LeMans Blog: Day 1

Jake Lingeman
Circuit de la Sarthe at night.

“It always rains at Le Mans.” Those are the words echoing through my head as we caravan to the 8.4-mile track in a fleet of Audi Q7s. The clouds look low, but there are blotches of blue, so maybe we can get there dry.

Our first stop is the Audi Racing arena where we get the VIP treatment from our hosts and sit in on the company's press conference with Dr. Ulrich, the drivers and few more from Audi's racing team. 

They seem relaxed, cracking a few jokes and later taking pictures with fans. Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Dindo Capello are the elder statesmen of the group, with Audi's other driver teams looking younger. Last year's race was won by the trio of Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer. After McNish and crew crashed their car early, and Audi's second entry left the race after 116 laps, it was Lotterer and the boys who duked it out with Peugeot, taking the checkered flag.

At the Circuit de la Sarthe on the Mulsanne Straight fans line up to see the racers drive by. Water is poured and hands are waived in a circular motion as drivers roll by, some stopping for long, smoky burnouts. It's about what you would expect at one of the biggest races in the world, some fans are in costumes, others are shirtless with large mugs of beer and still others just relax in the tent city, which seems to stretch as far as the eye can see. The giant ferris wheel is empty now, but in 24 hours you won't be able to get a ride.

“It always rains at Le Mans.” 

At 6 p.m. local time the driver's parade starts in downtown Le Mans. The clouds have opened up and fans hanging on the fences of the route huddle under umbrellas. We make our way to a bar on the route and hang out of the windows and balconies trying to get a look. Wave after wave of cars cruise by, with three or four drivers in each, waiving at the crowd. Lamborghini Aventadors, Chevy Corvettes, Spykers, Bugattis and Paganis are among the show. Each gives a hard rev for the crowd. 

The rain doesn't seem to trouble the drivers or the fans. It does pour hard enough to delay the France vs. Ukraine soccer match, which ends on this weekend with a win for the Frenchmen.

The parade ends after about two hours and by that time most of the fans are drunk, wet or both. The street is littered with confetti. The crowds disperse in anticipation for tomorrow's all day event. After a meal and long party, we do the same. The forecast for Saturday? Rain.