. The last (ever) Jag victory. Wow.

Just two...

[Banks]

The Jag winning in 88 - the team survivors circled in formation for the last half hour and only just made it across the line because there were about three thousand people running down the hill around the Dunlop Curve to greet them (no safety fencing as we know it today!!)

[Speedworx]

Best moment...................

Bentley getting podium last year.

Most memorable............

Peter Dumbreck flying the Mercedes CLR

[SL]

1995, gone midnight, in the rain, at Indianapolis corner, listening to Radio Le Mans and watching JJ Lehto lap quicker than anyone else. Top.

I agree, tops, was he 10sec a lap quicker. We were around Esses / Tetre Rouge area.

Jean Rondeau getting a win, the last halfs batle with Ickx was quite something.

Both Jag wins.

Last year, all the flags waving, air horns etc when the Bentley roared past. Silence when the leading Audi's passed.

SL

[Adam43]

Originally posted by SL
I agree, tops, was he 10sec a lap quicker. We were around Esses / Tetre Rouge area.

Cool, opposite side of the circuit. I'm glad it was as good there too!

Jean Rondeau getting a win, the last halfs batle with Ickx was quite something.

Both Jag wins.

Bit early for me. My first year was 1990. At least I got to see one Jag win.

Last year, all the flags waving, air horns etc when the Bentley roared past. Silence when the leading Audi's passed.
SL

The emotions that those Audis stirred! Andy Wallace was great at the end. He loved it. Hopefully there will be more of that to come.

[AllonFS]

I know it has been mentioned before, but the magnificent 13.605km of Le Mans at 3.45pm on Sunday 2000 by one of the Porsche GTs with the bonnet flipped up and the driver half out of the car trying to see the track.

But like the Bentleys last year, it strangely got a much louder cheer than the winning Audis...

[iucrmh]

Sadly missed both Jaguar wins as I missed 1987 through 1994!
I also remember Lehto lapping so much quicker than anyone else in
the wet at night in 1995. For sheer drama though the windowless, bonnet up GT3 Porsche from 2000 takes my prize.

Fabio Babini came in (already without a screen - I think) for a routine stop within sight of the finish, lying 2nd in class (actually first in reality as the Dick Barbour Porsche was later disqualified). He reached the end of the pit lane and the bonnet flew up completely blocking his view. So he drove round the circuit at high speed hanging out of the door to reach his pit eight and a half miles later. Quick strapping down of the bonnet to great cheers and he exits to start a wheel banging battle to the flag with the ultimate class winner the Taisan GT3, sadly to go into the kitty litter somewhere (near the FOrd chicane?) on the penultimate lap. All for nothing.

I for one was delighted that he returned to win the class in the 2001 race (in the Seikel GT3 Porsche) after a very close battle again with the Freisinger GT3 Porsche (even out distancing the GTS Corvettes!!!).

[AllonFS]

iucrmh

Thanks for filling in the details on the Porsche incident. I will keep an eye out for Mr Babini this year, anything to add a little more interest to the GT battle.

[Aysedasi]

I've said this before Abs, but I'm more than happy to say it again.....

1986. My first Le Mans (none missed since). Standing on the assorted garden chairs, tables and whatever, leaning over the fencing at the Restaurant des 24 Heures on the Mulsanne Straight at around midnight on Saturday. Watching mesmerised as the Porsches and Jags hurtled past. (Doc Austin - your "Mulsanne Express" in real life!). That incredible sight and sound....

Even though I have done the same virtually every year since, the experience is one I will never forget.......

[Abs]

Originally posted by Aysedasi


1986. My first Le Mans (none missed since). Standing on the assorted garden chairs, tables and whatever, leaning over the fencing at the Restaurant des 24 Heures on the Mulsanne Straight at around midnight on Saturday. Watching mesmerised as the Porsches and Jags hurtled past. (Doc Austin - your "Mulsanne Express" in real life!). That incredible sight and sound....

Even though I have done the same virtually every year since, the experience is one I will never forget.......

It's a shame that this is not as good as it used to be, you can still view over the fence, but I remember sitting in the hedge with the Peugeots flying past. Shame you can't do that anymore, but hey who want a flying Merc landing on their head!!

[paulzinho]

Originally posted by Abs

Shame you can't do that anymore, but hey who want a flying Merc landing on their head!!

I DO!!!!!!

I loved that Porsche in 2000, watching on Tv (not the same I know).

As for family experiences, I cant remember any but theres a couple of interesting stories! I'll post them later when I've got more time!

[Liz]

I've only been there two years in person so far, but in 2000 standing at Indianapolis at 1:00 a.m. and seeing Karl Wendlinger throw the Viper down the escape road - it's the only one of my night pictures that came out showing anything but chain link fence and elicited a huge collective gasp, followed by a cheer as he rejoined and skurried off into the dark. Last year, the Bentley boys -- both in the garages (Andy Wallace and Butch Leitzinger were very accessible and so was Martin Brundle in the other car -- Brundle joked that we who were taking his picture "can sell that to the newspapers for a bundle!") and as they came out of the worst weather in living memory to take the Third Place. (I also noticed in 2000 that the Courage got more cheers than the Audis--and they seemed much more excited about the "win" too.) Any year, watching the brake disks glow and the BMWs shoot sparks out the back in the dark.

As far as the boring Audis go, I noticed the same thing at Montreal; no cheers for Michael Schumacher, biggest cheers for Jean Alesi's donuts and his throwing his helmet into the crowd.

Hans Stuck said that when you win once, they're cheering for you, when you win twice, they're glad you repeated, when you win three times, they're tired of you and cheer against you.

[jimclark]

'69, the Ickx/Herrmann duel. Two semi antique designs. Need I say more?

[Abs]

Originally posted by jimclark
'69, the Ickx/Herrmann duel. Two semi antique designs. Need I say more?

Nothing else need be said, I watched this again yesterday on La Ronde Infernale. What a great race and an unforgettable finish.

[Dan Friel]

1995. Late. Standing in the rain, necking Stella whilst watching Lehto make everyone else (Bell Jnr in particular) look 'Joe Average' was perhaps my best motorsport moment ever.

then bump starting my maets Fiat Uno down the Bugatti circuit spectator banking as we flattened the battery listerning to the radio.. roll on June.