Tag Archives: Le Mans 2019

Le Mans 2019

Le Mans 2019: The Result

Toyota win Le Mans 2019 but not with the right car

The Le Mans 24 Hours 2019 had stories unfolding from the start to the finish. It was predictable and unpredictable at the same time, if that is possible. A crowd of 252,000 spectators were kept enthralled for the full 24 hours as the story of Le Mans 2019 unfolded. The history books will say that Toyota won Le Mans 2019 comfortably, as was predicted before a wheel turned at the famous Le Mans circuit. However, there was so much more that went in to this race than just a Toyota Win.

Late drama sees the No. 8 Toyota take the win
Toyota dominated Le Mans 2019. No one can argue that. As the sole manufacturer with a hybrid in the top class, it was going to be a big surprise if they didn’t. Even Toyota’s harshest critic would have to recognise that both their cars performed amazingly well. They continued lapping in the 3m20s throughout the 24 Hours and were reliable (almost) until the very end. That alone is impressive and should be acknowledged. It is not their fault they had little competition. From the very start, the No. 7 car of Conway, Kobayashi & Lopez were the quickets. In particular Mike Conway managed to get something extra from the No. 7 car. The No. 8 car of Buemi, Nakajima & Alonso followed behind, except where pit cycle rotation gave them the lead. As the race played out the No. 7 Toyota retook the lead after 2am and didn’t relinquish it until the final hour. Then there was drama.

Le Mans 24 Hours

With less than an hour to go in Le Mans 2019, the No. 7 car overtook a GT car and had to move off the racing line to do so. They had done this many times throughout the race, but this time they picked up a slow puncture. They were far enough ahead of the sister car, that they could afford to pit and still come out in front. For whatever reason, a decision was made to only change the punctured tyre and not replace the full set. As the No. 7 car rejoined the race, there was a problem as the car was still registering a puncture. Apparently there was a sensor problem and the wrong tyre had been changed so the No. 7 car had to return to the pit lane again. This stop, combined with the slow running with a puncture, allowed the sister Toyota to catch and pass the No. 7 car. Although the No. 7 car returned to the race, there was not enough time to catch the No. 8 car again. The No. 8 car completed 384 laps of the Le Mans circuit and took the chequered flag to win the Le Mans 24 Hours 2019.

Elsewhere in LMP1 there was a great race between SMP Racing & Rebellion Racing for the unofficial privateers crown (and 3rd place in Le Mans 2019). With two cars each it was a very fair fight which saw both ahead of each other at different stages. In the end the No. 11 SMP Racing outlasted the Rebellion pair after the No. 3 car had a major incident in to a tyre wall. That both Rebellions still finished is a statement to the professionalism of the team, but it was SMP Racing that got to stand on the podium alongside Toyota.

 Signatech-Alpine conquer Le Mans 2019 
In such a crowded class with similar technology it was always going to be difficult to predict a winner in LMP2 for Le Mans 2019. The race saw special performances from the No. 29 Racing Team Nederland team that came back from multiple punctures and broken suspension after a collision with the wall.  Dragonspeed were impressive early on and looked to be a contender until Maldonado crashed the car before sunrise. The class outfits (with much FIA WEC experience) were G-Drive Racing and Signatech-Alpine. The two teams were battling together from the very beginning. It appeared that G-Drive had got themselves ahead in the early hours of the morning only for a technical glitch on a routine pit stop, find them unable to restart the car. The following 20 minutes spent in the garage cost them at least a podium place. So it was left to Signatech-Alpine to dominate the final stages and finish ahead of Jackie-Chan DC Racing and TDS Racing who kept going until the end.

