Conference terri::cars_uk

    Well seeing in autosport the other week , the new pit building  it just 
    rattles the old brain into gear reminding your that its soon going to
    be here. I've gone real mad for this year, last year when it was
    booked, but As the general entry ticket covers practice this year I'm 
    going for the full works . Off on the 18th and back on the 24th. 
    
    	Some of the folks here in the CSC have got a coach together and are
    going on friday and coming back monday. I know this is really early but
    how about this year we decide which champagne umbrella we are going to
    meet at. Last Year I went to the one behind the pits , the wrong one ,
    but the bottle of champagne went down a treat.
    
    This year I have no feelings about the race, not even mixed. Last years
    theory got blown out of the water, for the past 2 years the team
    depicted on the ticket won, but not last year. It's far too soon to put
    the iron in the fire, driver line ups are not even finalised.
    
    
     For any intrested parties chequres are selling tickets as follows.
    
    	New pits grandstand..................�85
    	General ticket.......................�35
    	Camping permit.......................�27
    
    The pit ticket includes the genral entry ticket.
    
    
    I don't have shares in chequres, and I do think they are expensive
    but I like to get the camping permit sorted for sure before I go.
    
    
    What ever happens, I'm going to have a good time, and hyper market
    better be well stocked.
    
    
    	Garry
    
    
    
    

    Being from Indianapolis originally, I can appreciate what you must
    mean about the sense of spectacle at Le Mans.  I've always wanted
    to go but've never been able to make it.  I've read about alleged
    fan rowdyism (which was a big problem at Indy, btw) - but have les 
    gendarmes cleaned up that problem if it existed at all?
    
    Interesting reading about the mistrust between the makers and Bernie
    & JMB as far as FISA's commitment to sports car racing.  In America
    we have a lookalike series more or less called IMSA GTP, and it gives
    some of the best race watching around, except that it too is plagued
    by the awful street courses.  But hey, at least in sports cars they
    can bang it up on those tight courses!
    
    MrT 

    Just over 2 weeks to go before most folk start to make tracks south
    across the channel. Supprisingly not much in this not to date. 
    
    I still have no thoughts about the race or the result, well that to say
    I am not prepared to stick my neck out even a tad with results. I think
    its fair to say ( well maybe assume ) that the front row of the grid
    will Probably be Jaguar or Peugoet with Merc and spice as a maybe. What
    ever happens there'll be no XJR12's or c 11 on the first 2 rows.
    
    
    Any plans for a meet ????? 
    
    
    

        
    I've been suprised by what I've read in here and in Motoring News
    about TWRs intentions with the XJR-14. All views so far expressed
    seem to think that XJR-14s are going to be there so as just to
    abide by FISA regulations (two have to be presented for scrutineering)
    and that after that one will be immediately withdrawn, leaving one
    to try and qualify on pole and to run no more than the first half
    hour of the race. 
    
    TW said he had "too many cars to run", but if so why name three
    drivers for each of the XJR-14s? (His top drivers as well - Warwick,
    Fabi, Wallace et al) Wallace for example wasn't named in any other
    car. I wonder if this is a big bluff by Tom? He ran five cars the
    year before last so why should six be such a problem?

    Perhaps he thinks the XJR-14 wouldn't last the pace. But judging
    by the thrashing the XJR-14 gave to the C-11 at Silverstone, it 
    could probably stop for an engine rebuild and gearbox swop a couple 
    of times and still win. No doubt time will tell....
    
    Others, like Peugeot will be trying to win with their 3.5 litre cars
    any guesses on who'll win the 3.5 C1 battle?
    
    The regulations for this race are a little different from the SWC
    this year? Mercedes will race with 950kg cars, Porsche 900kg -
    both 50kg lighter than other SWC rounds? What will the XJR12-LM
    weigh in at? 900kg?  

    And what about refuelling? In the SWC for the 3.5 C1 its "get it
    in as quick as you can" but other C1s have to be 1 litre/sec, is
    this the same at Le Mans?
    
    And what about quantity of fuel? 3.5 C1s unlimited? others to be
    restricted to last year or less or?

    Richard.
    

    As I remember the rules relating to weight were really to deter the
    use of anything other that a 3.5 atmo. If you think about when the
    rules were first tendered, Both merc and jag had a 3.5 atmo car on the
    go, no reason at that time to suspect they would want to race a non 3.5
    car. Later the grid looking a bit thin (still does) The Farce dropped
    the weight limit for the porsche , A car of known quantity almost at
    the end of it life and for sure not much in the way of development
    left. Apart from that there were a whole bunch of private teams that
    would boost the grid size all running the same car. If you think about
    that  then the jag must tip the scales at 950KG ans they don't get the
    special dispensation that the porsche does and therefore falls into the
    same class as the merc.
    
    In motorsport silly rules come in everwhere and sometimes disappear
    just as quick. An example being the amendment to the helmets listed as
    ok to use in the October 90 RACMSA bulletin which was withdrawn in the
    Feb 91 bulletin. Another example relating to Karts , with all the
    whining about noise, a new silence part was rushed in , and rushed out
    the next month because nobody looked at the saftey aspect . The part
    was an massive chunk of metal that could easily fall off and cause
    serious injury to another competitor.
    
