[LM24] 24 Hrs of Le Mans Attendance?

[anthonyvop]

Does anybody know what was the spectator attendance at this years 24 hrs of LeMans?

[The Badger]

I heard it said on RLM that about 280.000 were there this year .

[ss_collins]

The figure I saw was 258,000

[Dani Filth]

I was there .. it's all that counts

[naughtymutt]

the ACO where expecting up to 280,000

Actual attendance was around 260,000. Dont know if it was me, but it didnt seem as crowded as previous years

[Aysedasi]

There seemed a lot of people there during the night - more than I usually encounter on my nocturnal travels......

[GTfour]

I noticed that too. The trafficjams towards Arnage at 01:00 made the otherwise 5 minute drive last over an hour...

[Le Vieux]

Subjective Impressions

Our road into Arnage Corner at 08.00 on Saturday was deserted, likewise the banking between Indianapolis and Arnage all day until 15.00.

Generally speaking no traffic hold ups in Arnage town, whereas we normally reckon on long delays.

Left the circuit at 15.05 on Sunday and were back in our campsite by 15.45 - some 20kms away (just try that at Silverstone after any major meeting!)

Had I not seen the figures quoted by others, I would have guessed that total attendance was no greater than 225,000 or thereabouts.

[Aysedasi]

Likewise my subjectives.....

a) Friday pitwalk - there didn't seem to me to be as many people there as usual....

b) Group C race - Saturday morning - Mulsanne Corner - pretty packed.

c) T34 - I know this stand does take a long time to fill up, but it seemed half empty for a very long time and from my view from Lagache, it was half empty again within an hour of the start...

d) Mulsanne Corner at night - about 12.30 pm, I guess - absolutely packed.

e) Tertre Rouge at 4.10 am when the rain started - a lot more people there than the handful I shared the corner with at the same time last year.

It's difficult to say, isn't it? I personally didn't feel as though there were quite as many spectators there this year.

[Justin Moran]

IIRC RLM gave the official figure as 258,500 but I noticed alot more nightime activities than the prevous year. otherwise it didnt seem to be too crowded for the numbers given.

[renkadima]

I wasn't there myself this year, but could the trams have been a factor in the reduced traffic?

[Lusitano]

258,000 is what I read.

[GT6]

I would certainly think that the British were down on last year, camping tickets on ebay not selling as the race approached and I think the reasons were a combination of last years weather and the choice this year of going to the classic 24 hour. However I also noticed that at 4.30 on Sunday morning the circuit was no were near as empty as previous years and at the start of the race the area just after the dunlop was very full. I think that the french were there in greater numbers than usual so 260,000 seems about right to me.

[ss_collins]

Certainly more French - but next year with a full P1 Aston going...

[DaveGT6]

Didn't seem too busy this year to me. The bank on the run down from Dunlop to Esses at start of race was far from full and got a good spot at the finish near the end of pits straight too without the usual crowding issues. I also noticed that campsite tickets weren't selling on EBay BUT when we got to Houx Annexe on Thursday it was completely full. We managed to get a spot but I think any ticket holders after us were turned away. With the changes being made that have eaten up the camping areas this is going to be a problem. I wasn't impressed.

[The Badger]

I thought the qualifying days were very poorly attended , but I was happy enough about that , as I didnt have to climb over anybody to get near the track ..... but come race day the place was packed ..... maybe something to do with the European Football Championships too .

[Aysedasi]

I seem to recall RLM said 45,000 for the Wednesday qualifying - that doesn't sound too shabby to me......