Le Mans 24 Hours

Ferrari step up to take GTE Pro at Le Mans 2019
In many ways this was the class to watch throughout the race. Particularly at the start there were often five different manufacturers all in a line, following each other down the Mulsanne Straight. The lead changed multiple times and often the pit lane was a battle ground as stops happened simultaneously. The race was a disappointment for Aston Martin Racing. having qualified on pole, they were hit by Balance of Performance adjustments, that left them unable to manage tyres and ultimately compete. After a couple of hours they were dropping fast down this competitive field and an accident eventually put paid to their challenge. BMW. in their last Le Mans for the time being, also failed to make an impact. So it was left to Corvette, Ford, Porsche and Ferrari to battle it out. And this they duly did. Corvette surprised many in the last outing of the C7.R and were ahead for long stints in the first half of the race.  However, one too many off track excursions ultimately cost them a podium. Ford were always there and challenging. Their numerical supremacy of 4 cars enabled them to extend their challenge, but this wasn’t to be their year. In the end it was the familiar sight of Porsche and Ferrari who got to decide the podiums. In the end it was the underestimated Ferrari team of AF Corse (a factory team in all but name) that came through to claim the top step. The Porsche GT team were always keeping them honest, but going in to the last hour the Ferrari had built a comfortable lead and were never really challenged as the end of the race approached.

Le Mans 24 Hours

Purple is the colour for Keating
So often overlooked, the GTE Am class, once again, provided an excellent spectacle. initially it looked like a Porsche was the car to have. Both Dempsey-Proton cars started the race well and were closely followed by the Gulf Racing Porsche.  As the race went on, the Project 1 Porsche appeared to get stronger and also came to the fore. However, as incidents thinned the challengers, it was the No. 85 Ford GT of Keating Motorsports that broke the Porsche stranglehold. The purple liveried Ford driven and managed by American Ben Keating, survived a late challenge by Team Project 1 that saw the gap reduced to 10 seconds in the last hour, after damage to the car meant a change of nose for the Ford. However, they managed to stay out in front and hold on for an emotional victory for the whole team.

Le Mans 24 Hours

The new FIA World Endurance Championship season begins again in August at Silverstone, and will end at Le Mans 2020. The Le Mans 24 Hours continues to deliver stories and on-track action that makes it the most famous race in the world.

Written by Richard Webb
Photography by Dailysportscar

 

Le Mans 2019

Le Mans 2019: Qualifying Review

Toyota cruise & Aston Martin sprint to Le Mans 2019 poles

Qualifying for Le Mans 2019 came to an end at midnight on Thursday evening, although the celebrations for some went on in to the early hours of Friday morning. The headlines were grabbed by the No. 7 Toyota who took overall pole position with a fastest time of 3m15.497s. They finished ahead of their sister car, with the No. 8 car completing the front row. It can be argued that the difference between starting first and second in a 24 hours endurance race is of little significance, but Kobayashi, Lopez & Conway were happy to celebrate in front of the cameras. In reality the point they receive for pole position narrows the gap to the No. 7 crew who still lead the FIA WEC Championship by 30 points.

Le Mans 2019

Perhaps more significant for the top LMP1 class was the performance of the 3rd placed No. 17 SMP Racing car. Not only were they the first of the non-hybrid (privateer) cars, but they were impressively quick. Not only was their qualification time 3 seconds quicker than this time last year, but it was also quicker than the factory hybrid Porsche 919s and Audi R18 that preceded it. Paul Truswell, the much respected statistician at Radio Le Mans, calculated that if all cars ran without problems for 24 hours, then the Toyotas would have a 28 minutes gap to the next nearest car. However, Le Mans is rarely without problems, many of which take longer than 30 minutes to repair. So Toyota will be still be looking over their shoulders come the start of Le Mans 2019.

Le Mans 2019

There was a certain amount of controversy in the LMP2 qualification, with the No. 39 Graff Racing car initially setting the fastest lap time. However, the team were stripped of their times by the stewards after the chequered flag, after the car failed to stop and a mandatory weighbridge. So the official pole position in the LMP2 class was inherited by the No. 28 TDS Racing car in the early hours of the morning. This was a costly error by Graff Racing and the celebratory champagne had to go back on the ice as they will try to redeem themselves during the race.