    
    Enough of that 2 weeks to go , memories of the disgusing smell of the
    loo's is beginning to come back.
    
    
    Garry
    
    

An accomodation question for all you experienced Le Mans campers.....

Last year I slept in my car in the carpark over by the aerodrome, but I seem
to remember lots of people out there with 1 and 2 man tents. Now when I look
at the motorsport news (I may have the name of the mag. wrong) article on
where to stay/camp, they say that camping is not allowed in the non-reserved
car parks. Was I dreaming last year, or are the rules so lax?

Thanks

Terry

(On second thoughts I wasn't dreaming, I have clear memories of a Ferrari 
Testarossa parked close to me, with the occupants in a rather scruffy little 
ridge tent..... can I rely on doing the same, or is that a privilidge that 
comes with a shiney red machine?)

    Dunno where you read that but its nonsense. The car parks are always
    full of campers.
    
    FYI though... The carparks/campsites are called "garages"... Garage
    Rouge is pretty good as it gives quick and easy access to the track
    and pits via the Dunlop Bridge. But it has no facilities.
    
    The other "garages" on the in-field are better for "facilities".
    I use the world "facilities" carefully though, wherever you
    got the squalor is beyond compare , even in comparrison to places like
    Calcutta 8-)
    

    Apart from entrance into the track an other such places were tickets
    must be shown as far as I know the car park (Bleu, me thinks) always
    seems to have campers and tents up. They are sure enough hot on
    overnight camping before it fills up . One year I was camping in
    camping Bleu and arrived about 2am, parked up in the car park by
    mistake and and got told to go away sharpish in the morning and that
    was first thing friday. For sure I think that once the car park is full
    they tend to ignore the tents . It never seems too difficult to get
    into the designated camping areas with small tents and small vehicles 
    but I can't be sure as I always book that sort of thing in advance.
    Over all I guess that the carpark, provided that you can get the tent
    up is the best place. The advantages for a small tent there over in the
    designated campsite and the carpark by sunday morning are none to
    great. The public loo's on the campsites are unusable, the crowds for
    the public public loo's are massive so I guess the only advantage to me
    in the campsite is I won't have so far to go for fresh water.
    
    I have been told, but never done it, that camping is surrounding areas
    is plentyfull, but that really depends on where you want to be. For me
    the trailer tent is of no use during saturday and most of sunday. I get
    up go to the pits stay there till about 8pm , Go back and barbie some
    stuff , grabb some beers, go back for more and don't return until the 
    egg and bacon calls in the morning. Anyhow the vehicle we take is a
    range rover, so at least 3 could sleep in the back, so the carpark
    would be fine.
    
    
    	Garry

    
    The RULE is that you are not allowed to camp in the Garages, only in
    the designated camping areas. In reality, there are so many people 
    kipping behind/beside their cars in small tents that they turn a blind 
    eye, providing that you don't put up a big tent or block the aisles
    they leave. I have seen them trying (without success) to get people
    to take their tents down during the day. Don't try and put up a big
    tent or you may learn so colourful French phrases, they are very strict
    about this.
    
    Mark
    
    PS I'd rather sleep in a warm dry car myself! :^)

    One year we had to bribe the car park attendents with beer so that
    we could camp in garage rouge. An angry face soon turns to smiles
    when you break out a case of Le-Pissoir-Blonde.
    
    Try it. It works !!

Well I'm trying to pluck up courage to take the Spitfire, so the car may
not be the driest option. Anyway godd politics with the other half means that
we'll probabally end up trying to arrive early Saturday, parking in Garage Bleu
and pitching tent to survive the wee small hours.... (the hangover struck before
dawn last year.... inadaquate provisions)

So how can the Jag attack hope to take out Mec this year? I seem to remember the
XJ12 having problems taking on the C11 head to head last year, and Merc have
had the experience of running their unrestricted cars in all the races so
far this year, unlike Jag. I would have to think smart money is on the silver
bullets again this year, or have I missed out on something (as usual)

Terry

    Advice Terry.... Arrive in Friday night. Saturday morning is a
    nightmare.

    I'm not so sure of the tail end of .11. Last year Merc were not there
    and in 89 if I recall correctly the jag's and just about everbody else 
    for the first half left the merc's behind. Only when Jag and Joest had
    problems did the merc get back into the race. In any case if the Xjr14
    is keep in the race I wouldn't write it off. If it goes like it did at
    Silverstone I don't see anyone matching it , and as someone has already
    said , it could stop for a complete rebuild and still lead at the pace
    that thing goes. 
    
    	Anyway the beer to get , provided you can find it is KWAK. Its so
    damed strong that the bods trying to keep the carpark organized , after
    a couple of bottles of that will have a job keeping themselves
    organized let alone the carpark.
    
    Garry

    
    You also get a free paddock walkabout (when the cars are still there) 
    on the Friday evening.
    
    Last time I said the Mercs wouldn't win they did (Yes, I remember too!
    :^)), but they won by relying on the Porsche and Jaguar challenges
    defeating themselves through setting too fast a pace. If, as happened 
    last year, the Jags and Porsches lasted at the fast pace the Mercedes
    may well have found themselves too far behind to do much about things.
    
