[LM24] Le Mans - Your favourite grandstand and why?

[Mal]

I ve been thinking about grandstand seats for our group for next year. The Last few years we have been in LaGache (Michelin), prior to that we were over the pits.

La Gache is a great spot for watching the start and the pits and you get a fair view of the big screen. There is a distant view of the ford chicane and the pit entry, but if you are too low down your view is obscured by the fencing and the crowd. The stand offers shade from the afternoon sun and good shelter from rain

The pits are really high up and give a great view of the straight but not much else You can only see the pits by hanging over the front railings and your are so high the the impression of speed is quite diminished. You use to get good access to the rear paddock and a good view of the run from the Porsche Curves to the Ford Chicane when you look over the back. They also offer little shade from the afternoon sun and can sometimes allow you to get we if there is driving rain as the roof is so high.

I am interested in what people think of the various stands and their advantages and disadvantages.

I was wondering about the stands further up the straight T12 - 16, I think. Does anyone have experienceof these, what are they like? Do you still see the big screen and can you see the Dunlop Chicane from any of them.

Your comments would be appreciated.

Cheers

Mal

[paul-collins]

T14 (Barnato)

drawbacks were looking down the straight toward s/f - the pre-start lineup was almost entirely obscured by fences - pits, you can't see because the overhead stuff (fuel, air guns) similarly obscured things - you could sort of see the last 5 pits ok though, and you could see *when* a car was on pit lane due to reflections from the glass of the VIP suites.

pluses - screen directly opposite. Can see up into the dunlop chicane pretty well, and can see everyone pit out. The rain on Saturday and Sunday came straight down, so the roof was fine - but there was no back wall, so the Thursday and Friday rains came in and made the seats wet. (we had a towel for that on Saturday though) Also, comfortably close to the tunnel, two sets of washrooms, and some food/beer stalls.

[ss_collins]

under the trees at the esses.

[minimangler]

The one i might one day sit in

[bonedome]

Hi, for our groups last 2 visits we've had tickets for No.20 Leonard, both times near the back which gives good views over the fencing, along the s/f straight towards the pit exit, down to the ford chicane and exit from the Porrche curves.
This year we were near the edge of the grandstand and some rain did blow in but being opposite the Rollcentre pits and both Pescarolo sport pits we had very good views of the crew working on the car, plus the clock gantry, where we had a good view of the prize giving on Sunday.
The only problem we had on the Saturday was a congested set of steps leading to the grandstand itself, which the two ladies guarding access to the actual grandstand had no interest in clearing.
I think we'll go there again, but still make sure we do the usual walking to all the other general ticket areas.
Hope this helps

[GTfour]

We stayed in the Dunlop grandstand this year for the first time and it is one of the best seats in the house imho. Never seen so many " moments",spins and graveltrapdives... Also a very good outbreakin' point as well as lot's of glowing discs.
During the start this grandstand is unsurpassed for it's a sqeezing first corner and it lost Sebastian Bourdais his pole spot immediatly. Right in front of us!

Only drawback I found was missing the spectacle of all the cars being cheered in at the finish and thus Jan Lammers' anuall revving and burning out of the Dome.

Chances are big we'll get this grandstand again for next year

[PascaLM]

Mal, I have had the same seat in the Michelin grandstand for more than 10 years and I agree with you. We can see the grid (its second third), the Ford chicanes and the beginning of the Dunlop curve.
I like the Dunlop one too, I always get in during the sunday practice and spend one hour or two.

[TheNewBob]

Originally Posted by PascaLM

I always get in during the sunday practice and spend one hour or two.

Is this a session I missed!!??

I'm thinking of a grandstand seat for 2008, I like the idea of the start/finish straight to see the start and end of the race, but also to have a place to sit down during the night to rest and watch a few pit stops. I'm not sure who I'm going with next year, though, so I hope the seats don't all sell out before I'm sorted...

[Adam43]

I would imagine PascalLM is talking about the test day.

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

I would imagine PascalLM is talking about the test day.

The test day is practical because you can test any grandstand you want ; you are admitted to any grandstand.

[Adam43]

Hence the name

[Aysedasi]

Over the years, I've sat in:-

Dunlop - 1990 and 2007
Maison Blanche - 1992
ACO (or whatever that is called now- 18?) - 1993
Lagache - 2003
T34 - Pits - 2004-2007
Tertre Rouge - 2006

For me, I wouldn't go anywhere else but T34. Whilst there are limitations to the view, it is (by far) the best place to watch the pre-race festivities (which I love) and its a great place to watch at night. As a photographer, you also have the enormous benefit of no debris fencing to deal with. You can also hang over the barriers (after the first couple of hours) and get some good shots. So its definitely T34 for me for the foreseeable future. (The drawback this year was the pig's ear the ACO have made of access to the stand - I seemed to be walking miles toreach it this year...... ).

Having said this, for the last two years I've been greedy and have had two seats. Tretre Rouge last hear and Dunlop this year. Both are OK but I didn't really make enough use of them to justify the expense. If I was to get a second ticket next year, I would want to try Maison Blanche again. In 1992, it saved me from getting very wet (most of the race) and afforded an excellent view.

[bernard b]

I'm OK with Ayse, T34 is the best for me
I had the chance of getting in all the grandstands over the past few years (during test day or practice sessions), and the only other I really enjoyed were the MB grandstand and Dunlop
in MB, the main problem is that there is no giant sreen, but the whole view is above the fences
the Dunlop one is probably the best for the action on track, but what about heavy rain? did you test it in the bad condition, Ayse?
all the permanent ones in the straight are almost equal one another, except the first non covered one. The temporary at the end are not worth the value IMO
and finally, the 2 in the esses : avoid it, no good view (especially the 2nd one)