By : Jock Simpson

The Start of the 68th running of the 24 Heures du Mans

The Build Up...

It is almost impossible to describe the atmosphere here at Le Mans prior to the start ... it a heady mix of brilliant sun, marching bands, flag bearers, driver parades, race cars hidden under national flags trying to keep cool, pit crews standing around looking as calm as they can before a 24 hour race, much of the success of which will depend on them, vast cheering crowds, masses of beautiful women, some on the arms of rich looking sponsors, some in the pits, some simply posing, television teams from all over the world, photographers with huge lenses, add to them the impossibly suave racing drivers and you have one very glamorous and enticing display.

Already sections of the huge crowd in the grandstands opposite the pits are beginning to pick their favourites. Those of you who have visited Club-Arnage before will remember the mad Japanese flag wavers, crazy souls who waved flags for the entire race. They are not here this year as far as we can see but there are still plenty of flags, horns and cheering fans. Only here at Le Mans could four stunningly sexy ladies wearing sprayed on vinyl trousers and tiny tops be completely out shone by the immortal Hawaiian Tropic girls! There is an embarrassment of riches.

15:00 hrs. Jackie Ickyx is out on the track in one of The Gulf Wyer Ford GT40. He is celebrating three major achievements. Firstly he has been named 'Driver of the Le Mans 24 Hours of the 20th Century'. Secondly he has been made a Citizen of Honour of the city of Le Mans and President of the Urban Community of Le Mans. To round all this off he will be acting as President of Honour of the 68th 24 Heures du Le Mans and to drop the start flag.

15:20 hrs All the cars, except the Porsche GT3R #72 that is still in the pits changing a windscreen that somehow got broken during practising driver changes, are out on the circuit. This means the #73 Porsche that rolled last night and the #4 Cadillac that crashed in the warm up will both be out racing.

15:30 hrs the WRM LMP Peugeot #36 has a problem, it has pitted with a hole in its radiator, should be ready in time. or may start from the pit lane.

Porsche 911 GT3R #78 has a problem and hasn't joined the grid yet but will start.

16:00 hrs .. On the dot, as always, the 68th running of The 24 Heures du Mans is under way!

The Brabham Panoz is taking the fight to the Audis on the opening lap. #9, #8, #7 leads

Leading four cars are opening up a sizeable gap

16:10 hrs Reynard 2KQ Mopar #5 has stopped at Mulsanne. The team tells us via Radio Le Mans that it involves oil pressure and engine problem.

16:10 hrs and the 'Star' Viper #51 is in the lead, the #63 Corvette is second.

16:14hrs Courage C60 Judd #17 Philippe Gache spins all on his own with no help from his fellow drivers! Happily no damage, maybe he has flat spotted a tyre or two.

The Labre Porsche GT3R #77 is leading of GT.

GTS is coming along nicely with Viper #51, Viper #52, 'Vette #63, 'Vette #64 and Viper #53 all running together

16:19hrs: Major incident involving DAMS Cadillac Northstar #4. No sign of ambulances and so on, only fire extinguishers so we don't think there is any driver injury so we assume that the big fire is all about an engine failing 'big time'! This barbecue is proving hard to extinguish.

#78 pits

#2 pits

It is early in the race for’tactical’ pit stops but at least they can top up with fuel which may prove handy later in the race.

16:21hrs Safety cars comes out.

16:25hrs a seriously large fire truck is heading out to see if he can put out the fire.

'Vette #63 comes in and has a driver change .. bit odd after only 21 minutes of racing.

#17 long stop, they make some rear wing changes ..

#51, # 52, #63 (fresh tyres) all pit .. #64 nearly misses his pit, Porsche #71 pits.

#54 Viper into pit garage .. lots of people working on the car.

All tyres changed on #17

Audi pit is getting ready....#9 fuel top up only and #7 fuel and tyre changes .. maybe for a harder compound to see what works best.

#Wayne Taylor Cadillac #2 back in again, second stop, problems?

#3 Cadillac electronic problems with rev limiter .

