Even the most famous endurance race in motor sport has been tinkered with this year, for what many see as a reason bordering on the banal. To enable as many as possible of the 220,000 spectators to vote in the second round of the French legislative elections, the start of the Le Mans 24-hour race has been brought forward to 1500 on 16 June.
The organisers are furious, believing correctly that the spectators speeding – literally - on their way home are unlikely to have their precious vote uppermost in their minds. What the enthusiasts will be faced with, however, is a veritable barrage of extra speed traps, and French police are determined to drive the boy racers off the public roads.
Le Mans began in 1923 and is using the same circuit as in 2006, a combination of private and public tarmac, once much more dangerous; the worst of the twists and turns have been modified frequently over the years, turning a tiger of a track into a pussy cat. Or so the old-timers would have us believe.
A total of 76 entries were received this year, whittled down to what is known as the endurance élite: 41 teams from 13 different countries, proof that far from fading away, Le Mans is as fiercely fought over as ever. It has always been a race for prototypes, 28 out of a field of 55. These are cars that bear little resemblance to the manufacturers’ current range on sale at motor dealers; but prove to be what helps sell the more mundane mass-produced models to a slightly gullible public.
The leading category, known as LM P1 (don’t ask) has 16 entries in what promises to be an absorbing duel between Audi and Peugeot. Three R10 will go head to head with two Peugeot 908s: a case of the German version of the V12 diesel, which won last year, up against the French V12 diesel, for whom this is their first season in endurance racing. Even the experts cannot separate them on performance.
Watch out, too, for Yves Courage, a wonderfully apt name for a local constructor. In his 25th year on the starting grid, Courage has entered two V8 AER turbo C75s: even if you know nothing about cars, the name is enough to make your mouth water.
Some of the great names of the past will be present, albeit more low key. A Lola has entered, powered by the V8 Audi turbo engine that has won Le Mans five times in the past. And in the other categories come Aston Martins, Porches and Ferraris galore.
Le Mans has five extra pits this year. Unimpressed? For the uninitiated, the pits are where mechanics swear profusely and cars die on their furious drivers, ready to blame everyone but themselves.
www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans/
June 2007
