[LM24] The LM24 Classic 2023

[RL17]

Looks a bit wet for endurance legends on the you tube live feed

[Gerard C]

For those having interest or curiosity in what was the real thing, this link might entertain you, one lap with Sir Stirling Moss in 1956, on board a D Type Jag':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpRFagIbcPE

Yes, roads were not closed, t'was for the pictures only. Compared to this, the LM 66 movie is rather Hollywood style. But I'm biased because I think Steve McQueen version was the best ever so far and some of my friends took part.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by RL17

Looks a bit wet for endurance legends on the you tube live feed

Correct they have showers, one Q session has been redflagged. And many penalties for not respecting YF, pitlane speed limit, SZ's max speed and stuff!


You'll often read that Dunlop brake discs did help Jaguar cars to overperform the competitors, which is true, but not so often that the brand had developped a complicated system (sophisticated?) to supply additional brake pressure via a mechanical pump driven by the gearbox. If I'm correct its working only when either third or fourth gear was engaged. Mastervac effect I'd say. A famous specialist here: https://jacobengineering.co.uk/index...-type-gearbox/

[Gerard C]

For Andrew's eyes and ears only (pump up the volume)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND_Ig1VVVPU

[Gerard C]

RL17, is this the link you're referring to?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIDgA2TJqWA

[Gerard C]

If I had to retain one team/car image over the years it would be a 935 Porsche. More likely one: the red Hawaiian Tropic. Mind you that it was possible for a team to compliment its venue with groovy grid girls in swimming suits. Boy ho boy, soooo groovy babes. Streng verboten in diesen Tagen… https://www.editionsiconiques.fr/24-...es-grid-girls/ If you too love… Porsches, enjoy!

[GT3_Fan]

Are there concerns of rioters in Le Mans right now?

[Gerard C]

Can only say about Paris, parisian suburbs (10M people), Marseille Toulouse and several major towns, yes its a concern to say the least. ACO being the biggest employer of the region and remaining closely anytime to the gov' I hope this will be kept away. At least for this weekend. Fingers crossed.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by GT3_Fan

Are there concerns of rioters in Le Mans right now?

I've received texts from the organisers the last couple of days to advise me that the public transport network in and around Le Mans is shutting down early, 20:15, to follow guidelines set out by the government. That information is also being shown on the giant screens here regularly. As far as I'm aware, Laval is the closest town to Le Mans which has been affected. The TV news channels have wall to wall non stop coverage, there is nothing else going on in the world apart from these riots, or so it would seem.

I was due to meet friends in the centre of Le Mans for dinner this evening, after The Classic has finished, but we've abandoned that plan as a precaution, and are now meeting up elsewhere.

[Gerard C]

Wise decision you made Bentley, I'm living in a west parisian suburb supposed to be quite and to give you an idea, all bus lines are not working. And for once, its not a strike. Better stay home…

[Gerard C]

Good news, lesson learnt from this year LM 24, the marshalls wave a blue flag in the straight to frighten the wild squirrels. Bad news, it seems to attrack the crows. Nothing's perfect!

[Gerard C]

The Group C race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzU3f-ArwBA

[RL17]

Quite a lot of Group Cs seemed to bounce/oscillate quite violently on bits of Mulsanne and/or tyre rubbing issues.

Didn’t see any of that in main race

Was Classic busy - saw a few bits on you tube and stands pretty empty, but then I did fall asleep in the late first Plateau (just like last year on the Sunday in the T17 or 18)

[Gerard C]

Good question. Obviously the track was busy but the attendance seems to me rather poor. As to the oscillations seen in GroupC I suspect they had to cope with french tyres when they had Avons before. If it has been fixed prior to the race its certainly because those cars are cherished by profesional teams. It was the case in period.

[Gerard C]

Officially 235 000 spectators. Hummm

[Aysedasi]

That seems a heck of a lot.....

[Gerard C]

When I was deeply involved into the very much competitive Championnat de France d'Endurance reserved to Classics, VHC* in our words, we used to say: Do you know the difference between 24 Heures du Mans and 12 Heures du Mans historiques? Simple: after thirty minutes of the 24H race, every spectator knows all the drivers' firstname. After thirty minutes of the 12H historic race, every driver knows every spectator's first name…
(*Véhicules Historiques de Compétition)

[Bentley03]

To say that there was no interest in the races would be an exaggeration, but you could pick your spot absolutely anywhere around the circuit with plenty of space around you. The 'action' is centred around the infield where you have the paddocks and car clubs, the pre grid holding area, anywhere where you could see the cars close up. There are numerous giant screens scattered around the infield which helped encourage people not to bother to go trackside. Giant screens along pit straight and that was it, nothing at Raccordement, Esses, Tertre Rouge, Arnage or Mulsanne. I used the live stream on my phone to follow the races, unless I was sitting in T17.

