Aston Martin’s preparations for the start of the 77th Le Mans 24 Hours, the manufacturer’s first in the LMP1 category, are well underway after the three Gulf-liveried Aston Martin Racing cars passed through technical scrutineering Tuesday morning.

All the cars participating in the Le Mans 24 Hours are obliged to undergo scrutineering, which is designed to check that all entrants conform to the rules. Scrutineering also offers a great opportunity for fans to get close to the cars and drivers.

For Aston Martin, this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours has a special significance as it marks the 50th anniversary of the company’s last overall win at La Sarthe in 1959. Since then, Aston Martin Racing has claimed victory in the GT1 category at Le Mans for the last two years, but the challenge in 2009 will be bigger than ever.

With a new car and driver line-up, as well as some redoubtable diesel-powered rivals, the three factory Aston Martins – numbered 007, 008 and 009 – have a mountain to climb this weekend. Nonetheless, the team will be able to rely on the tried and trusted Aston Martin production-derived V12 engine that is at the heart of the new LMP1 challenger and took Aston Martin Racing to GT1 class victory at Le Mans in 2007 and 2008.

In front of an enthusiastic crowd of spectators at scrutineering, who turned out in force to see the 55 starters complete their technical checks in the Place des Jacobins, the nine Aston Martin Racing drivers talked about their prospects ahead of the epic race that will get underway at 3pm local time on Saturday 13 June.

007 Car
Jan Charouz (CZ): “I’m really looking forward to starting the Le Mans 24 Hours in a factory car for the first time. So far our preparations have been fine, but Le Mans is the sort of race where you can never really predict what might happen – and that is what makes it so fascinating. At the moment I’m just feeling excited: I can’t wait to get started!”

Tomas Enge (CZ): “It’s going to be a tough race but I’m looking forward to qualifying as well because this is one area where I hope we might be able to make a difference. Last year Stefan managed to out-qualify one of the diesel cars and I hope we can do the same again. I had some experience of LMP1 in 2008 so I hope to put it to good use this year.”

Stefan Mücke (D): “It’s my third time at Le Mans and I’m very happy to be here. The diesel cars are still some way ahead so I think it will be tough to catch them, but I really hope we can be the fastest petrol-powered car. If we have a clean race, I think that this is perfectly possible. Our performances in the Le Mans Series so far, where we have been first and third, prove that we have a good car.”

008 Car
Anthony Davidson (GB): “I’m delighted to be joining Aston Martin for the Le Mans 24 Hours. For any driver, it’s a special event but I’ve got a lot to get used to as I’ve not driven here since 2003. On the plus side, I had a very good feeling with the car straight away and I’ve also got plenty of experience of working with Michelin from the past, which will be very useful over the coming weekend.”

Darren Turner (GB): “This is going to be my seventh Le Mans, and it’s a slightly different build-up to how it usually is for me, as it’s my first time here in our LMP1 car. I think there’s actually less pressure this year though: in GT1 we always came here needing to win whereas I think now everyone realises that we are the underdog to some extent.“

Jos Verstappen (NL): “I’m very proud to be driving for Aston Martin and although I haven’t had that much practice I’m not too worried as I know the circuit well from last year. The car seems to have a good level of straight line speed and it also feels very comfortable to drive. If we have solid reliability I think we can put ourselves in a strong position to do well.”

009 Car
Stuart Hall (GB): “It was fantastic to see all the fans at scrutineering but obviously the real business starts tomorrow with practice. It looks like we are going to have some changeable weather but I think that could potentially help us by mixing things up a bit. It will be important for us to experience as wide a range of conditions as possible – because this is what Le Mans is like.“

Peter Kox (NL): “Returning to Aston Martin feels a little bit like coming home for me, so I’m delighted to be back. I’ve probably done less than 50 kilometres in the car up to now so I’m still trying to absorb as much information as I can, but at least after all these years at Le Mans I know my way around the circuit! It’s not going to be easy but I’m sure it will be a lot of fun.”

Harold Primat (CH): “Our rivals are very strong but I think we are all up for the challenge. We’ve tested the Le Mans aerodynamic configuration and had some good results, particularly in terms of straight-line speed, which is important at Le Mans with the Mulsanne straight. Tomorrow’s practice session is going to be crucial in order to finalise our preparations before qualifying.”

