[LM24] Le Mans 2004 (General Stuff)

[Craig]

Well this time last year I posted the following having just returned from LM:

Sounds a long way away but I know many of you are already putting together your plans for next year, so now seems the best time to ask the question...

Can we organise a proper meet up at some point next year which we can all get along to ? Either on the Friday when, apart from the loonies on the Mulsanne there is little else to do (okay, I know some of us don't want to miss that either!!) or sometime during the race - maybe at Arnage at midnight ??

Anyone reckon it's a good idea ? I was looking forward to meeting half a dozen new peeps but ended up seeing only TimD, SL and Nordic. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but it'd have been nice to meet more!

Sadly, thanks to my employers () I was unable to make it in the end but here we go - a thread all set for 2004!! Start the planning here folks...

[JAG]

2004 Should be exciting with the new cars.

[Fab]

Here we are : the worst day of the year, the one following the race... I feel a bit depressed, so long to wait now, but there's something new : as JAG pointed it out above, things should change significantly, with new projects expected...

Good bye Bentley, be seeing you I hope !

Hello Piper Design !

And what will decide Courage ? A GTP for next year ?

Some concerns about Pescarolo Team : Henri talks of possible bankrupcy if doesn't get enough money from his sponsors...

Maybe could we start to debate about the teams we could see on the grid... and for those teams, with which cars... what for the RFH ?

Debating of this thread with RDJones, he said that we could expect Maserati for sure next year, but no way to get an Aston Martin...

[rdjones]

Just back, where do I sign - only 364 days to go..........

[Stephen Green]

I'm hoping to make my first vist there as a marshal next year...fingers crossed!

[pirenzo]

Yippeeeee! Well, i'm seriously looking forward to next year.
Courage, Piper Design, Audi, and Lister are the ones that i'm going to be following with interest. Yes, Probably goodbye to Bentley, but i reckon it's not the last we'll see of it this year (well, it's not the last at least i'll se of it, it'll almost certainly be at Goodwood)

I have to say i would absolutely love to see a Courage GTP, i mean how stunning would that be?

[Aysedasi]

Just woke up having got back home at 1 a.m. this morning (Tuesday). There might not be much evidence of me here today, as I catch up on sleep.....

[Namlot]

Just signed on since getting back last night - this morning
What a brilliant weekend -(Week)
Started plannuing for next year - Car full already

Trying to stay focused on things to do today like work tomorrow and cleaning the car tent etc today

See you next year

[paul-collins]

Coming from Canada, here are my options:

1. Fly in UK
a. rent a car, duplicate Michael Delaney's ride in
b. join a coach tour and let them take care of it (preferably earlier in the week

2. Fly in Paris
a. rent a car (see above)
b. take the train

I'm going to try to stretch it so that we're there at least in time for first qualifications. So I think I'll need a car regardless.

I had a good experience April 2002 driving around in a Renault Scenic, but this time I won't have an ankle biter with me, and might "sport up" in the car department.

How does one go about hooking up with accommodations? I'm not sure if we'll want to join a family, maybe make friends with Team Bucknum so that we can stay at a castle or settle in to the fine camp that Liz joins.

All this to say I'll be following this thread with great interest.

[SL]

Have the dates for 2004 been released yet ?

SL

[rdjones]

Not to my knowladge but I reckon it will be 12/13 June but just a word of warning, not that must people here will be going but the BTCC will be at Mondello Park in Ireland on the same weekend.

[Liz]

Paul Collins, speak to Gilles about accommodations. He has all kinds of connections, being right on the scene, and if you decide not to camp (which IMO would be a BIG mistake as you'd spend too much time in traffic) he could probably get you something comfy and nearby.

I shall be there and as soon as I am unpacked and have my house cleaned up, I will start making my plans. Item 1 on my list: GET SOME KIND OF A BATTERY OPERATED FAN! Millions will flock to my desk at the Media Centre. Not to mention the invitations I'll get (or the fan will) to the Audi and Bentley hospitality suites!

I made some excellent contacts this year and look forward to seeing the Zonda do 20 laps in 2004.

Meanwhile the search for a Spyker Squadron jacket goes on.

[Fab]

Originally posted by Liz
Meanwhile the search for a Spyker Squadron jacket goes on.

How sad ! I bought my Bentley jacket this year, not wanting to wait 73 years for their next coming

How about a DEBORA jacket ? Silly me, you'd prefer a NORMA jacket !

[Dan Friel]

Without having to phone France and ask, does anyone know how I go about ordering tickets for next years race.. Do you know whether I have to write to the ACO?? And do they want cash up front??

(this all in a vain effort to avoid the last minute panic of this year!)

Cheers

Dan

[Liz]

You can order tickets on the ACO website. However, you'll still have plenty of last minute panic, as the ACO don't actually send the tickets until the day you are leaving.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Fab


How about a DEBORA jacket ? Silly me, you'd prefer a NORMA jacket !