    The XJR-12 and C11 never ran against each other last year, Jaguar
    relying on the Turbo V6 XJR-11. However, I think you're right in 
    saying that Merc have an advantage in having run the Turbo Merc in
    ballasted form. The Jags are having 7.4 litre engines this year,
    presumably to counteract the ballast, but whether that affects
    reliability will remain to be seen.
    
    I reckon Le Mans this year could be a classic, with Peugeot, Jaguar and
    Mercedes hares and Jaguar, Mercedes and Porsche tortoises (don't forget
    a Brun Porsche ran up front for all but 15 minutes of last years race, 
    just bad luck it was the last 15 minutes! :^)).
    
    Still, whatever, Le Mans will still be a great weekend even if it isn't
    a great race.
    
    Mark

    Re. 10.
    Dave. Do you mean to say you bribed a car park attendant with some of
    your celebratory Luton relegation stocks.
    
    I can only hope you replenished your stock later.
    
    Barry. 

    
    I was not planning to go this year - the first in 7 years...but
    you lot may have pursuaded me !!!
    
    Can recommend Chequers Travel for tickets - Entrance ones are Ok,
    but its best to get seats for Jaguar stand, or Pit passes etc.
    up front.  Also its nice to have car pass sticker on ya car window
    before you arrive - that way the attendants point you in the right
    direction without any hassle ... I also go for the bleu park.
    
    The chequers race tent has not really changed over the years - the
    usually have the race live on TV, bar, food etc.  Plus the odd
    driver will pop in for a race update.....
    
    I camped without problems twice, in bleu...put the tent up in the
    evening rather than when you arrive...thats if the 'Kwak beer' has
    not got ya (never had it?) ...
    
    Best place I stayed at was a place about 50km away, I think the
    spelling is Sable-Sur-Sarth. Here thay have the standard 'basic'
    French hotel, one room with bathroom, TV, coffee/tea, and a large
    help yourself to breakfast room.  Arrive Friday and then make a
    early drive to Le Mans Saturday - beautiful drive - I had the top
    down at 7.30am on open country roads....French driving at its best.
    
                                             
    

    
    Sable-Sur-Sarthe is on the main road from Le Havre to Le Mans.
    
    In case .16 doesn't make it clear, do NOT buy entrance tickets in 
    this country, the mark up is significant. You can buy entrance, camping
    and car park tickets on the roadside at a number of towns on the way to
    Le Mans. I find this the easiest way to buy tickets and you get a free
    race poster and sticker too! (Don't sneer, someone in 'The Village'
    will be charging 20+ Francs each for these items!).
    
    The cheapest way to get stand seats, etc is probably to contact the
    ACO, does anyone know their number? (They may be sold out by now for
    this year though).
    
    Mark

    Yeh , for sure chequres are expensive. I must admit I pay the extra and
    order then through those guys , I'm too lazy to mess about ordering .
    In  88 I went last minute job and bought tickets at the track saturday
    morning. They were about �5 cheaper that chequres that year. For that
    last few year I have been going for longer periods and getting pit
    passes , so ordering early makes sure I get what I want as far as
    camping permits goes.
    
    Garry
    

    Buy at the track, its no problem. Lemons is never a complete sell out.
    Better still is to buy a ticket on the way down. There are millions 
    of little stalls on the roads selling them, especially in towns.
    
    Re Baz... Yep, its Luton Best Bitter that I use to bribe the guards 8-)

    
    Anyone tried to buy stand tickets at the circuit? (Jaguar/Citroen)
    
    Richard.

    No , in a word. I suspect that there maybe the odd one but its very
    difficult to tell. At the start of the race they always look pretty
    full and at the end too. I have never really looked to see if that are
    full or not. I suggest that you if you are getting there on friday ,
    try the aco , that must be the best bet.
    
    
    garry

    To add or maybe clear up the confusion over the weight of the v12 jags
    at Le Mans , it weighed in at 1000KG at resent tests at Paul Richard. A
    picture shows it in it unfamiliar all purple with white writting guise.
    There will be 1 run in britsh racing green for the suntec team.
    
    
    Garry

    
    As note 446 seems to be dead now, I will re-advertise 2 places for Le
    mans here.  I have 2 places in our transit for the trip to Le mans. We
    leave DEC park around noon on thursday the 20th and return late on
    Monday.  The cost is �92.00 which includes, Petrol,Ferry,Camping, and
    entrance to the circuit.
    
    If interested please mail or phone Tom (NAGSED::LOCK) 830-3326
    or myself, Ian (JUNO::JUPP) 830-6341

    I'm now getting into the sorting things out phase of this years
    pilgrimage. I have to check with chequres that the tickets are on the
    move . then its down to getting the togs and video kit packed and ready
    to travel. So are we going to arrange a meet again this year. At least
    I know a few faces that are going , I also now know that there are 2
    champagne umbrellas, not just the world famous one behind the pits. Can
    I suggest a simular arrangement to last year , at the brolly behind the
    pits. I found that famous faces get at that one. stood next to Tony
    Southgate guzzling champers, but I could be persuaded to got to the one
    round the back of the tribunes.
    