Le Mans 2019

Some of the best qualifying action was witnessed in the GTE Pro class, which regularly saw 4 different manufacturers occupying each of the 4 fastest time slots.  In the end, and with the clock ticking down to midnight, it was a clear track for the No. 95 Aston Martin Racing with Nicki Thiim at the wheel that enabled them to complete a hot lap and take pole in this class. The qualifying result saw Aston Martin finish ahead of Ford and then Corvette in the top three. Perhaps surprising was the relative speeds for Porsche & Ferrari who qualified further down the order.

Le Mans 2019

By contrast Porsche completed a 1-2-3 in the GTE Am class, with No. 88 Dempsey-Proton Racing 911 RSR, claiming pole. The No. 77 sister car claimed second place on the grid with a remarkable turnaround seeing the No. 86 Gulf Racing Porsche claim 3rd. Gulf Racing looked out of the equation during the qualifying sessions, as they experienced gear-box issues. however, some sterling work by their pit team managed to get the car back on the track late in the last qualifying session and with enough time to set the 3rd fastest time. This relegated the No. 84 Ferrari 488 of JMW Motorsport to 4th on the GTE Am grid.

The weather looks set fair for the race on Saturday & Sunday and if the Le Mans 2019 qualifying sessions were anything to go by then we should be in for an exciting Le Mans 2019.

Written by Richard Webb
Photography by Dailysportscar

 

Le Mans 2021

Le Mans 2019: Preview

Le Mans 2019; it is time for the ‘Super-Season’ finale

After 62 hours of racing across seven rounds, the FIA WEC 2018/19 ‘Super Season comes down to this; the finale at the 87th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours. This season has had everything; close racing, drama, controversy, stars in fast cars, new machinery, dominant performances and it all ends here at Le Mans 2019.

It is easy to overlook Le Mans 2019 as the end of the current FIA World Endurance Championship season, as the Le Mans 24 Hours is an international mega-event and in many ways still stands alone. But much of the teams and drivers within the record 62-car field will be fighting not only for their places in the history of this great motor race, but for points and titles. Quite how the race will pan out with teams factoring in all important hauls of points, is a real unknown. But it can only add to the drama and intrigue that goes with Le Mans 2019.

So just how has the ‘Super Season’ panned out? and what can we expect out of the title battles? Well it all started in May of 2018, at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, which was a race that, looking back, served as a real taste of what was to come. LMP1, understandably, has been dominated from the off by the sole remaining factory team in the class, Toyota Gazoo Racing. It’s pair of thoroughbred, near bullet-proof TS050 HYBRIDs, driven by six world-class drivers, this year including Fernando Alonso, have been winning convincingly. And aside from a slip up at Silverstone where both Toyotas were excluded post-race, it has been one-way traffic.

Now, the debate surrounding Toyota’s dominance has been somewhat all consuming throughout the season, but the reality is, that whatever the ACO and FIA do to balance the cars (and it’s efforts thus far have been far from perfect), the non-hybrid privateer cars are just not ready yet to go toe-to-toe with Toyota’s tried and tested, cutting edge machines. Rebellion, SMP, DragonSpeed and ByKolles’ efforts haven’t been in vein, and at times the sheer determination from all parties has been nothing short of admirable, but they’d need a lot more development time and money to sniff wins regularly.

Le Mans 2019

That is not to say that Le Mans 2019 can’t throw up surprises, because it Le Mans often does; just ask Toyota, which until last year had a history of spectacular blunders to its name. The 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours almost went ‘too’ smoothly for the Japanese marque, which in search of its first Le Mans win was able to take a controlled approach, with no other brands throwing huge resources at the event. Le Mans 2019  may prove to be different though, as the privateer cars have had a season’s worth of work completed on them, which will help in the reliability department. And it’s been a cocktail of fragility, along with costly driver errors, that have prevented some of the races from being more competitive. If a couple of the chasing pack can keep it clean, and Toyota hits any sort of trouble, then it will be game on. If not, it will be an inter-team battle between the No.7 and The No.8 to decide which trio is crowned World Champions and Le Mans winners. The battle for third place therefore, will be the one to watch in the class. Unless of course, reliability issues hit Toyota as they did at Spa, where the No.7 spent time in the garage with an electrical issue.