After this year's Le Mans, I think I'll have to transfer my "allegiance" from the Debora to the Norma! It still beggars belief that the car got an entry from the ACO.....

[The Brethren]

Originally posted by Dan Friel
Without having to phone France and ask, does anyone know how I go about ordering tickets for next years race.. Do you know whether I have to write to the ACO?? And do they want cash up front??

(this all in a vain effort to avoid the last minute panic of this year!)

Cheers

Dan

Best way is by e-mail or by fax, they won't take telephone orders. They will send an order acknowledgement, but not for a while yet. Once you've got that you should be allocated a client number, you can then chase your order by phone or e-mail quoting that, it makes it much easier.
All the details should be available on the ACO website, if not call the clubline and get it from them, they speak pretty good English there if you stuggle with Franglais. You'll finally get a confirmation invoice, then you can stop sweating as the tickets are yours.
But as Liz said, you'll still panic like a loon as this is an integral part of the whole Le Mans experience. Best thing to do is to go to pre-qualifying in May and pick them up yourself to save yourself the stress.
Good excuse to see more cars and the restaurants serve proper food rather than the poor excuse generally served up over the race weekend.
Rusty

[Dan Friel]

I'll give sending a fax a go.. shall try sending a VISA card number!!

Quite enjoy this last minute panic malarchy.. makes the whole experience much more satisfying when (if) you get there!

[paul-collins]

Is it worthwhile to join the ACO before purchasing your tickets?

[PascaLM]

Originally posted by paul-collins
Is it worthwhile to join the ACO before purchasing your tickets?

Yes it is.

If you write or send an e-mail, then they can send you the list of grandstand and the prices.
After having purchased your tickets once, they will automatically send you a proposition for the next year. As far as i know, that's what they do towards french "veteran" spectators.

adress :

Service Réservations

Automobile club de l'ouest

Circuit des "24 heures"

72019 LE MANS CEDEx

[Ali*]

Hello, I noticed a thread which seemed to highlight some of the Stereotyped "British" behaviour which went on at Le Mans this year. I was wondering if anyone could recomend which campsites are best for a caravan containing an 18 year old, and a 53 year old father who might want some sleep instead of being woken up at 4 am by wild partys in the tent next door. I'm not saying we're completely strict no nonsense people, I think the idea i'm trying to say is we're more off for the racing side of Le Mans than the drinking. If anyone would be able to reply i'd be grateful.. Well back to A level revision i go then...

[Fab]

Originally posted by Ali*
we're more off for the racing side of Le Mans than the drinking.

My dear Ali, we're delighted to you on the TT Sportscars Forum. Even if some of us could appreciate sometime a good glass of wine, we deliberately put our passion for the LM race before the rest, and that's why we go there, for some of us for a very long time...

I had the pleasure to be the guest of BernardB and his team mate Dominique (who don't drink alcool AT ALL - yes it's possible) in the Tertre Rouge campsite, on friday noon, and they pointed out - Bernard could give more precisions about that - that it was very quite and that they had perfect nights, with correct behaviors all around... as I only went in this campsite this year, I don't know how it was elsewhere... but if I had to chose, I'd take this small campsite, which is practicle to watch the race from the La Chapelle esses (Tertre Rouge esses)...

[The Brethren]

Originally posted by paul-collins
Is it worthwhile to join the ACO before purchasing your tickets?

The real benefit is the discount that you get on the tickets(up to 6) and being able to purchase ACO grandstand seats albeit only 2 per member.
You don't need join before ordering, but you will need to before paying for your tickets.
There is no priority for tickets either, this is a myth, it is purely first come first served, so get your order for camping passes and grandstands in smartish as they sell out very quickly.
The entrance tickets dont need to be pre-ordered as they are available on the day.
ACO membership also gets you into the ACO hospitality plus up to 5 pals (5euros each) and has a bar, big screen several TV's good bogs and a pleasant outside seating area. Very good during the night if you need a refuge.
Rusty

[The Brethren]

Originally posted by Dan Friel
I'll give sending a fax a go.. shall try sending a VISA card number!!

You don't need to send a visa card number to place your order as they will ask you for that when you receive you final invoice after the ticket order confirmation. They give you 2 weeks to pay up, but they seem to be asking for payments very early these days, it used to be around april/may time that you had to cough up , but some guys I know were paying around September and earlier last year.
There seemed to be a major cock up with campsite allocations, and having seen the monster Audi stage built for the JK concert this year it became obvious what had happened, the ACO lost at least half of one of the larger campsites to accomodate that twerp.
Rusty

[Cynic]

After this year's Le Mans, I think I'll have to transfer my "allegiance" from the Debora to the Norma! It still beggars belief that the car got an entry from the ACO.....

I'm considering entering my 1985 Nissan Sunny for next yaers race so that the Norma has something it can actually beat! Who want's to bet that TVR don't get an entry next year (assuming of course they try for one)?