Aston Martin Racing Team Principal George Howard-Chappell commented: “The cancellation of the Le Mans test weekend this year was quite significant for us as we will only run here for the first time with our new car on Wednesday. It’s likely that we could encounter wet conditions during practice, which will obviously affect our opportunities to find the correct dry set-up for the race. Of our three crews, 007 is the only line-up to have driven together before at Le Mans, so the practice sessions will be all about accumulating as much experience and information as possible.“

The three Aston Martin LMP1 cars will take to the legendary 13.4-kilometre Le Mans track for the first time on Wednesday night, between 6pm and midnight, for practice before qualifying on Thursday.

In order to focus on the team’s LMP1 programme this season in both the Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24 Hours, Aston Martin Racing will not defend the GT1 category that it has won at Le Mans for the last two years running.

Instead, Aston Martin will be represented by customer team Jetalliance Racing from Austria, which will compete against the Corvette Racing factory team. Aston Martin will also be represented in the GT2 category, thanks to an entry for the Vantage GT2 of Drayson Racing, which is making its debut at Le Mans this year.

David Richards, Chairman of Aston Martin Racing, concluded: “We’ve had a lot of success and we’ve enjoyed ourselves tremendously competing in the GT1 class over the years, but the opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Aston Martin’s Le Mans win by stepping up to the LMP1 category was too good to pass by.”

Drayson Racing Embraces Le Mans Dream with All-British Driver Line-up in Aston Martin Vantage GT2

The 24 Heures du Mans holds a poignant place in the heart and mind of even the most casual observer. It is a special race that transcends cars and drivers to reach mythical status; an event of which dreams are made. The dream will be realised 13-14 June as Drayson Racing makes its debut appearance in the grandfather of all sports car races. In an all-British driver line-up, teaming behind the wheel of the No. 87 Drayson Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT2 will be Paul Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK), Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK) and Marino Franchitti (London/Edinburgh, UK). Dale White (Bozeman, MT, USA) will manage the Official Partner Team of Aston Martin Racing (AMR) to what he hopes will be his third LM GT2 class victory at Le Mans.

Each of the Banbury, UK-based team’s drivers has had obstacles to overcome to reach Le Mans in its 77th meeting. Paul Drayson’s journey to Le Mans has been a long one. Despite growing-up with the sounds of racing from Brand Hatch echoing inside his boyhood home, it took the current UK’s Minister for Science and Innovation most of his life to reach his youthful dream. First, a successful tenure in business kept him from the cockpit. An initial role in government as Minister of Defence Procurement coincided with national racing in the British GT sports car championship until in 2007 Lord Drayson took a leave of absence from government to pursue racing fulltime in the American Le Mans Series for 2008. His aim then to qualify for the Le Mans 24 Hours. Despite a call from Prime Minister Gordon Brown drawing him back to London to oversee the national science research budget, innovation policy and space programme for the United Kingdom, it was a licence regulation which proved the greatest barrier to realising his Le Mans dream. Born blind in one eye, FIA regulations prevented all individuals with monocular vision from holding an international competition licence. Therefore, Drayson was barred from racing at the 13.629 Km/8.468 mile-long, Circuit de la Sarthe. After several years of making the case to remove the blanket ban on one-eyed drivers, a December 2008 FIA rules change will allow Drayson to chase his dream this June, and allows all drivers with monocular vision to have their racing capability assessed on an individual basis.

The wait is coming to an end for Cocker as well. In his third season driving with Drayson, the 2004 British GT Champion will finally see that prospect realised. Franchitti debuted at Le Mans in 2005 but has not returned since. Focusing on both GT and prototype cars, primarily in North America, Franchitti had not found the right opportunity to return to France. Now he has in the sole LM GT2 Aston Martin.

Drayson Racing is set to make its 24 Hour premiere representing the great British marque on the occasion of its overall victory 50 years ago (1959). The British racing green Vantage GT2 will undergo scrutineering by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) in the Le Mans City Centre at 9:40 local time, Tuesday, 9 June. The Michelin tyre-shod car will turn its first laps on the full Circuit des “24 Heures” with free practice on Wednesday, 10 June and practice/qualifying the following day. The race itself will begin slightly after 15:00 on Saturday, 13 June and coming to a conclusion 24 hours later.

