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So off I went in
search of my place in the Pits grandstand (also known as T34). I had now made this my 'home'
at Le Mans, since I was first introduced to it by Fab in 2003. This
year, I had Alan at
Motorsport Tours to thank for my seat in
the grandstand. I've said many times before that the build up to the start
of the race each year is always one of my favourite times at Le Mans. This
year I was able to savour it even though it was just a little lonely up there in
the stand on my own - well, with a few thousand others! At least I could
wave at Bernard a few rows away!
The view from my seat was as good as
ever. It's funny really. When I used to watch the pre-race
festivities over on the tribunes, I made fun of the 'pretty people' over in the
pits grandstand. Many of the seats seemed to remain empty until just
before the start of the race and I assumed that their occupants were those who
either had the money or whose faces fitted and who were able to get down onto
the dummy grid. I also wondered whether you could actually see very much
from up there. The reality of course is very different. T34 houses
some of the most ardent Le Mans fans (a number of the members of the sportscar
forum at Ten Tenths always 'make camp' in that grandstand). And as for the
view - it's sensational. Without a doubt the best place to watch the
parade from as there's no debris fencing in the way! True enough, you
can't see down into the pits themselves (although leaning out with the camera
can produce some good shots), but the view as the cars pass the pits more than
compensates. And it's a great resting place for those weary legs in the
middle of the night! So
back to the parade and the drivers were now being introduced as the cars were
pushed out into the echelon positions....
In past years I've tried my hardest
to get a shot of each set of drivers as they come forward on the cabriolets to
be introduced to the crowd. This year I just went for a selection.....
As always, the arrival of anything
Dutch (Spyker, Lammers.....) got the orange guys and gals from Holland
celebrating furiously......
And the arrival of the Hawaiian
Tropic girls in their familiar red 'uniform' brought forth the usual cheers
(although these days it seems to create more interest from the hordes of
media-accredited photographers than the crowd....). I'd rather see the
Ultimate girls or the MG girls from 2001!
And then they were back again.
Full marks for persistence......
And then it was time for the 'big
guns' from Audi and Pescarolo......
So, the parade was over and the
teams could get on with the all-important last minute preparations.....
Another part of the Le Mans
tradition is the return of the trophy - this year brought back in very fine
style indeed.
And as the race-starting drivers got
helmeted up ready for the off (what a feeling that must be!), Henri addressed
the adoring French crowd, who, along with a substantial proportion of the
non-French Le Mans fans, were really hoping that this could be
Pescarolo's year at last.....
The fun and games were now very much
over and we were all settling into the last 40 minutes or so before the race
would be under way at 5 pm. Gradually the track began to clear of the
people who had no business being there while the final preparations were made.
Soon the call came to start engines
and the cars were off from the echelon line for their final lap (or two) before
the off.
And then the
waiting was over......
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