#1 no known problems for Andy Wallace. The Audi #9 has now pitted as well. This means that practically all the cars have come in, mostly for fuel. We wonder if the cars that changed tyres might have taken the chance to use a different (probably harder ) compound.

16:40 hrs: Looks as if the fire is now out and the recovery trucks can bring the wreckage back to the paddock. We may be back racing soon.

These safety car sessions do tend to alter a team's plans and they will have to re-jig the entire race strategy. (That is what we pay them for!) The cars will be using less fuel and saving the tyres .. the downside is that the cars could start running hot.

#63 'Vette back in for a 'splash and dash’ 16:47 hrs the 'dead' Cadillac is on a low loader and on its way back to USA.

On lap 10, albeit under the safety car, the #11 Panoz is leading Le Mans!

McNish is unhappy because he got help up by the Belmondo Viper #54.

#2 Cadillac splash and dash .. This is all part of USA racing NASCAR,CART and the rest, USA teams are totally familiar with safety car sessions and they use them for tactical reason.

#64 'Vette .. fuel again and driver change.

#51 Viper in for fuel

This is an eight mile track and we are looking at two gallons a lap ! As you may have guessed this cars are not specifically designed with economy in mind.

The driver changes may also be part of keeping the drivers in good shape in this heat.

Back at the 'fire site' they are clearing up the track and making repairs.

Race Positions at 17:00 hrs

11.9.7.8.21.24.12.16.10.32.1.34.3.20.
6.15.33.22.2.52.51.83.71.17.57.32.60.
56.73.59.35.53.36.63.77.76.30.64.75.81.
82.72.80.79.78.54.5.

17:00hrs .. Something big has just fallen off the safety car.. bit alarming !

It looks like the engine under tray is no longer attached to the car!

17:05hrs Safety car in the pits and we are racing again and the David Brabham #11 Panoz is leading.

McNish is having nothing of this, headlamps blazing he wants that lead back ... Brabham has different view and is driving a very wide car indeed.. interesting to se that the Panoz is as quick in a straight line as the Audi seems to be. This is great fun, they are having a terrific scrap ! That Panoz has some real 'grunt' out of the corners, the third place Audi is now catching the leading pair. This isn't what Audi had in mind and their overall race strategy is falling apart. Mind you the crowd is enjoying it as the third Audi is gradually joining the fray

17:17hrs The Audi is back in front .. at last .. interesting out braking manoeuvre worked fine into the Mulsanne Chicane.

Chamberlain Viper #56 may be in spot of bother, it came into the pits and was sent straight out again, but its out lap was very dignified.

#7 Audi out fumbled the Panoz at the same spot as McNish. Now it is Audi, Audi, Panoz.

17:24 hrs #33 ROC into the pit garage with electronic problem causing a misfire, Ralf Kelleners is still in the car, so it probably isn't too serious.

The leading group drama has taken up our time at the expense of the other categories. So here is an up

17:25 hrs and The Reynard #34 leads LMP675 by a healthy margin .. in GTS the #52Viper leads the #63 Corvette which in turn is ahead of Viper #53. In GT Porsche #83 The Dick Barbour car is now in front of arch rival #77 The Labre car.by around three seconds.

As we write the Corvette #63 has taken over the lead from the #52 Viper . This happened off screen and off air so we are now trying to sort out the

why ‘s and wherefore’s of all this. #6 Reynard 2KQ into the pit garage for serious work

#17Courage-Judd is leaking fluid 17:40 hrs #9 pits, looks routine for fuel, McNish stays at the wheel.

#2 Cadillac driver change Eric van de Poele takes the wheel, hits one of the #63'Vette spare wheel, all a bit careless, luckily no damage

#63 'Vette made a driver change and Fellows got out and Kneifel in.

RACE POSITIONS AT 18:09 HRS

9.7.11.8.12.10.3.21.24.1.16.20.34.
17.15.22.23.52.32.63.51.64.53.57.
83.77.59.60.76.73.56.36.81.72.79.
75.80.78.2.30.71.82.54.33.6.35