Quotes:

Paul Drayson, Driver/Owner: “Now that we are just a few days away from racing at Le Mans it feels like its been a long trek to get to the base of the mountain. Soon I’m going to have the thrill of climbing that mountain. It is the special sense of knowing that a big challenge that you haven’t tried before is coming. That you’ve prepared a great deal for but that is still a big unknown. There is, of course, only one ‘first time” at anything but first time at Le Mans 24 Hours is seriously special. It’s so famous, has such history but still has a very modern unique appeal in motorsport. 24 hours of the most intense racing on partly public roads against the best drivers and sports car machinery in the world.”

“Of course being the 50th anniversary of Aston Martin’s win in 1959 will add further drama. I’m delighted that we will be racing in support of the Aston Martin Owners Club and Heritage Trust who do such a great job. I’m counting down the days now to that moment when I’m sitting in the Vantage V8 and I get the signal to start the engine to commence my first lap of the Le Mans circuit.”

“I’ve been delighted by the progress made by our new team. The results achieved this year in the Le Mans Series have shown that the car is now competitive and reliable. Getting everything ready from scratch in January to be on the grid at Le Mans on June 13th has been a daunting task but Elspeth [Lady Drayson, Owner/CEO], Dale and the team have done a great job in getting it all together.”

Dale White, Team Manager: “This is my fifth time managing a team at Le Mans. I have won my class twice, been on the podium three times and we were on our way to another victory the last time I was here in ’06. Despite all of that, no race in the world gets me more excited. Le Mans is a dream to race at and no matter how many times you do it, that thrill never wears off. If anything, it becomes even more special because you know just how hard getting here is and just how tough winning this race is.”

Jonny Cocker, Driver: “Le Mans is the race that we all aim to compete in. For me it’s a massive milestone in my career. I have never been looking forward to a race this much, it’s going to be an amazing experience and something that I will never forget! I think it’s up there with the Indy 500 and Monaco GP in terms of status as a motorsport event. To be part of such a massive race is an amazing feeling! I think it’s important that I approach Le Mans and treat it like any other race. Getting caught up in the atmosphere could take away focus and I need to be aware of that. It’s going to be a huge learning experience for us but we are definitely prepared. It’s the trophy that everyone wants, which would make it that much sweeter to come away with a result.”

Marino Franchitti, Driver: “Racing at Le Mans is the reason I became a sports car driver. The place has an energy, a life force that is impossible to describe but that has to be experienced by everyone at least once! It’s special to be following so many great names of the past. Drivers like Moss and the 24 Hour victors of 1959, [Roy] Salvadori and [Carroll] Shelby, especially in this anniversary year. My fiancée, Holly, races a former pre-War Aston Martin Le Mans car so she has educated me on the finer points of the marque’s history. I’m just delighted to be finally competing again at the home of endurance racing. To be returning with an all-British team is so cool. The history is the biggest thing for me; all the amazing battles of the past and the cutting edge cars that have introduced new technologies to not just our sport, but the cars we drive every day.”

Le Mans bound again

They say you never forget your first kiss.

For me, it was 1967, on the minibus to St Joseph’s Convent, Lincoln but as for the lucky girl – fortunately for her, the name is lost in the mists of time. Still, we were only six!

Some first loves do endure, however and for me 1983 marks one such. It was June and once more, buses played their part – this time transporting me to delights previously not expected… my first trip to Le Mans.

Leaving the office in Teddington on a Friday night, we caught the train to Victoria and boarded a coach. Onto the night ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe, then an early morning coach to Le Mans, stopping to change into shorts on the roadside just after dawn. Well, we WERE on holiday!

Little snapshots of the weekend habitually reappear and I can never travel through Alençon without recalling my first trip. Stopped at a set of lights by a square, we spotted an old Frenchman, in blue serge and beret, Gauloises hanging from his lip, taking his early-morning constitutional. He was holding a lead and as he passed an opening in the knee-high box hedge we expected to spy a little yappy dog. He seemed surprised that an entire coach-load of people were staring and pointing, just because he was taking his cockerel for a walk.

