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Le Mans 1996 - The Tourists' Story

Page 3

 

So while the others were busy watching the football, I was busy with my camera, firstly on the inside of the Dunlop Chicane and then at the Ford Chicane (see separate gallery - link at bottom of page).  Actually, I kicked myself afterwards.  For years I had meant to pay the ACO's museum a visit, and this would have been the ideal chance.  Even as I write this at the beginning of 2002, I still haven't made it to the museum yet!

I was still holding out a lot of hope for the 29 Harrods McLaren, after the great performance in 1995. Sadly, it wasn't to be.... Olivier Grouillard is at the wheel of the car here.            And here's that 2 Kremer K8, looking very smart in it's STP colours. Unfortunately, the car's progress in the early stages was down the field rather than up it. Worse was to come.....            A rather rare shot (for me) of the 81 Marcos, driven by Euser, Dro and Erdos. Despite leading GT2 early on, the Marcos was soon a casualty, the engine giving up the ghost after just 40 laps.

 

The 75 Kunimitsu Honda was driven by Iida, Tsuchiya and Kunimitsu Takahashi himself. It had a hard act to follow after winning GT2 in 1995                Wasn't there something rather intimidating about the look of those Porsche GT1's? The McLaren F1's certainly found them intimidating! Here is the 26 car of Dalmas, Wendlinger and Goodyear.

Once I had met up again with the others and we had done our usual tour, taking in the view at the Dunlop Chicane and down at the Esses, our thoughts turned to refreshment!  Once again, our evening meal was to be taken at Le Belinois at Monce en Belin.  We had an excellent meal there (although it seemed the cost was increasing very substantially every year!).  Although all of the Tourists did return to the circuit after our meal as had by now become customary, they left me at the circuit at about 1.00 a.m., to return to Le Grand Luce.  For a change, I've left our the night shots here (as I wanted to concentrate on the daytime ones), although there is a picture below taken through the fencing of the Dunlop Bridge, not long after dawn.

Hmmm. Decisions, decisions! Martin and Alan ponder over what to order at Le Belinois.                    I'm not sure which of the two Gulf McLarens this is but both cars were still running well, chasing the Joest and works Porsches.

As always, I enjoyed the night enormously.  Without question my favourite part of the Le Mans experience.  I spent quite a bit of time down at Tertre Rouge (and lamented the passing of the Cafe du Tertre Rouge, now replaced by the new Bar Le Tertre Rouge - another famous landmark gone).  Then it was on to the hillock at the bottom of the Esses, before a long walk back to the tribunes and on to the Porsche Curves (or as near as you can get to them).  

I was feeling pretty tired and my feet were killing me.  I had made the very big mistake of wearing a brand new pair of trainers and after quite a bit of walking during Saturday and the night, I had acquired a couple of nasty blisters!  The rest of the Tourists surfaced at about 8.30 on Sunday morning (with the exception of Nick, who decided to say back at Le Grand Luce for a few more hours shuteye!).  

Unfortunately, the rather good-looking 57 Toyota Supra of (last year's winner) Sekiya, Mitsusada and Masami Kageyama was not desined to finish the race. It went out following an accident after 205 laps.            A nice flame-out from the much-troubled 4 Courage, driven here by Jan Lammers. Sunday morning saw the best spell of the race for this car, during which it rose from 14th to 8th place.            The works Porsches were still having a ding-dong battle with the lead Joest Porsche. The 26 car is driven here by Karl Wendlinger.

Before heading back to Le Grand Luce for some breakfast, we decided to make an early morning visit to the restaurants on the Mulsanne from where I was able to take a few more pictures.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to get as close to the track as we managed in 1994!   After breakfast (and a clean pair of socks for my poor feet!), it was out to Indianapolis and Arnage.

It's blue flag time for the marshalls at the entry to the first Mulsanne chicane as the Harrods McLaren nips inside the Menicon Sard (46).                This "scenic" shot wasn't really intended to capture the Kunimitsu Honda approaching Indianapolis, but to show the last resting place of the 2 Kremer Porsche, which had a massive shunt some hours earlier with Stanley Dickens at the wheel.

It was a good time to visit Indianapolis as first Mario Andretti decided to throw his Courage off the road there, followed only about 10 minutes later by Franck Freon in the Kudzu Mazda!  It took the marshalls ages to find a vehicle suitable to pull Mario out of the kitty-litter, experience which obviously served them well, as Freon was out and on his way in about half a minute! 

Poor Mario - having only just missed out on that coveted Le Mans win in 1995, 1996 was definitely not his year!                Franck Freon would no doubt incur the wrath of team mates Terada and Downing for this mishap! The car had suffered a lot of problems and would be the last classified finisher.

After an hour or so soaking up the sunshine at Indianapolis and Arnage, we made our way back to the garage rouge for the last stages of the race.  Having let the air get to my feet, I was now in agony, limping around like an old crock.  (A bit like the Kudzu Mazda!).  The race between the 7 Joest Porsche and the two works GT1s was still exciting, all the more so when the second Joest car expired during the last hour of the race, a warning that anything could still happen.

It was now time to indulge in another favourite pastime at Le Mans, a bottle or two of champagne!  This was followed by crocque monsieurs all round.  All too soon, the race was over and Herr Joest had put one over the works Porsche team with their reject car - lovely!  It was time for sleep for me as we headed off to the Hotel Restaurant La Marine at Port en Bessin (as in '95) for yet another fine meal and some more sleep!

The Tourists wander about the Village, with the Radio Le Mans shop in the background.                Our last meal in France at the Cafe du Port in Grandcamp Maisy. It's amazing how good something simple like omelettes and salade de tomates can taste after all that fine food and wine - and the cider - fantastic!

The next day, after breakfast, we paid a visit to the war cemetary at Colleville sur Mer, before taking lunch at Grandcamp Maisy.  It was then just a case of motoring back up the coast to Cherbourg  for a last drink there before catching the boat back to Poole.  

A good year, 1996?  Oh yes!  Porsche may have won, but not how they intended.  Great weather, great company, great food and drink.  Another fine weekend in France.  Superb!