    	If anyone is turning up before saturday and wants to say hello, I'm
    going to be in the Maison Blanc camp site, as near to the track as
    possible as near as possible to the porsche curves. Transport is a w
    reg mustard colour range rover and accomodation is a brown and white
    trailer tent.
    
    
    
    	Looking forward to a cracking week and a good race..
    
    
    	Garry 
    
    

�    champagne umbrellas, not just the world famous one behind the pits. Can
�    I suggest a simular arrangement to last year , at the brolly behind the
�    pits.  I found that famous faces get at that one. stood next to Tony
�    Southgate guzzling champers, 
 
    You were lucky... I found Colin Kennedy! Cost me a fortune.
    Sorry Colin :-)   

    

    Postman pat must be going.
    
    	My tickets left dover on tuesday by registered post arrived
    yesterday, but nobody in . The usual note was left for me to pick it up 
    fro the sorting office. I tried this morning but failed, postman pat
    seems to have made off with them, the bod at the sorting office took
    about 1/4 hour to tell me in a roundabout way they don't know where the
    letter is.  I cannot decribe here what was going through my mind but
    I did refrain from a verbal attack . They better sort it out by
    tomorrow or there will be trouble.
    
    
    wild of walthamstow.
    
    
     
    	

I have just been through this hassle, lost tickets etc.

I spoke to the Reservations Supervisor, on 0304 203388 and she was very
helpful. They are leaving new tickets at the port and I just sign an
idemnity, grab the tickets and off I go.

Don't worry about it, I've even managed to go Dover-Calais without a 
ticket before.

Ian.

    Not those tickets,,,,,
    
    
    	The race tickets and camping permit, far more serious.
    
    
    Garry

I'd start worrying...

Anyway you could still phone the reservations supervisor at P&O, I'm sure she'd
be sympathetic :-)

c u at the brolly

Ian.

    Being a keen reader of autosport and the fact that the week before
    le mans they always put the freebee in , I started to read through for
    driver changes etc etc.
    
    Apart from all the tooing and frowing in f1 the first thing I come
    across made my hair stand on end with rage. The trumped up rule that
    prevented Warwick from getting points a Silverstone has has been
    relaxed for Le Mans. The reason being if a driver get screeming abdabs
    during the race an un-nominated driver can take over. It is understood
    that Fabi and Warwick have been nominated for all cars.
    
    Wallace has been up at a very wet Silverstone testing the xjr14 for the
    race at Le Mans . The says the the car defies all logic , it had as
    much grip in the wet as the Le Mans car in the dry. He is expected to
    start the car which will be qualified by Warwick.
    
    
    Johnny 'The Earl' Duffries and Anthony Reid are negotiating a drive
    with cougar at Le Mans but final confirmation of sponsorship is
    awaited.
    
    
    Tim Lee-davey has come up with a novel idea for sponsorship. For as
    little as 30 quid ( or the equivalent in whatever currency) you get a
    folder , photograph ,sweatshirt, and 2 stickers one of which you sign
    and place on the car. Or �15 will get the same deal but instead of the
    sweatshirt a tee-shirt.
    
    Classic racing will be running will be running a Ferrari engined se88p.
    
    
    
    
    	That seems to be it.
    
    
    
    Garry

    
    Garry,
    
    Did you notice that the driver swap rule only applied in cases of 
    'force majeure', which is exactly what Jaguar were claiming for
    Silverstone (due to Fabi being unfit to continue). I wonder if 
    FISA will 'clarify' this rule after Le Mans to exclude deliberate
    point grabbing swaps?
    
    Mark
    
    PS What did your advance entry tickets cost? I notice they're 280 FFs
    on the gate this year.

    Re .29
    
    So they've been testing the XJR-14 for Le Mans.... Are they
    going to race it after all (not just qualify/withdraw it)?
    
    Interesting.

    
    Stefano Modena was also testing his Honda powered Tyrrell the same 
    day, but was unable to go as fast as Warwick in the Jaguar! 
    
    Now what's second rate racing?!?! :^)
    
    Mark

    Re the relaxation of the rules , Hum. I really do dispare with Fisa and
    bl***y rules. They seem to change then to suit the current felling.
    Look at the fuel last year, ok .04 of a litre is over the limit but
    don't the rules say use x amount . If you want to interpret rule a
    different way when it pleases then 5 litres in the tank means your
    under. I seem to think that it got reworded to say load x litres.
    What ever I really give in with motor racing rules, I'm sick and tired
    of rule changes in sportscars and rules that affect me. 
    
    Anyway the tickets are are more expensive, I can't remember exactly how
    much as I order for 4 people all with pit ticket and a camping permit.
    I somehow think they are �33 around ff330.I know I can get them cheaper
    at the track , but we normally plan so far ahead that and want to know
    for sure that I have the camping permit. I guess that I have some come
    back with chequers as they are a member of ABTA, if something goes
    wrong with tickets.
    
    
    On the bright side I have sorted out my power for the video camera(s)
    I should be able to run a single camera to 2 hours + without a battry
    change and also charge battries between practice sessions. My only
    problem is will I have enough Hi 8 tape to film at all the practice
    sessions, in the paddock on friday and loadsa racing.
    
