[LM24] La Sarthe/Arnage Track and Other Changes

[Kpy]

All access points are detailed on the ACO's map:
https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/faq/circuit-access

The old pedestrian entrance at Tertre Rouge is closed this year, but you can get access from Guetteloup tram stop to Tertre Rouge car park entrance by following Avenue du Panorama.

[GT6]

Originally Posted by Kpy

All access points are detailed on the ACO's map:
https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/faq/circuit-access

The old pedestrian entrance at Tertre Rouge is closed this year, but you can get access from Guetteloup tram stop to Tertre Rouge car park entrance by following Avenue du Panorama.

If that entry is open it means we can send out for supplies on bicycles that way

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

That's pretty cool. I'd hoped to be fit enough to do a track run this year but might need to slide that into next year. I'd end up stranded on the Mulsanne and ruined for race day.

I am so relieved to hear that Richard!
My conscience has been bad for quite a while for not training up to do that run with you

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by CTD

I am so relieved to hear that Richard!
My conscience has been bad for quite a while for not training up to do that run with you

We will just stick to beers and pizza on Friday this year. And get ready for 2023!

[Michel Vaillant]

There are few years, i had the occasion to attend at the road closing, during the night before test day.
It will be the same work tonight. At the moment, roads are still open for public trafic, but the works have already started. The official closing is for 3:30 am.

[Aysedasi]

That's an interesting insight Michel. What is your role in this?

[Michel Vaillant]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

That's an interesting insight Michel. What is your role in this?

It was during an internship for La Sarthe

[Graham Goodwin]

Some new and significant changes (none to the track itself)

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2022/...-for-2023.html

[Aysedasi]

I'm just hoping that they will sort out the farce of having coaches leaving from Parking Blanc during the race which not only made getting in and out of the car park ridiculously difficult (with the normal entrance closed) but caused traffic carnage late on the Saturday night of the race, so much so that a 15-20 minute trip out to Arnage took the best part of an hour and a half, most of it queuing nose to tail along the main circuit road.

[Simmi]

What I found kind of weird is that they made that Don Panoz foot bridge near the main entrance, then stopped people driving through that entrance gate anyway, rendering it pointless.

[bella]

i was hoping for more women’s toilets especially in the paddock area but no, apparently the aco needs a clubhouse first

[Akrapovic]

It took about a century for them to recognise that spectators are people and need to use bathrooms. It may take another century for them to recognise that women are also people and need to use bathrooms.

[S griffin]

I guess they didn't think that many people would need the toilet at the same time. It's a bit silly they can't see any reason to add more khazis, when it would be convenient for them all

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I guess they didn't think that many people would need the toilet at the same time. It's a bit silly they can't see any reason to add more khazis, when it would be convenient for them all

Having been going to Le Mans since 1986, I can assure you that the loo provision is way way better than it was back then. For many years I routinely packed a toilet roll as it was a better option to wander off into the forest than use any of the toilets in the main circuit area. The red toilet blocks only arrived when the Village was turned into a more F1 style merchandising area. We do of course still have the '****-wall' behind the grandstands...

One thing that was disappointing is the removal of the temporary toilet block at the bottom of the hill on the inside of the Esses. Instead they put up wooden 'single seaters' which thankfully I didn't have to use, but those who did (including my son's partner) were left scarred for life by the experience......

It is of course a big advantage being an ACO member and having a seat in T17/18 - very nice loos downstairs....

[GT6]

Oh yes the bogs at le mans now are so much better than they were in the eighties, but in comparison to othet sporting events they are not exactly leading the way. The new block at the end of our campsite(TR) has improved things for the campers and the other part open to the general enterance is also up to modern standards but other parts of the circuit are certainly due for upgrades to the facilities

[Anyopenroad]

The big change I’d love LM to make is a roaming grandstand ticket valid at times when the stands aren’t busy, ie basically the whole race apart from the first and last three hours. It is very frustrating to be barred from largely empty stands because you can only buy a ticket for one. This year it wasn’t even possible to buy tickets for multiple grandstands without adding a GA ticket for each one.

[Aysedasi]

Yes, a roving ticket, perhaps based in one GS but available at quieter times for the others is a good idea. If need be, a small reasonable premium (say €10) on the price would actually net the ACO more profit. I didn't realise that this year you had to buy an entrance ticket with each GS ticket. I know we had the double ticket for the first time, but assumed that other GS tickets could be bought separately.

[Adam43]

I’ve been lucky to get a free grandstand ticket from a friend in a team in previous years due to no shows. #humblebrag Being able to go into more than one grandstand felt like the height of decadence.

[Aysedasi]

Of course on Wednesday and Thursday you can freely roam the grandstands (except T17/T18 as they're members only) which gives you the chance to watch a session from a different vantage point. Back in the 00's I twice had two grandstand seats, T34 and Dunlop one year and T34 and Tertre Rouge in another. But I only sat in the second seat for about an hour at night so it was a bit of a waste of money. To be honest, during the race, I only watch from the grandstand for the first 2-3 hours and the last 2-3 hours (actually maybe more on Sunday afternoon as I'm too tired to walk around!), as there are so many other vantage points to check out, particularly out at Indianapolis/Arnage (my favourite part of the circuit) and Mulsanne (the viewing from which has been hugely improved by the changes there).

[broadrun96]

And here we are at Road Atlanta complaining about the bogs not having a couple bolts to hold one in place and another missing 1 bolt at Turn3/4 comfort station. Sounds like that would be an upgrade at le Sarthe. But we have GREAT service with the portalets every couple hours and they are always clean.

[GT6]

Well us old timers will always remember the good old days at le mans when the loos were a thing you would never forget, no matter how hard you try. THB the loos at le sarthe are pretty good these days.

[GCCheddaris]

I visited the 24 Hours in 1991 with Chequers Travel who took their own portaloos with them from the UK. Mind you, spending a penny in Chequers own loos cost you 50 pence.

[racerkeke]

Originally Posted by bella

i was hoping for more women’s toilets especially in the paddock area but no, apparently the aco needs a clubhouse first

This year was the very first time we had an additional portapotty at the station just for the women marshals. I was gobsmacked. It's only taken 17 years. Now can we discuss commissaire showers?

[S griffin]

Does it really cost that much for extra portaloos? At least they got them now. So there is some progress. Maybe they just expect all the campers to have their own facilities at their disposal?

[Aysedasi]

One of the advantages of being a 'namby-pamby'.......