Aysedasi's Le Mans Story 2023

[Aysedasi]

Yes, I know you won't believe it, but the story is done. About 3-4 months earlier than usual!

https://www.aysedasi.co.uk/gallery/2023p/

Let me know if you find any broken links....

[Adam43]

Wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

[PascaLM]

A great awaited event on the forum. Thank you Andrew for the job.

[GT6]

Thanks for posting Andrew took me a while to go through that lot so suspect it took a lot of time to put together

[Aysedasi]

Now that I have a different method for putting up the photos, it's much quicker than it was a few years ago.

[wkk]

Thanks for this, a great read!

[Bentley03]

I've finally got round to reading your 2023 edition. Congrats on getting it published so early this time!

A very splendid read as always, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

You can thank Ramona for discovering Boulangerie Feuillette, she spotted it in 2018 or 2019 (the years all seem to merge, so can't be sure). So I took Tony there for breakfasts in 2021 and he loved it too. It's a perfect place for breakfast, as you say.

T23 - it's all about the location and view, more immersive in terms of following the race, which (for me) outweighs the excellent facilities and creature comforts of T17. I'm not a photographer, as you know, but I'm in agreement (now) that sitting higher up is better. I was row J last year and chose to go higher when selecting my 2024 seats.

Hopefully see a little more of the 'Croutons' next year!

[RL17]

Good read so far - do take it slow so would love a page number at the bottom of each page as if you look at photos etc you can lose track.

Do love T23 fir great views of cars at a slower pace plus all drama of broken cars retuning to pits plus pit stops and the big screen plus sound of cars accelerating across line.

Great seats last two years - pretty much under the helicopter flag drop (5 or so seats from finish line end)
If you are much higher than J row there’s a horrible hoarding in the way though

[ATLFalconsFAN]

As always I thoroughly enjoyed reading your write up. You’ve inspired me to write my own for some of the years I’ve gone, but mine are never as detailed as yours, and usually lack in description of the race. Out of curiosity, do you remember where you are and when just from memory, or is it when you go back and look at when and where your photos were taken?

Was happy to see my name and picture in there.

[Aysedasi]

Hi, the memories fade as time goes on. As Bentley03 would tell you though, there are certain repetitive things we do that either aid the memory or sometimes fool it! This year I kept a pretty accurate diary on an app on my phone which I generally updated at the end of each day or first thing on the morning of the next. When I get home I then transfer that to a sort of timesheet for the week, marking the times and locations of any key events*. I try and do this as soon as possible before the fading memory sets in. But I also print out contact sheets for all my photos and add times to them from the photo data. Finally I export the Whatsapp conversations that our Le Mans group had while on the trip which adds a lot of useful info too. I then write the whole story out longhand first, which gives me the chance to use some of my extensive fountain pen collection.... This year I actually used voice dictation software as well to then dictate the story into Word and then into the website. It struggled particularly with 'Our Narj'...

*I've actually just completely revised my 2000 story and without the 'timesheet' I did for that year there would have been virtually no commentary at all as the memories were pretty limited after 23 years and all my photos were prints rather than digital!

[Aysedasi]

Thanks for all the comments guys, much appreciated. I don't think I've ever had so many before!

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

I've finally got round to reading your 2023 edition. Congrats on getting it published so early this time!

A very splendid read as always, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

You can thank Ramona for discovering Boulangerie Feuillette, she spotted it in 2018 or 2019 (the years all seem to merge, so can't be sure). So I took Tony there for breakfasts in 2021 and he loved it too. It's a perfect place for breakfast, as you say.

T23 - it's all about the location and view, more immersive in terms of following the race, which (for me) outweighs the excellent facilities and creature comforts of T17. I'm not a photographer, as you know, but I'm in agreement (now) that sitting higher up is better. I was row J last year and chose to go higher when selecting my 2024 seats.

Hopefully see a little more of the 'Croutons' next year!

The Feuillette is just perfect for breakfasting. Easy to get to and you only have to fall over twice (well, almost!) to get into the circuit from there.

I just can't get over the crippling discomfort of the seats in T23. It's a great location, that's for sure, but those seats....! It's strange as I first sat in it way way back in 1992 when it was the 'Maison Blanche' grandstand and I thought the seats were more spaced and had backs but having looked back to a couple of photos I took at the time, it seems they were/did not.

I daresay we'll see you next year, presumably with Ramona this time?

[Gerard C]

More sensitive bottom since '92? Or increase in prices hurts… Anyway, nice report, thanks and congrats.

[Aysedasi]

If anything, the bottom has more..... coverage......

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

The Feuillette is just perfect for breakfasting. Easy to get to and you only have to fall over twice (well, almost!) to get into the circuit from there.

I just can't get over the crippling discomfort of the seats in T23. It's a great location, that's for sure, but those seats....! It's strange as I first sat in it way way back in 1992 when it was the 'Maison Blanche' grandstand and I thought the seats were more spaced and had backs but having looked back to a couple of photos I took at the time, it seems they were/did not.

I daresay we'll see you next year, presumably with Ramona this time?

Boulangerie Feuillette also do a good lunch deal, including drink and a cake/pastry. Not sure I've enjoyed all of their sandwiches, some of their fillings are a little left field for my taste, but the more mainstream ones are quite delicious.

I literally didn't move from my seat in T23 for the first six hours of the race this year, apart from standing up to stretch my legs a few times. But, I do get why you, and many others, find it cramped and uncomfortable. That was my own take on it until we sat there a few years ago, since when I've been itching to make it my 'home', rather than T17.

I'll be solo next year (due to a clash of dates) until the Thursday (same day Allon arrives).

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

If anything, the bottom has more..... coverage......

Mine has less, that must be it...

[Aysedasi]

Well, I've lost a stone since last year with about another stone planned to go....

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Mine has less, that must be it...

Just bring an inflatable cushion!