We met our colleagues at the pub by the gates of the circuit, grabbed entrance tickets and, after a liquid breakfast, adjourned to the champagne stand between the village and the Esses. Heady stuff to start my first Le Mans.

Of course, it was race morning, so after a Croque Monsieur and Frites, we made our way to bag viewing points for the start. We ended up on the banking outside the Dunlop Curve (no chicane in those days) and began an excited hour’s wait. Seeing the whole field rolling slowly past served merely to heighten the tension. Spotting the Porsches, checking out where the British entries were (aided by our copies of the Le Mans guide) and generally soaking up the electric atmosphere…

As we triple-checked our watches, the French voice on the tannoy tested our O-level comprehension but from the restlessness of the crowd, we all knew just how close the field was…

And then it began…

The roar came swelling towards us and now, 26 years later, I confess I can’t remember whether it was the roar of the crowd or roar of the engines which reached us first. Either way, as the first cars charged, flat-out, through the Dunlop Curve for the first time, I knew that only someone long-dead would not have had that prickle on the back of their neck.

In a rush of noise, flashing colours, dust and debris, my first Le Mans started. I remember trying to pick out a number of cars as they flashed by in a long angry, snarling pack, before – all too soon – they were gone.

The Tannoy raged excitedly but we had no ears for it. Excited chatter broke out, silenced only around 5 minutes later when the train flashed past us once more.

And so it went on, for a couple of hours, before moving further along the track towards the Esses and finally Chemin aux Boeufs, to watch them depart onto the legendary Mulsanne straight.

A pause to listen to the speakers at half-past the hour, Bob Costanduros updating the positions and then we headed for refreshment and the fun-fair.

Sometime long after dark, I zipped up my coat and lay down on a patch of grass, falling easily asleep with the roar of the cars ever-present. I awoke with rain on my face and simply rolled under a nearby car, before crashing out again.

Dawn found me stumbling blearily into the village for a Café Crème and another Croque, browsing the shops (the first of many Le Mans t-shirts purchased) before heading back towards the track, walking back past the Ford Chicane to the end of the run in from Arnage.

By the time the sun was high in the sky, I had bumped into a number of equally-bedraggled colleagues (no mobile phones, of course, so we either met each other by chance… or we didn’t) and we gravitated towards the pits straight to enjoy the final few hours before the finish.

It was the first time I had invaded a track and it felt slightly odd to be doing so but since I was just one of many thousands, I figured it wouldn’t do any harm. My first trip to La Sarthe ended under the podium, cheering as the champagne sprayed down like a misty drizzle.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, I have little recollection of the trip home. Doubtless, we made the coach before it left at 6pm, crossed on the ferry and rattled back from London on the train. I do recall just how long Monday felt in the office, though. Probably not quite as long for us as for the people in the adjoining offices, though, as we were loud, over-excited, over-tired and probably over-smelly.

Since that life-changing trip, I have made the pilgrimage almost every year. Travelling with friends or strangers, by coach or car or plane or train, camping, sleeping rough, in motorhomes or hotels, working on radio or TV or looking after guests. Every year is different and yet every year is the same. Echoes of that first trip always return and sometimes all I need to do is think of it and I’m right back there – 23 and in awe.

Two nights ago I once more dragged out the seminal ‘Le Mans’ DVD and yet again, it struck me how little has changed since 1971. Sure, the cars are faster, the pits are larger and the crowds are even bigger. But Le Mans remains Le Mans.

We’ve had our rough patches but it’s still the greatest motor race known to man and I love it more and more every time. I’m aching to be back there…

Martin Haven is a regular contributor to the programmes on Radio Le Mans, broadcast on 91.2FM at the circuit or live streaming on www.radiolemans.com
More of Martin’s blogs can be found at http://martinhaven.wordpress.com/

With just days to go until you head off to the Le Mans 24 hours, you will no doubt be getting excited about the race (so are we!). To help you enjoy your time away we have come up with our top 5 tips for making the most of your time at the circuit.

Tip 1: Before you leave home check you have all your tickets (channel crossing & circuit passes) and passports. This sounds obvious but you would be surprised by how many calls we get from people that arrive at the ports & the circuit having left everything on the dining room table. Please use the equipment check-list in our pocket guide to make sure you have everything.