    
    Garry
    
    
    
    

    
    Re Videoing.
    
    Are you subcontracted to Sky TV?!!?! :^)
    
    It sounds like you're going to have a lot of video. Are you planning to
    visit the outer reaches of the circuit to get some footage or just
    between the Porsche curves and Tetre Rouge?
    
    Mark
    

    Re. outer verges...
    
    Has anyone managed to get further back than the Mulsanne Corner??  I
    have tried a couple of times and been sent back by policeman etc..
    
    I heard there are a couple of restaurants on the Mulsanne straight 
    (next to that is)....
    
    Tony   who_gets_annoyed_when_he_cannot_get_action_shots

    Wished I was contracted to sky, I guess I could ship the cost of the
    camera etc onto someone else.  I do plan on taking a lot of tape and I
    also plan on getting to Arnage, indianapolis , Mulsanne corner and if
    at all possible the straight during practice. I have been to all those
    places during the race and its hard going getting round, and it takes
    for ages. As for the race I suspect that it maywell only be between
    Porsche curves and Tetra rouge, with some footage in the pits/paddock
    area. It will all be in digital stereo and on Hi 8 tape ( near enough
    broadcast quality ).
    
    
    Anyway I have the tickets now, the post office found then...... I can
    say for 100% that the team on the ticket this year have no chance at
    all, not even a glimmer of hope, its toyota, must be entered to win.
    The pits grandstand seems to be organised, blast. The tickets have seat
    and what I thing is row ( Rang in french = row , my french is terrible)
    if that is the case I'm at one end ( hopefully the jag end) in row 1.
    
    For those still to by tickets the prices are FF 240 general entry and
    FF 400 for what is now called Tribune des stands ( pit balcony ) and a 
    camping permit is FF200
    
    
    	Btw, reading the freebee in autosport this week it appears that
    Fisa have clamped down on access to the pits during the race, ie: pit
    passes are in short supply. But it does mention that if you know who to
    talk to its still possible.
    
    
    
    Garry

    
    Yes there are some restaurants down the back of the Mulsanne Straight.
    Chequers are offering trips round behind the straight this year and
    they are also offering a package which includes dinner in one of the
    restaurants.  And I'll be there with 8 of my friends.!!!!

    RE .38
    
    I missed that in this years Chequers brochure  .... I wonder if there
    are any places left... about 9 - 9.30pm would be the best .. when the
    light is just fading and the cars have the headlights on etc...
    
    Tony_everso_everso_jealous_!
    
    Ps.
    Has anyone wondered about buying that rundown house at the mulsanne
    corner...that would be excellent to hire out for the race...

    .33�    Stefano Modena was also testing his Honda powered Tyrrell the same 
    .33�    day, but was unable to go as fast as Warwick in the Jaguar! 
    
    Yes there are a number of circuits (Silverstone, Monza, Spa, etc) where
    the 3.5 ltr Sports Cars are actually faster than the 3.5 ltr F1s.
    
    This is due to MUCH MUCH better aerodynamics (better top speed and
    excellent cornering power)

    re: nosh and dosh
    
    
    I didn't want to say anything about the nosh trip to mulsanne as I
    hadn't read the guff I got with the tickets from chequers but I too 
    missed the nosh on the Mulsanne. What it does whitter on about are
    
    	1) The chequres hospitality facilities at �15.
    
    	2) The Mulsanne corner trip at �10
    
    
    	The restaurant facilities are listed with the times but I presume
    that a �15  entry to the hospitality marquee is required before the
    meal facilities can be used.
    
    
    
    	If I missed anything it was hiding,
    
    
    
    For those intrested the '24 Heures Du Mans' timetable.
    
    
    
    Tuesday June 18th
    
    	10.00 - 18.00		Scrutineering (Le Mans Town Centre )
    
    
    Wednesday June 19th	
    
    
    	19.00 - 21.00 
    	     And		1st session qualifying practice '24 Heures'
    	22.00 - 24.00
    
    Thursday June 20th
    
    	18.00 - 18.30		Practice Coupe 309 GTi
    
    	19.00 - 21.00 
    	     And		2nd session qualifying practice '24 Heures'
    	22.00 - 24.00
    
    
    	Friday June 21
    
    		Day of rest 
    		pit and paddock workaround
    
    
    	Saturday June 22
    
    	11.00 - 11.30		Warm-up '24 heures'
    
    	12.00 - 12.30		Coupe 309 GTi race
    
    	12.30			Driver breifing '24 Heures'
    
    	14.25 - 15.05		Presentation of drivers
    	
    	15.23			Start procedure '24 Heures'
    
    	16.00			green light
    
    
    
    Garry

    Well I'm in the warmup stage.  This time tomorrow I should be well on
    the way to portsmouth if not there, tucking into a spot of lunch. I
    hope everyone has a good journey and I'll see those who are there at
    the champagne umbrella behind the pits at 11pm saturday. 
    
    
    For those who don't know where it is, go under the tunnel at the pit
    exit end of the straight, the Dunlop bridge end. The exit to the tunnel
    curves right up hill. At the top of the hill is the Grand Marnier
    Crepe stand on the right and the Mercier champagne is on the left. Or
    for those on the in field to start with follow the road outsite the
    paddock to the end and its on the right.
    