There was a huge crowd for sure, but they were (in general) reluctant to spend much time trackside.

As Gérard says, it's nothing like the 24 hour race, because the racing at The Classic doesn't matter, people go for the other stuff.

[GT6]

Well made it down and back in one piece, first classic for a few years and things have changed, got to campsite on thursday and it was hard to see claasic cars amongst the sea of camper vans, mostly on french plates. Very different from the last one i went to 5 or 6 years ago. The Classic car stands were mostly full of brand new super cars on the way from the camp to the race track but the french car clubs did seem to have Classic cars mostly of british makes. Spectators were lower than the main event but still well up on te last classic i attended with saturday particularly busy. A good trip but i suspect i will give the clssic for the next year.

[dwh43scale]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

There was a huge crowd for sure, but they were (in general) reluctant to spend much time trackside.

As Gérard says, it's nothing like the 24 hour race, because the racing at The Classic doesn't matter, people go for the other stuff.

Not unlike the Silverstone Classic by the sound of things. Saw lots of cars from LM at Calais as we returned from Spa 24. Amid the veritable sea of Porsches (and a Sagaris), there was a glimpse of a yellow Ford GT - seen again queuing at Dartford - owned by Ford and returning to Dagenham, perhaps ?

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by dwh43scale

Not unlike the Silverstone Classic by the sound of things.

I almost made that reference in my post. And, my attitude towards future potential attendance is the same too. I've done it, thoroughly enjoyed it, but won't be rushing back any time soon. It probably doesn't help that I was still on a massive high from the actual centenary race a couple of weeks previously. I spent much of my time at The Classic fondly reminiscing about that.

Anyway, if historics and car clubs are your bag, you'll be in heaven, but for me the appeal was limited, even if I was thoroughly enjoying myself. The Group C's and Endurance Racing Legends were magnificent (just read the entry lists), the sight of 70 almost hundred year old Bentley's was really 'something', but my lasting impression was that none of it really mattered.

[Truckosaurus]

Doing both the 24hrs and Classic within a couple weeks of each other is certainly an overdose. Especially for those traveling some distance to get there.

The timings for the Classic are also peculiar to that event with the 'racing' not starting until 4pm (or is it 3?) whereas other events would have started at lunchtime at the latest.

I've lost track of where they are on their 2 years cycles due to Covid cancellations, reschedules and 100 year specials - when's the next event, 2024 or 2025?

[AstonGeoff]

Originally Posted by Truckosaurus

Doing both the 24hrs and Classic within a couple weeks of each other is certainly an overdose. Especially for those traveling some distance to get there.

The timings for the Classic are also peculiar to that event with the 'racing' not starting until 4pm (or is it 3?) whereas other events would have started at lunchtime at the latest.

I've lost track of where they are on their 2 years cycles due to Covid cancellations, reschedules and 100 year specials - when's the next event, 2024 or 2025?

I believe the next event is 2024 and back to the even number years cycle.
We went to the first few events when it was later in the year, a much better gap from the 24hrs. TBH got bored with it, pretty much the same cars every time. Only good addition is the Endurance Legends IMHO.

[GT6]

i think the classic is now annual, where it was once owned/organised by the classic car people it is now run by peterauto a commercial organisation and with le mans desperate for money generated by these events there will be little resistance to it happening every year. The days of 30k classic car people turning up are long gone and for the aco and le mans itself this must rank above the other events at the circuit for generating much needed income.
I was very surprised this year how the demographics of the classic has changed the english now very much in the minority and french making up the majority of the campers and day visitors this year

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by AstonGeoff

I believe the next event is 2024 and back to the even number years cycle.
We went to the first few events when it was later in the year, a much better gap from the 24hrs. TBH got bored with it, pretty much the same cars every time. Only good addition is the Endurance Legends IMHO.

As far as I recall, it was only the first Classic in 2002 that was later in the year (September) as I went. Having it so close after the 24 Hours since then has made it a complete no-no for me.