Tip 2: When driving to and from Le Mans, please be aware of speed limits. Part of the fun of Le Mans is the drive down and back, but every year the on the spot speeding fines get larger, and being 40km/h over the local limit now sees your license removed. Radar detectors and other camera locating equipment is also illegal in France, so our advice is be aware, take your time and enjoy the drive.

Tip 3: Although there is no racing on the Friday there is still plenty to see and do around Le Mans. Your entrance ticket allows you access to the pit lane from 10am. This is the only time that the pit lane is open to the public and it gives you a great perspective on the start/finish straight and you can see in to the garages to see what the mechanics are up to. From 6pm in the city centre is the drivers’ parade. A bit of fun before the racing starts. Don’t bother trying to drive in as parking can be tricky. From the circuit take the tram from Antares straight to the town centre. There are plenty of bars and restaurants to enjoy before and after the parade. Away from the racing also remember that there will be free concerts near the Dunlop Bridge on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Saturdays line-up this year features The Stranglers.

Tip 4: During the race it is always good to move around the circuit and view from different places. Getting down to the Mulsanne and Arnage corners has always been possible by car but the traffic on race days makes this difficult. This year the ACO are also charging €8.00 to park. Instead of driving we recommend using the free shuttle bus. Departing from opposite the main entrance just board showing your entrance ticket. The bus stops at Beausejour, Arnage and Mulsanne corners.

Tip 5: Waking up, from wherever you slept the night before, it can sometimes be difficult to follow who is winning the race and catch up on what has happened while you had your eyes closed. We recommend keeping up to date with Radio Le Mans. John Hindhaugh and the crew will be broadcasting all week on 91.2 FM providing you with up to the minute news and interviews from around the track. This year you can also purchase Le Mans TV Mobile from Kangaroo TV (save money with the voucher in our pocket guide). This hand-held TV unit will give you statistics as well as pictures from around the circuit and in the pits. It will also carry the feed from Radio Le Mans giving you the best coverage of the race.

Whatever you get up to at Le Mans, have a great time and enjoy the race. Maybe we’ll see you there!

The Travel Destinations Team

“It was an amazing time with Aston Martin, which I will always have a huge amount of affection for. In particular, I’ve got so many memories of 1959 and they’re actually all very different memories. We went through gallons of oil, for example. At the end of the race [Aston Martin’s then owner] David Brown got in the car for the victory lap. It meant so much to him; I guess he had wanted to win Le Mans all of his life. When he knew we were going to win, he’d dressed up in all of his finery with a new sports coat and everything. But after he got into the car at the end, he sat in about an inch of oil! I felt quite sorry for him, all dressed up like that and covered in oil! But I guess that under the circumstances he didn’t mind too much…

Back then, our racing budget was £150,000 for the whole season. A bit like the case back then, Aston Martin today has managed to achieve a lot with limited resources. I still have a lot of respect for the team and I’ll be thinking of everyone there at Le Mans.

It’s all so different though. These days I guess I would hardly recognise the place. Now Le Mans is more like a 24-hour sprint. Back then it was very different; everything was a series of compromises. There was no automatic rev limiter – only our feet – and the gearbox and clutch were not very strong. It was much more about endurance then. One slip and you could blow the engine.

But actually it’s impossible to compare 1959 and 2009. I always break racing down into eras, and you can’t say that one era was any easier or more difficult than the next era or the one before. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. The feeling of winning though: I’m sure that’s not changed much!

Physically it was very tough as I had dysentery during the entire race in 1959; something I ate I think! That was one of my main problems, but at Le Mans you just rise above any discomfort and forget everything else. That’s because when you have a chance to win Le Mans it’s the chance of a lifetime. Looking back on it though, it must have been really tricky as I didn’t eat anything for 24 hours apart from dysentery tablets. Then we won the race and – oh my God – they suddenly stuck a champagne bottle in my mouth and it sent me a bit loopy! I was so tired I could hardly stand or think. I reckon I just collapsed afterwards and slept for about 12 hours.