    
    Garry

    
    I'm afraid to say that I will not make it this year, prior engagement
    with Yes, sure Pink Floyd would never had done this .....
    
    Have fun, it'll save Richard a fortune!

    Well im going...you have all persuaded me!
    
    Got the new Minota 7xi yesterday so I will *definitely* have some good
    pickies..
    
    Tony,    
    Ps. Do ya think 6hrs from LeMans to Calais is enough time on Sunday? If
    not its a bit late!!!....I wonder what the MPH works out too...

    
    Re .44
    
    I may be preaching to the converted here, but if the Minolta 7xi is 
    an auto-focus camera you'll probably find it won't be fast enough for
    most stretches on the circuit.
    
    Switch the hocus-pocus off and pan with the car.
    
    Mark
    
    PS Once again, apologies if you already know this, but if you didn't 
    it might save you (or anyone else) a lot of disappointment.

    .44, .45
    
    Yeah ya right...although one reason for the 7xi was that it has the
    fastest autofocus hocus pokas around (it sences you have picked the 
    camera up and have placed your eye to the viewfinder - clever these
    Japs!!) plus 4 frames a second and 1/8000 shutter speed............
    ......
    
    Tony,   who_now_needs_twice_as_many_camera_batteries_and_film! 

    
    With a shutter speed that fast the cars'll look as if they're going
    backwards! :^)
    
    I have to make do with a mere 1/1000, but it's always been fast enough
    so far...
    
    Mark 

    
    A small contingent from Ferney is heading up this year consisting of 
    Graham Kehily, myself, Tony Smith + an.other.  I suspect that you
    will see us  propping a bar up somewhere.
    
    Travelling in an Elan Turbo (blue) + Mr2(red).
    
    
    Nigel

    2 world premieres:
    
    o Japanese car wins the 24 hours of Le Mans
    o Rotary engine wins Le Mans
    
    There will certainly be more Japanese wins in the future. Rotary
    engines are banned by FISA as of 1992.

    Well what about the result ?
    
    Mazda 1 and Jaguar 2-3-4
    
    Grant

    Nice to see Johnnie Herbert win something big... But in a Mazda !@#$%^
    
    Grrrrrrr.

    
    It's possible that many of the UK noters were caught up in the French
    ferry strike, which cancelled all sailings out of Dieppe and half of
    sealink out of Dover.
    
    I think that it's a good result for (the future of) Le Mans, and 
    a bad result for JMB (ie Le Mans will not fade away due to lack of
    suitable vehicles).
    
    My ears are still aching, and i hear the coffee machine calling.
    
    
    Nigel
    
    p.s.  met up with a Munich noter who had flown to the UK first....  :-)

    Has anyone noticed that this year's winners are 3 F1 drivers ? 
    
    Gachot
    Herbert
    Weidler
    
    (OK, Weidler is no longer driving, but he stills has the F1 license) 

What has happened to Jan Lammers ??? He looked like the best of the Jag
drivers a year or two ago, but I didn't see his name anywhere this year,
in any car ...

    Lammers doesn't drive for Jaguar anymore for some wierd reason. I think
    he went to TOMS Toyota (?)

    Good race....shame about the Merc going out so late in the day, great
    when Mazda took the lead...Jags still reliable...and I bet Toyota and
    Honda will suffer in Japan for the Mazda win....
    
    Liked the new pits, you had to have a pit seat though to see anything.
    In fact there has been quite a few enhancements to the course....the
    toilet facilities though were typically French!
    
    .52 >p.s. met up with a Munich noter who had flown to the UK first...
    
    Car was in London!  Great drive back to Calais after race...not so
    great getting home at 3am and being at airport 8am!
        

    
    I know a Municher DEC inmate who was done the Munich-London-Le Mans
    route before now on at least one occasion. Right, Dave?
    
    I'm glad that Mazda have become the first Japanese manufacturer to win
    Le Mans. They've supported the race for as long as I've attended
    (apparently a Mazda engined Chevron was entered in 1970) and have
    definitely reaped their reward for being the only Jap team to enter
    the WSPC (Toyota and Nissan must be seething now, what can they do?
    Only equal what Mazda have, anything less than victory will be a
    failure!).
    
    I wonder, though, whether they have been playing a clever game in the
    sprint races this year? Drive slowly in the sprint races, convince FISA
    you're no threat and get your weight limit reduced for Le Mans...
    Clever if they did!
    
    If anyone other than Jaguar were going to win, I reckon Mazda deserved
    it (I don't think anyone begrudged them it. I saw a lot of Silk Cut
    bedecked spectators applauding a cheering the car onto its last lap).
    I felt a twinge of sympathy for Mercedes, but it soon passed. They
    reaped the rewards of other teams going too hard in 89 and paid the 
    penalty this year. 
    
    Jaguar almost duplicated Mercedes' paced 1989 win, but Herbert, Gachot and
    Weidler deserved the win and, as someone said, it was good for Le Mans.
    