The LMP2 category on the other hand has been far more entertaining on track, as Jackie Chan DC Racing and Signatech Alpine have been locked in a season-long battle for the title lead. As it stands it’s advantage Alpine. For Alpine’s trio, consistency has kept them in it. Nicolas Lapierre, Andre Negrao and Pierre Thiriet won the class at Le Mans last year and have been on the podium at every other race. JCDC’s No.38 crew of Gabriel Aubry, Stephane Richelmi and Ho-Pin Tung, meanwhile, trail by just four points after wins at season opener at Spa, Silverstone and Shanghai as well as a second-place finish at Fuji. The big blow came at Sebring, where they could only muster a sixth-place finish after a troubled race on grueling Floridian circuit. At Spa too, in the weather chaos they wouldn’t finish ahead of the Alpine. Can they bounce back at Le Mans 2019, and for one last time pull a win out of the bag and win the title? It’ll be a story line well worth following.

Elsewhere in the full-season WEC LMP2 field, while there are no other contenders for the championship. There is the intrigue of DragonSpeed’s Pastor Maldonado and Anthony Davidson-led ORECA, which has finished on the podium the last three races and looks primed for a big result after a maiden win at Spa, and the new-look No.37 JCDC squad. A mid-season driver crew change for the No.37 car has eliminated it from the title race, but the addition of Briton Jordan King, American IMSA ace Ricky Taylor and super Gentlemen driver David Heinemeier Hansson to the field means further depth for the class. And it’s a class which oozes quality and now features 20 cars at Le Mans 2019 since the late surprise announcement that two extra garages will be built for the race.

For those of you track-side at Le Mans 2019 it is the GTE ranks, that will provide much of the excitement and drama, and for good reason, as both GTE Pro and Am are stacked with quality entries and are likely to play host to the closest racing. GTE Pro this year has had it ups and downs, and its fair share of drama up and down the field, but it’s been Porsche that has led the way with consistency. The German marque, against such stiff competition has taken control of the Drivers points battles and sealed the Manufacturers’ title at Spa. The foundations for its success have been laid throughout the season, thanks to its two screaming-mid-engined 911 RSRs taking wins at Le Mans, Fuji and Sebring, and scoring further podiums at every round. While the other teams have struggled to find any form, Porsche’s GT Team has been at times dominant, which is more than just impressive in a Balance of Performance-controlled formula. Michael Christensen and Kevin Estre in the team’s No.92 911 RSR have been the stars here, and head to the finale with a 36-point lead over their teammates in the No.91.

Le Mans 2019

Le Mans is its own race though, and all the other factories will be gunning for glory. After a slow start to its life as the flagship model, Aston Martin will hope its Vantage AMRs can challenge for their first win at La Sarthe, as too will BMW with its M8 GTEs. The older Ford GTs and AF Corse-run Ferraris too will of course be in the mix here, and have to fight not only their full-season competition, but the annual slew of IMSA guest entries (including of course two thunderous Corvettes) that will also be throwing the kitchen sink at Le Mans 2019.

GTE Am on the other hand, is a tighter points battle after seven of the eight races this season. It has been a roller-coaster in the pro-am division of GTE, with some of the best door-to-door action we’ve seen of any class, and a sprinkling of controversy to keep it all interesting. It looked almost certain that the No.88 Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche was going to march to the title, after winning Le Mans and Silverstone last year and scoring well at Spa, but at Fuji, it all changed. A huge penalty was handed to the team for a data logger infraction in Japan with the WEC opting to dock the team all its points. This hammering of the reset button for the class vaulted WEC debutant Team Project 1 into the title lead. It’s drivers Jorg Bergmeister, Patrick Lindsey and Egidio Perfetti have been strong all year, and as a trio getting stronger. They’ve shown consistency with four podiums and a win at Fuji. And even when the team had its backs against the wall at Sebring, after a huge fire in the pre-event test forced it to freight a spare car from Europe on short notice during race week, they still finished third. Another big result here would seal it, but after a slip up at Spa closed the points gap, of the five teams mathematically still in the fight, Spirit of Race and Aston Martin Racing in particular will be keen to win big in France and bring the end of the season to a fitting crescendo. There will be drama, especially as GTE AM is 17-cars strong for Le Mans 2019, thanks to the additional guest cars from Asia and Europe.