Times change but I’m sure I would have enjoyed driving the modern LMP1 car too. Racing drivers just adapt to whatever machinery they have and learn as they go along. That’s always been the case and always will be. We didn’t do that much practice before the 1959 race, for example, as we didn’t need it. We already knew the circuit and besides, you’ve got a whole 24 hours to answer any other questions you might have. Our priority was getting through the race and not making any mistakes. Believe me, there was plenty of potential to get it very badly wrong. Or for someone to get it wrong for you.

Back then, it probably rained at every race in Le Mans. Then you had the fog at night and the slow cars doing around 80mph on the right hand side of the truck – that was the rule – and we were doing 160mph to 165mph on the left. You just had to hope it all worked out. And in 1959, it certainly did.

One thing that’s still the same between then and now is the fact that Le Mans is so very different to anywhere else. The 24 Hours is legendary because it presents a whole new and different set of problems compared to other races. I’m sure that’s still true now.

My personal message to the Aston Martin drivers before they start the race next weekend would simply be – carry the flag. Roy Salvadori and I are both really proud of you. Let’s hope that this wonderful team goes on for another 50 years and the very best of luck to you all.”

Travel Destinations would like to thank Aston Martin & particularly Carroll Shelby for his kind participation in this interview.

So you have purchased your Le Mans package and you have received your tickets. Now is the time to pack your tent and plan your time at Le Mans. With just a couple of weeks until the pilgrimage begins here is our guide to the cars to watch at this year’s race.

LM P1:

The four rings of Audi have dominated the podium at Le Mans for the last 8 years and have been the pioneer of the now dominant diesel powered engines. Audi is back in 2009 with it brand new V10 powered R15 TDI car that has already been victorious at the 12 hours of Sebring earlier this year. Audi will probably start as favourites again this year but will need to find some straight line speed to stay ahead of the Peugeot cars this year. The great experience of Kristensen, Capello and McNish in the Audi cockpit could well see them home again.

It could be 3rd time lucky for Peugeot as they hope to beat Audi to the chequered flag with their diesel powered 908 HDI FAP coupes. Audi will certainly be concerned as the Peugeot’s have looked quick in their outings so far this year and have so far avoided the reliability problems that have held them up in the past. Peugeot have worked hard to recruit some big name drivers to compete at the front of the grid and David Brabham, Pedro Lamy, Sebastien Bourdais & Alexander Wurz should do that, providing they work as a team. It was the greater number of slow pit-stops that cost them last year.

Returning to the LMP1 class to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its victory in 1959, Aston Martin Racing will certainly look the part in its Gulf liveried V12 powered Lola B09/60 coupe. They are not just there to make up the numbers either having already topped the podium in the first Le Mans Series race at Barcelona. Compared to Audi & Peugeot the budget at Aston Martin is tiny, and the lack of serious testing and recent accidents could be their undoing, but they should certainly be competing to be the fastest petrol driven car. They have a talented driver line up with the experienced Darren Turner having multiple winners in the Aston Martin GT1 class, and the addition of Jos Verstappen in a third car should provide extra class.

Oreca look to be the quickest of the other the petrol engined cars this year. Their new AIM powered car was very quick at the Le Mans Series event in Spa until it crashed out. Their driver line up including Olivier Panis, Bruno Senna & Stephane Ortelli is certainly impressive and Oreca could be a dark horse this year. Pescarolo have traditionally been the fastest petrol car, but their decision to run one of Peugeot’s 2008 diesels as a second car alongside their petrol powered Judd has muddied the waters. Finally the Kolles Audi team are adding to the Audi runners by racing the works R10 cars from 2008, however the new ACO restrictions on the diesel engines will probably make the R10 uncompetitive this time around despite winning last time out.

LM P2:

This year the LMP2 class looks like a straight shoot out between the Porsche RS Spyders and the Lola coupes (powered by either Mazda or Judd). The Porsches start as favourites although Speedy Racing Team Sebah and Racing Box SRL will challenge hard.Team Essex have been quick in some of the warm up races and have more time in the car than Team Goh making their debut with the RS Spyder, but ultimately this could be too close to call.

LM GT1:

It looks likely that the works Corvettes will dominate the LMGT1 class in their final Le Mans appearance, particularly since Aston Martin Racing decided to fight for LMP1 glory. Elsewhere the Lamborghini Murcielagos of IPB Spartak Racing (Russia) & JLOC Isao Noritake (Japan) could make a fight of it. Otherwise look to the to Luc Alphand Aventures Corvettes to feature.

