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I spend a lot of time when writing my story saying
things like 'as usual' or 'like last year' and this year's story is no exception.
Having had a fairly set routine with the Tourists for many years, I've now settled into
another routine with James and Tony. And it's a routine which suits me
very much indeed. As usual (!!), I'm writing the final page of my story
many months after Le Mans (today is actually the 15th February 2015) and as I
write these last few words there is a thread on Ten Tenths where the relative
merits of F1 and sports car racing are being discussed (fairly pointlessly, to my mind). I'm firmly of the opinion that although there are many
people who are real fans of F1 the 'great unwashed' are deluded into thinking
that F1 is the altar of motor racing upon which all racing fans should worship,
while everything else is less technologically advanced or somehow just less
important, less relevant and less entertaining than F1. Those like me who
are devotees of top level sportscar racing know this to be quite untrue, on
pretty much every level. But we are still told that we watch 'boring'
racing. This year, perhaps more so than any other for quite a while, the
24 Heures du Mans was completely enthralling on so many levels. A great
three-way battle in LMP1 and fantastic racing in LMP2 and the GTE classes.
I don't understand how motor racing fans could find that boring, but I guess I
just have to accept their right to think that way.
The same goes in a way to the way in which I choose to
take part in Le Mans. There are many who think that the only way to do Le
Mans is to spend a week on a campsite, imbibing copious amounts of alcohol and
watching a few hours of the race. But that's not for me. I want to
watch as much as possible and as alcohol holds no importance for me these days, I do that
in a wholly sober state, pretty much all of the time now. It certainly
wouldn't suit most, but it works very well for me as does the ability to return
to a hotel bed each evening after a day of good company, good food and on-track
action.
This year was different though.
James, Tony and I were joined by Nane and then later in the week by Allon and I
enjoyed their company even though it made for a very different experience at
times, particularly for the first few days. I realise now that I am very
selfish about Le Mans and this year probably even more so, having missed out on
the Silverstone WEC weekend in April due to my operation. Jayne puts up
with my selfishness for Le Mans because she knows how important it is for me and
changes to routines aren't always easy to accept and appreciate. But Le
Mans 2014 was very good indeed.
The weather (apart from the key time overnight
during the race), was absolutely glorious and I can only hope for more of that in
2015, pretty please! The racing was excellent too. I'm sorry to say that my
photography left rather a lot to be desired. But then, I do it for myself,
not for anyone else. Next year I need to make a proper choice between
still and video and also to finally get a grip on the desire to deal with the
atmospheric stuff, rather than to reel off hundreds of shots of the same cars at
the same places on the circuit.
As I write this, I look forward to returning to
Silverstone for the WEC weekend in April; tickets and accommodation are all
sorted and I can't wait to have my first glimpse of the new Nissan in the flesh,
so to speak. Then it will be only a few weeks to Le Mans - my 30th Le
Mans - it's quite difficult to comprehend that.... For those who have never been - try it. Most of you won't be
disappointed, provided you leave any F1-related preconceptions of motor racing
at home when you set off. It is a wonderful, entertaining and addictive
experience. Go on - you know it makes sense.....
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