    Mark
    
    PS I bought a toy Charge-Mazda on Friday night in the village. It must
    have been some kind of preminition! :^)

    This year's winner has covered 362 x 13.6km = 4923.2km. Nothing to 
    be proud of ... Record is still around 5300km.

Only 1 of the 3.5 litre cat. 1 cars managed to crawl home. What does this
tell us about next year's entry? Interesting that the much lauded XJ14 could
not beat the C11 in the competition for outright fastest lap.  I heard a lot
of disappointed Jag supporters, both at the race, and on the Ferry back, they
felt that rather than playing a cautious waiting game, the Jags just lacked 
speed. What was the fastest Jag lap? something like 3 44, a full 2 seconds 
outside the Mazda fastest lap. 

Just say the Team Shuppan Porche transporter on the roundabout at J11 on the M4,
kind of rubs in the fact that it's all over for another year.

Now to plan the next year's trip!!!!

Terry

(Oh, and I managed to camp and park for free at the back og Garage Bleu. For
some reason the guy at the gate didn't seem to want any money, and just waved 
me through.... just more beer money!)

But surely, the Jags were unable to use the speed they have because of the fuel
restrictions. The reports I heard talked about the Jag just having enough
fuel left at the end of the race for one or two more laps ...

Yes, but both the Mazda and Merc teams had plenty of fuel left at the end, 
The radio Le Mans commentators talked about both teams having enough fuel left
to keep going untill 18:00.
I think it was Warwick who said that they had to keep speed down to conserve 
fuel, but that even then they couldn't have matched the Merc lap times.
Remember tyhat they had pretty poor qualifying times.

As a move towards the WSC constructor's championship, I guess this was a very 
good performance, but it certainly wasn't inspirational, and Warwick hasn't
had his championship chances improved by running as the third of the 3 Jag 
finishers.

Terry

    
    Did anyone find the paddock open on Friday evening? I couldn't get in.
    I found this a very retrograde step. :^(
    
    Does anyone know if the 1,000 FF pass which gives you access to the
    track between 1.30 and 3 pm allows you to drive around the circuit,
    or does it just let you wander around on the grid until the cars come
    out?
    
    Mark

    
    
    I think you have to be a toff with a 'roller or a somesuch to get round
    the circuit? 
    
    Maybe 1000FF allowed you to take the bus?
    
    Does anyone else think like me that it was a fairly boring race?
    
    Mercedes walking away with it, lapping 10 secs faster than anyone else
    and only Schumacher really giving the Merc some stick.
    
    Then the Mercs broke down.
    
    Having watched the Jags lethargic performamce, why TWR didn't run the
    XJR-14 is beyond me.

    
    re .63 and the none appearance of the XJR-14,  just look at the rest of
    the C1 field by the end of the race.  Cruising around with either 1
    gear or having to be dropped from a great height to get them started.
    
    I think that it would have been a great waste of money.
    
    
    Moments from the race :-
    
    Anyone else see the 2 jags lose it at the Dunlop Bridge ?  I thought
    they weren't coming back !  And of course the appallingly slow reaction
    of the marshall's (cars had been sliding their for a good 5 minutes
    before the jags did their act).
    
    Jaguar pit-stops appeared to be significantly slower than Mercedes
    (didn't check them against Mazda).  If they had knocked 15 seconds a
    stop off, that would have been a fair few minutes by the end.....
    
    
    Nigel

    
    Richard,
    
    I didn't think it was a boring race. It was NOT as exciting as the '88
    race or even '89 or '90, but I've seen some appalingly dull works
    Porsche parades in the past which make this seem thrilling.
    
    I thought it was going to be a Merc walkover when I went to grab a few
    hours sleep at 2am, but when I awoke at 6am things had changed and the
    late morning/early afternoon events gave the race a lot of drama. 
    
    The appearance of the Lancia at 10 to 4 amused me and made me remember
    that in these big works team battle days there is still a place for the
    amateur. In those countries (like the UK) where only the first few and
    last few laps are shown on TV the viewer would think that the Lancia
    had finished the race and the car's sponsors would get as much coverage
    as Charge or Silk Cut! Cheeky chaps... :^)
    
    Mark
    
    PS Must get myself a Roller for next year.
    

    
    Mark,
    	That Lancia Ferrari made the race.  Most of the other teams who had
    problems would try for an hour to get it fixed, and then pack up.  Not
    Lancia.  At 5am they were still sending the car out for a lap, bring it
    back in, spend another 30mins on it etc....  The mechanics were
    obviously going to make the most of Le Mans.
    
    The joke on the radio was that it hadn't done a flying lap all night !
    
    It didn't seem quite the same in the morning when it wasn't running,
    and when it came on the track at 3pm or so it got one of the largest
    cheers of the day.
    
    Finishing 247 laps behind must be some sort of a record !
    
    
    Nigel

    As an aside, did anyone see any Healey Frogeyes there?
    
    Laurie.

re:.64

 I don't suspect the 15 minutes in the sand trap did a lot to the Jags
 chances of winning either.

 It appeared to me that Tom had a plan, stuck to it, and it almost came off.

 No, not a memorable race, but 2, 3,and 4 is not bad for very old technology.

 Isn't Le Mans supposed to be a "touring" car race, not a "racing" car race.

