Aysedasi's Le Mans

Le Mans 2006

The Tourists' Story

Saturday - Race Day - The Parade!

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......