Le Mans 2005

[RallyRaider]

So I estimate about five hours to go, is that right?

[RallyRaider]

Looks like the one remaining Pescarolo is rapidly running out of time to catch the lead Audi. If the Champion crew can keep it tight Tom Kristensen will have his record seventh win, including the last six in a row - astounding!

[ales]

Missed all the action ... what happened to one of the PEscarolos? Also the DBR9s who'd been running so strongly hit trouble almost simultaneously, and now the Vettes are holding a very comfortable 1-2 in GT1

[RallyRaider]

Yes a shame about the Aston Martins.
It's now all over and the #3 Champion Racing Audi has won the 2005 Le Mans 24 hours. JJ Lehto for the second time, Kristensen for an amazing seventh, Audi's fifth (sixth if you count the "Audi with a roof" Bentley). Don't know about Marco Werner, is this his first?

[ales]

Yes, it is his first time. This is exactly the result I wanted - Tom one of the drivers to win the race! Yay!

[street_racer_00]

Dissapointed that AM and pescarolo didn't win...kudos for the american team coming out on top though.

[lotus_man]

Just got back from the race (sorry to all those that couldn't even watch on telly).

It was truelly a great race. All four classes were nail biters pretty much to the end.

The Audi truelly won on endurance this year. It was visibly slower than the Pescarollo cars, but they kept having niggling problems and slower pit stops and in the end I think that's what cost them.

LMP2 was interesting, in that it was ultimatelly decided by reliability as well. All the cars had issues, but RML worked so hard with the little Lola it was great to see them get the reward of a class win.

To see both Astons run into pretty terminal problems at the same time was heart breaking. I was sat in the tribune right across from their pits and you could see how the drivers were suffering in the heat. Corvette were definitelly better prepaired on that score.

Good also to see the new Panoz lead GT2 for a while at the start. Really wanted them to get at least one of their cars home. Still, the ALMS regulars represented for the Americans in that class with the top 3 positions.

All in all a great year (all though a little warm for my liking). Time to start planning next years trip I think... but how do I tell the wife?

[street_racer_00]

I've always wanted to go LeMans...not only because it's the greatest road race in the world, it looks like a 24 hour party as well! Did you experience any of the carnival or anything like that?

[PSYCHORACING]

My dream is to participate in lemans. Ive been trying to acheive that since i was 6.(Karting)

I think it would be cool as a spectator. I mean its a carnival with the worlds sweetest roller coaster(The race itself)

[Jaguar D-Type]

One of those Panoz Esperante GTLMs was doing very well at the start, but both of the factory cars didn't finish the endurace race. It was their first time at Le Mans.

[lotus_man]

Originally Posted by street_racer_00

I've always wanted to go LeMans...not only because it's the greatest road race in the world, it looks like a 24 hour party as well! Did you experience any of the carnival or anything like that?

I've been four times now, '96 and '97, then 2000 (not a great race) and then this year. This year was a short trip, but we still got some partying in.

The longest trip was a 10 day affair in 97. We did scrutineering, which they run in the town center outside the cathederal. I got to chat breifly to one of my heros (the late Bob Wolleck) and you could get right up to the cars and crew. Qualifying on Wednesday and Thursday is always worth seeing if you can get down there in time, and the open day on Friday is excellent for looking around the pits and paddock. The parade in the town on Friday night is mad and always packed. It's also worth bearing in mind that you can get into the museum outside the curcuit for free with race tickets over the weekend, and there are always some great cars there.

If you do ever go, get to the track early on Saturday as the roads in get packed by 10:00 (the actual race usually kicks off at 16:00). There's usually historic race of some kind in the morning and then parades of drivers, some historics being displayed, the return of the trophey etc. Then there's the start, which to me is the most magical part of the weekend, it's impossible to describe really. Radio Le Mans do a fantastic English language commentary which you can ick up at the circuit and in the campsites so you'll always know whats going on.

As you can guess, I love the place and go as often as I can (it's only a 200 mile drive and four hour ferry crossing for me, so it;s a bit easier than it would be for most people on here). If you can ever find a way of getting to the race I recommend it, it's an experience you won't ever forget.