LM GT2:

This class looks like an exciting head to head battle between the Porsche 911 GT3-RSR cars & the Ferrari F430GTs. Although Porsche have been quick of late the sheer numbers of teams with the Ferraris mean the likely winner will be of Italian stock. Team Modena, Risi Competizione & AF Corse look likely to be at the front with their Ferraris, but Flying Lizard Motorsport, IMSA Performance Matmut & Team Felbermayer could cause an upset with their Porsches. Drayson Racing in the Aston Martin Vantage V8 will be popular with British fans, but Lord Drayson will probably be happy just to be running come hour 24.

Remember to catch up with all the latest news and insider information in the build up to the race with John & the team at Radio Le Mans. Listen live at the circuit on 91.2FM or download their podcasts now from www.radiolemans.com

An open letter to all Le Mans fans from Dr. Howard Brownlow:

Dear Le Mans fans,

Over an ale or 3 I have managed to convince 9 of my medical colleagues and 4 local businessmen to attempt to cycle 210 miles on a route between Cherbourg and Le Mans from the 10th June in aid of 2 local charities; Julia’s House, a hospice for children with life threatening diseases, and Lewis-Manning Hospice that cares for over 600 adults every year with terminal illness.

Although I am a keen cyclist, none of my merry band of men have done cycling before. Training has begun in ernest. Vindaloo and bitter have been swapped for All-Bran and electrolyte drinks. Lycra has been tested to the limit, as have our derrieres (thank heavens for vaseline!).

We will be cycling in 2 groups of 7. If you see us flying along / flagging in our blue and yellow shirts, please give us a honk and a cheer!

If you can please support our efforts by donating to our website:
www.justgiving.com/howardbrownlow

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Kind Regards,

Dr. Howard Brownlow
(Consultant Anaesthetist Poole)

Dr. Brownlow is travelling on the Poole – Cherbourg ferry and then cycling to Le Mans to stay in the Beausejour campsite. If you do see them on the ferry, by the roadside or around the circuit do say hello and lend your support. Please do give generously as every penny will go directly to those charities.

If you haven’t already booked your place at the Le Mans 2009 then don’t despair. You still have some time.. just!

As you would expect with just a few weeks left until we all descend on the Le Mans 24 hours circuit, many ferry routes, campsite pitches and grandstand seats are selling out; But we have an advantage!

As an Official Le Mans Ticket Supplier & an ABTA Bonded Tour Operator we are in the best position to get availability for thie year’s race for you.

At present we can find you space on circuit in popular campsites such as Blue-Nord, Blue-Sud, Expo and even some places in Houx. Prices for our on-circuit camping packages are available by clicking here.

Grandstands are harder to find but we can still place you near the start/finish line in either of the Benoist or Wolleck grandstands. Grandstand prices and locations can beseen here.

Away from the circuit there are also a last few places available in our superior chateau campsites. For details and prices on our chateau camping packages click here.

For those wanting to plan the final details of their week at the Le Mans 24 hours 2009, we have published the full race week schedule. Click here for full timetable of events.

Although we currently have this availability, space decreases every day, so if you want to be at this year’s Le Mans 24 hours call us now on (0844) 873 0203.

If you want the luxury of a three star hotel room, but want to stay on circuit and close to the Le Mans 24 hours action, there is now an excellent solution. Our friends at Abilmo are able to provide your own personal ensuite bedroom, erected especially for you in the centre of the circuit.

These temporary structures have usually been an exclsuive of drivers and race team members working in the paddocks at the Le Mans 24 hours, and other motor racing events, but now they are available to you, so that you can enjoy the whole Le Mans 24 hours experience from your own small oasis of luxury.

If you want the luxury of a three star hotel room, but want to stay on circuit and close to the Le Mans 24 hours action, there is now an excellent solution. Our friends at Abilmo are able to provide your own personal ensuite bedroom, erected especially for you in the centre of the circuit.

These temporary structures have usually been an exclsuive of drivers and race team members working in the paddocks at the Le Mans 24 hours, and other motor racing events, but now they are available to you, so that you can enjoy the whole Le Mans 24 hours experience from your own small oasis of luxury.