Le Mans 2017 Reflection

[Kev_mk3]

Looking back at this years race I did things differently to my 'norm'.

I find it a emotional roller coaster as I always did it with my dad and with it being fathers day always raise a glass to him and have a few moments to myself. This year didnt help that my nan passed away as I was on my way! BUT its still a good way to remember and celebrate being close to my dad. ( I will beat his 33 years going! )

Spent more time at the track camping and rather than leaving Sunday to head to Arnage we stayed till the end of the race to go on track - This failed for me but my mate Rich who I was looking for got on  I would like to try Arnage at night in 2018 and I will one day watch sun rise as I keep saying I will but don't!

Overall racing - Brilliant really enjoyed it and the GT Pro racing I couldn't get enough of such a good class for competitive racing, With BMW back next year with the M8 If they are in this class it will be interesting. Toyota bad luck continued? Will they give up? I doubt it - I doubt they will win either!

Camp site - Being with DFH, Nopanic Neil, Martini and others its fantastic. Make you feel so welcome, social and like a family. Ellie the gf commented home how everyone was polite, made her feel welcome and she loved it (She also had a soft spot for martini - think its the shots he was giving her!!!!)

It seemed to me that the cubicles for men seemed to be less from 2016 IMO always large ques no matter where you went but everyone was respectful to woman on site letting them go first etc

Friday it was very toned down and seemed strange. Wasn't loads of seriously loud music, not many fireworks etc was a bit sedate IMO Mad Friday was moved I believe to somewhere else which the police made specially but I am unsure where this was. Still there was a accident outside out camp site entrance where a chap got ran over. I think he was actually camping next to us as a bloke Saturday seemed to be covered in body braces so who knows  I believe the campsites where 30% less than 2016 and you could see that down the bottom of ours.

Showers - Really nice, clean and never a issue. I do admit first year I used them in the 13 years I've been  So hot this year I needed to cool down and worked a treat.

Security - Hmmm some wouldn't allow any alcohol, no glass bottles at all at all entrances. Solution, plastic bottles, cans or a camel-back as I opted for. Hardly any ques no major issues that I experienced so not to bad. Annoyingly Friday they shut the road in front of Houx so after 2 hours trying to get to the site again I had to go back to the Mulsanne and then back in that way for no reason! Then sunday after the race it took a few hours for them to allow people right out the site rather than left............

Track / Viewing - Easy to get around as always no big issues. I see alot of people complaining about the price of beer at track, yet they still had about 15 cups at the end of the race  oh well! Food wise same stuff as always just mass produced stuff but when you ask them to leave things off like you don't want bread (due to allergy's) you get told sorry its pre made when they do it in front of you - takes the piss a little  Only 1 stand had allergy signs up at the track. Thankfully we knew whats what!

Saturday night was difficult to move near the dunlop bridge due to the concert - You couldn't move basically!

It seems t shirts & things prices are shooting up. I remember when I started to go it was like 10 euro a tshirt this year - 23 euros....... Ok the quality is better but still its a big increase. I wanted to buy a tshirt with the corner names on but didnt. Reason being if I order the tshirt from here direct -

https://www.shotdeadinthehead.com/pistonheads-phlm16-sign-t-shirt.html

Its £15, If I got it at the track this year.............. 35 euros. Thats double the price for a 2016 tshirt  It was happening all over so didnt bother!

Overall - Brilliant time, Brilliant race, Brilliant people. Think some of my 2016 group are looking to come 2018 so plans are already under way but I cant wait and I am counting down the days!

Many thanks to all you guys who also make it a great event!

[cja]

For me, it was simply a GREAT RACE with a fantastically exciting middle and finish.

Arriving on the ferry was fine and no traffic problems, Frog-side (a few tweaks for next time in hand)
The weather was superb.
The seats we had were (in the main) good (I already know the changes needed for next time)
The atmosphere was terrific and as I wasn't camping, I had no miserable gits to worry about.... 
Track beer prices weren't great but were manageable, if overall trackside consumption was a little down on previous years.
Leaving was a doddle and a good run north for an exceptional ferry crossing, in the sun!.

As for the water issue, I was off-site but 6 x 1.5ltr bottles of water at €1.45 worked for me.

2018 accommodation already booked & paid for, with 2019 also booked.

Bring it on!!

[lofty]

With you both on all things. Programme 6 euros!!!! It's been 5 for as long as remember. I'll check the old ones.Beer price not fun anymore and the dirty burger vans are a joke.

[Lazy B'stard]

Another cracking year. Weather top notch, a little too hot for a pasty Northerner maybe. Campsites very quiet this year. Returning at 2am from town on Friday onto Houx, everyone had gone to bed! Nice to catch up with a few people, never enough time it seems to catch up with everyone. Drivers parade and town were brilliant fun again, as was the slightly drunk cycle home- kebab in hand! Sneaking onto the straight half way along Indianpolis in the early hours was memorable, although not as memorable as it was for the two French lads who appeared and sat within feet of our hiding spot. They shat themselves when we got up to leave  

All in all a top weekend. Roll on 2018

[Volks Repair Man]

I must be getting old because Bleu Nord campsite was way noisier than I remember it having been after being inside the circuit last few years. Loud music and fireworks all Friday night and less but the same Sunday. Saturday night we were out for some reason...Loud generator next to my head (why do generator users always put them far from themselves and hence closer to their neighbours - so considerate!) meant little sleep which would have been fine if we'd been able to catch up in the day but the heat made that impossible in a tent.
Toilets and showers were OK but not great but no water point in the heat was poor in my view. We found one but I can't remember not having a water point before.
There was some daft behaviour but not too bad, only time I got worried some drunk guys were setting off paper lanterns (great idea in a grassy area in that heat!) which wouldn't rise and kept landing on vehicles and at one point a tent. They thought it hilarious.
With all the above we had a cracking trip - great race, great weather. Found a great stop over near Calais on the way back. I just camped in the wrong place and need to find somewhere more civilised for next year.
Anybody camped down at Arnage or Mulsanne can give a review?

[clkgtrlm1]

This is our team's Le Mans 2017 Reflection

 

Seriously though - what a fantastic year.
One of the best yet!

[Rhino]

Another good year for us.
One thing we did find out when one of our group fell off his bike and cut his elbow requiring 6 stitches. The cost of treatment at the circuit medical centre is covered by your ticket.

[Landy_Jon]

Now that is good to know after the (sometimes very) odd injuries our lot have picked up...

[Kev_mk3]

Another good year for us.
One thing we did find out when one of our group fell off his bike and cut his elbow requiring 6 stitches. The cost of treatment at the circuit medical centre is covered by your ticket.

brilliant to know but I hope I never have to use that info