LMP1 Standings
1st.
No. 8 Toyota TS050 HYBRID – Fernando Alonso, Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima: 160 points
2nd. No. 7 Toyota TS050 HYBRID – Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopex: 129 points
3rd.  No. 3 Rebellion R-13 Gibson – Thomas Laurent, Gustavo Menezes and Mathias Beche: 99 points

LMP2 Standings
1st
  No. 36 Signatech Alpine A460 – Nicolas Lapierre, Pierre Thiriet & Andre Negrao: 143 points
2nd No. 38 Jackie Chan DC Racing ORECA – Ho Pin Tung, Gabriel Aubry and Stephane Richelmi: 139 points

GTE Pro Drivers Standings
1st
No.92 Porsche 911 RSR – Michael Christensen and Kevin Estre: 140 points
2nd No.91 Porsche 911 RSR – Gianmaria Bruni, Richard Lietz: 104 points
3rd No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 – James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi: 98.5 points

GTE Am Drivers Standings
1st:
No. 56 Team Project 1 Porsche, Jorg Bergmeister, Patrick Lindsey and Egidio Perfetti: 130 points
2nd No. 54 Spirit of Race Ferrari, Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci and Giancarlo Fisichella: 119 points
3rd No. 98 Aston Martin Racing Vantage, Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda: 87 points

Written by Stephen Kilbey
Photography by Dailysportscar.com

Le Mans tickets

When & how to book Le Mans tickets

The Le Mans 24 Hours is seen as the pinnacle of sports car racing and it is on the bucket list of spectators and drivers from all fields of motorsport. Every June more than 250,000 race fans make the pilgrimage to Le Mans. So what makes Le Mans so popular? What Le Mans tickets do you need? and how can you get the most from your own personal Le Mans Experience?

The Le Mans 24 Hours is a unique event. The Le Mans circuit is like no other motorsport venue in the world. It really has to be experienced in person to fully appreciate the history, the challenge, the emotion and the atmosphere of the event. This is the reason that National Geographic rated the Le Mans 24 Hours the number one sporting event in the world; higher than the Olympics, the super bowl or the football world cup.

The history of the Le Mans 24 Hours is well known. A 24 hours endurance race has taken place at Le Mans annually since 1923; only interrupted by a general strike in 1936 and the Second World War. Nearly every car manufacturer that you can think of has competed at Le Mans over the years, but relatively few have been successful. It is not easy to win at Le Mans.

Le Mans tickets
For spectators, such a big event does provide a number of challenges. When to book, where to stay, what tickets are required, how long to stay, where to watch & what to do. That is where Travel Destinations as a specialist travel company can assist. Travel Destinations has been looking after people at Le Mans for more than 20 years now, so in that time we have done everything, seen everything and can help from a position of knowledge and experience. Often there is no right or wrong answer, just a different solution to the same problem, but at least Travel Destinations staff can talk customers through the pros and cons of all the available options.

The one thing that all the Travel Destinations staff agree on is that booking early for Le Mans is highly recommended. As with any large-scale event, availability is key; so the earlier you book your Le Mans tickets, the more choice that you will have. In reality it is possible to turn up on the day and purchase an entrance ticket to the circuit, but that is all that will be available. Campsites, grandstands, glamping and hospitality will always sell out. Gone are the days of turning up in your car and just pitching a tent in the nearest field.