 You can't say the Jags didn't do just that ... tour.

    
    re .68.
    
    What's this about 15 minutes in the sand trap ?  When was that
    and which one was it ?
    
    
    Nigel

    
    Wallace put the 33 car into the sandtrap at Nissan chicane (one on 
    the straight) and Warwick had it in the kitty litter at Indianapolis 
    too! I reckon it must have been off the road for more like 30 minutes
    all told.
    
    Mark

Screen Sport was talking about the Jag number 1 going into the sand and
being stuck there for 15 minutes some time during the night. Had it not
been for this, it might have been a different story. Was it Wallace they
mantioned as being the driver ??? don't remember ...

Must admit that Screen Sport coverage was good. Good commentary, and a lot
of inside information about the teams, the run-up etc etc. They mentioned 
about the Jag increasing the capacity of the engine so that it would pull
better at lower revs to make sure that the fuel lasted. They also had a lot
of interviews with the drivers and team managers during the race.

Yep,

A thumbs up definitavely goes to screen sport there. On the hour every hour
coverage throughout the race. And i loved the bit on the "Bell" boys! What a
great interview.

				Lewis.

    Well the dust has long settled and everyone noted the notes ans me, I
    came back to work today.
    
    I thought the race was ok but nothing to should about. I can honestly
    say that the new pits grandstand is nowhere near the same as the old
    one, theres no atmosphere like in the old one. I was lucky to be in the
    first row and up the Jag end, but still not as good. I don't think I'll
    go to that expence next year . As for the general facilities, some
    things never change. 
    
    Did anyone go into town on friday, The 917 that roared round the track
    saturday was parked up with one of the D types, what a state. It was a
    crying shame to see such a classic car in such a bad state, fibre glass
    all cracked, the cockpit crammed with crap and generally looking rough.
    
    Anyway My I managed to capture the peugoet fire , quite spectacular.
    Being just above it I had a good view,from the video tape its difficult
    to say what happened. Basiclly the fueler was filling up and all was
    fine, then there was this little whisper of flame around the filler,
    maybe it was dripping on something hot underneath,the fueller pulled
    the hose out and sprayed fuel all over the place , all down the side of
    the car ,pit lane and some around the fuel tank. There  was large
    amounts of panic and fire extingishers. 
    
    
    	Nice to see some other noters at the brolly saturday.
    
    
    Garry.
    
    
    
    Ps. Mr Saxby ... Was your Marcos on the trip, is it white, and did you
    sail from Caen???  I saw a white Marcos on monday with large number of
    the Le mans stickers down the sills.

    
    Not me, Garry, my car was tucked up in the garage sans brake
    pressure...
    
    We took the Calibra (more room for duty free! :^)).
    
    Mark

    Local newspapers tell that JJ Lehto kept driving extremely fast laps 
    at night time.
    
    But; they tease us by not telling how fast.
    
    Has anybody any info on this????
    
    - Jyri -

    Probably the French national limit if I know JJ 8-)

    
    
    So, some final comments on Le Mans....
    
    Congratulations to Caroline on predicting the Mazda win. 
    
    If FISA has its way and only 3.5 litre cars are allowed to compete
    in next years championship, I think both Mercedes and Jaguar will
    have missed a trick in not racing their 3.5 litre cars this year.
    Several previous notes have pointed out that only one 3.5 C1 car
    finished this year, another said that to have run the Jag C1 would
    have been a waste of money.... well Mercedes wasted a lot of money
    this year and learnt nothing for next year. Maybe they don't need
    to. Perhaps they are already dreaming of F1. 
    
    Merc did, at least have reason to believe after their results in the
    88,89 and 90 WSPC that they had the quickest, most fuel efficient car
    and that barring mechanical failure of all three cars they would be
    likely winners. As someone who saw a lot of the Mercedes steamroller
    over the last three years, I find it hard to believe, even though I saw
    it, that all three should prove to be unreliable. 
     
    But what of Jaguar?  They must consider a defeat by Mazda as nothing 
    to boast about. The "We finished 2nd/3rd/4th to Mazda" is going to
    look great on the advertising hoardings. I've no doubt Silk Cut
    are happy. They will have had good TV coverage from a 2/3/4 finish. 
    
    Mazda must be ecstatic. They've finally proved the rotary engine
    and become the first Japanese winners in one fell swoop. They've
    also got their own back on JMB for all his rule changes over the
    last few years. They more than any other team, have been adversley
    affected by the dictatorial ramblings of the FISA demigod.
    
    Peugeot it's said, will have a new car for the Nurburgring. They
    need it, and no doubt Rosberg has told them. Again and again.
    
    There seemed to be lots of suspension failures this year with
    supsension arms coming adrift from the composite shells. Perhaps
    to do with extra weight that FISA had imposed? 
    
    And what of next year? Will there only be 3.5 litre cars? Will Le
    Mans still be part of the Championship? Will JMB still be rabbiting
    on about how great the 3.5 litre formula is? 
    
    Congrats to the Le Mans authorities on the new toilet/shower blocks
    in Camping Des 'S'. I wonder if they'll install some windows/fresh
    air vents for next year?
    
        Richard.