Travel Destinations looks after a few thousand customers at the Le Mans 24 Hours each year, many of whom are repeat customers. Often these people will re-book immediately on their return or even before if they phone on their way home from the race, which some people do. However, this isn’t always necessary unless you are particularly forgetful. We would usually recommend that people reserve the travel, tickets and accommodation before Christmas for the following year. This will usually guarantee you everything that you want. Once the New Year comes around, certain things will start to sell out. Particularly popular grandstands and track-side campsites may start to fill up. There will always be something available right up until April and May; we do even make some very late bookings in the first week of June, but by then there is no choice, it is just what is left available at that time.

Le Mans tickets
So, ultimately what we are saying is that the time to book is as soon as possible. Once you have decided that you want to go to Le Mans then you need to act. These days the first thing most people do is surf the internet. You will find endless social media, forums and message boards all offering their opinions on where is the best place and what the best tickets to have are. However, there are really only two things that you should look for when purchasing tickets etc. for Le Mans: The first thing to look for is an official Le Mans tickets agent logo. This logo means that the company is officially licensed to sell tickets directly from the ACO (the Automobile Club De L’Ouest, are the race organizers). Anyone without that logo is effectively a re-seller and is probably acting without authorization from the circuit. That is called ticket touting and is effectively breaks the terms and condition of buying a Le Mans ticket. Not only that, but you run the risk of not receiving the correct tickets or any at all. So message one is to always look for that Le Mans official agency logo. The second thing to look for, & this applies for any holiday that you may choose to book, is that the company should be bonded to offer financial protection. The most well-known if these in the UK is ABTA and ATOL. These logos show that the company you are booking through have been authorized to sell travel packages and that they have all the insurances in place to do so. Sadly there are many companies that will claim to ensure your money is safe if you book with them, but ultimately you should ask more questions before you book. We recommend looking for the logos. If they aren’t there or you are not sure, don’t book.

The internet is great for many things, but for Le Mans tickets it can cause issues if you aren’t familiar with Le Mans, are visiting for the first time, or the website is in a foreign language. Sometimes it is best to speak to someone with experience and ask some questions. Travel Destinations actively encourages all our customers to call us, even if they have been to Le Mans many times before. Things are always changing at Le Mans, so you can’t just presume things will be the same as previous years. In recent years some campsites have been built on and closed or reduced in size. New campsites have opened and others have changed the facilities on offer. All Travel Destinations staff have been to Le Mans, so can speak from experience. They are also kept up to date with current events at the circuit so that they can pass on that information directly to our customers. Ticking a box on a website just can’t do that.

Top tips for booking for Le Mans tickets:
• Only purchase from an official agent (or the circuit directly).
• Check for financial bonding if booking as part of a travel package (look for the logos!)
• Pick up the telephone and speak to the company. If they can’t answer the phone or don’t know the answers to your questions, try someone else who can.

Travel Destinations is the largest UK Tour Operator to Le Mans. Travel Destinations are an officially appointed Le Mans tickets agency for the Le Mans 24 Hours as well as the Le Mans Classic and they are a fully ABTA and ATOL bonded tour operator.
Visit www.lemansrace.com for more details or call the Travel Destinations team on +44 (0)1707 329988.

Written by Richard Webb

Le Mans 2019

Le Mans 2019: Reserve your place now!

Le Mans 2019: On sale now

There are few events that people start planning the moment the previous one has finished. Christmas and the family holiday are probably on that list. Le Mans is definitely there.
Le Mans 2019 is already unique in that it will be the second Le Mans 24 hours in the one, not to be repeated, “Super-Season” of the FIA World Endurance Championship. From now on, the Le Mans 24 Hours will be the grand finale to a season that begins in September & October the previous year. If Le Mans could be any more important in the motorsport calendar, it will be now.

Le Mans 2019

Toyota dominated the 2018 race, but there was also a lot of positives to be taken from the new private teams, who now have the invaluable experience of a Le Mans 24 Hours under their belt. Expect some rule changes and “balance of performance” tweaks to enable the privateers to close the gap on Toyota at Le Mans 2019.

We know what to expect from the LMP2 battle. In 2018 we saw both a chassis war and tyre war mix up the grid, but it will perhaps be remembered for the controversy that saw teams disqualified after the podium presentation for tampering with their refuelling rigs. That was a shame for quite a few teams that either had their trophies taken away, or that missed out on that podium feeling in the first place. Hopefully lessons will be learnt by everyone before Le Mans 2019.

Le Mans 2019
The GTE Pro battle was exceptional in 2018 & there is no reason to expect it to be any different for Le Mans 2019. Porsche’s retro-liveried cars were instant fan favourites and were cheered on by thousands as every lap went by. However, they were pushed all the way by a mixture of the Ferrari & Ford with the new BMWs not far behind. The older Corvettes and the new Aston Martin Martins looked great, but lacked the performance to back it up, but a year on don’t expect the same results.

GTE Am continues to deliver. There was competitive racing, errors, moments of exceptional skill and a popular winner in the best performing car. What more can you ask for? Same again at Le Mans 2019 please!

Le Mans 2019

So now you know what to expect, why not join us track-side at Le Mans 2019? Travel Destinations are an official tickets agent for Le Mans 2019 and offer you the widest possible choice for you to stay at Le Mans and enjoy all the action. Here are just a few of the possible options:

Circuit Camping: Thousands of race fans camp at the circuit each year. Le Mans 2019 will be no different. The circuit run campsites such as Maison-Blanche, Tertre Rouge and Houx are all available through Travel Destinations. You will need to bring your own tent & expect to join a rowdy crowd at various locations around the track. Camping facilities will be basic at best but if you join in the party atmosphere you can have a great time.

Le Mans 2019
Private camping at Porsche Curves: Travel Destinations private campsite at the Porsche Curves remains hugely popular with race fans still wanting to camp, but preferring the added benefits of on-site security, serviced showers & toilets as well as hospitality marquee with café & bar exclusive to Travel Destinations customers. In addition, you also get the bonus of our very own exclusive viewing bank overlooking the fastest corner on the circuit!

Travel Destinations Event Tents: Our “Glamping” option is located across the other side of the track to our Porsche Curves campsite, but instead of having to bring your own tent, we provide a 5-metre diameter bell-tent, fully carpeted & complete with mattresses and all bed linen. The Event Tents benefit from security, serviced shower & toilet blocks as well as their own hospitality marquee for food and drink and all residents also have access to our private viewing bank at the Porsche Curves.

Le Mans 2019
Travel Destinations Flexotel Village: Each year we build a “pop-up hotel” in the centre of the circuit. This Flexotel Village provides customers with their own bedroom at the track. Each room comes with 2 proper beds & all bed linen and towels and you can choose from a standard room with shared facilities or your own ensuite room with shower & toilet. The atmosphere amongst the Flexotels is calmer & more relaxed than elsewhere on circuit, but there is still a hospitality marquee serving food and drinks all weekend for those what enjoy coming together with other like-minded race fans over a beer or a BBQ. All this is just a short walk from the paddock or Tertre Rouge corner.

Le Mans 2019
Hotel & chateaux offers: For some the lively nature of the busy circuit may be too much, so staying away from the circuit is a more comfortable option for them. Of course, there is the battle with traffic to get in to the circuit if you are driving, but some of our hotel options also have the option of using the excellent tram service to get to and from the track. Prices for nearby hotel rooms are not the cheapest options, but for those looking to enjoy the whole race week they are certainly a comfortable option.

Le Mans 2019
If you’re not sure which option is best for you, then why not call our team at Travel Destinations? Each member of staff has an intimate knowledge of Le Mans with multiple visits under their belts. They know the pros & cons of every option and will be happy to discuss the best option for you.

You can book Le Mans 2019 with Travel Destinations now. Early-bird prices are on our website and you can secure your place at Le Mans 2019 today with a small deposit.
Call us now on 0844 873 0203 to join us at Le Mans 2019.