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Old 16 May 2012, 15:04 (Ref:3075339)   #79
TimD
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Join Date: Nov 1999
United Kingdom
Derbyshire Peak District, United Kingdom
Posts: 3,797
TimD should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTimD should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTimD should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
I'm missing the main race again this year (oh the joys of running a small business), but a couple of suggestions to the OP and to Bella - who I've probably not seen for nigh on ten years...

Do try to get out into the "country", Arnage and Mulsanne corners at some point in the race. Mulsanne is particularly magical at dawn, especially when walking down the avenue of trees from the car park, as you hear the cars on absolutely full chat accelerating towards Indianapolis.

Arnage at night has a terrific atmosphere too, a lot more laid back than the main tribunes area, and we've been rewarded with more than our fair share of incident over the years - Brundle retiring a three-wheel Toyota, the cloudburst one opening lap, the Ascari self-immolating, an Audi R8 spearing backwards down the Indianapolis escape road...

As for catering, well, my vote is with Aysedasi - merguez et frites rather than tartiflette any day.

Driving to the circuit from Calais, the route onto the peage is simplicity itself, and is a very gentle introduction to continental driving. Rouen can be a bit of a shock to the system, and over the years we have taken to bypassing Rouen entirely, and taking a longer route via Yvetot, the Pont de Brotonne and rejoining the route south at Bourgtheroulde. It gets one back into the flow of driving on two-way roads on the right before being flung into city traffic and it also means Bourgtheroulde is a natural place for a lunch stop.

Actually, driving on the right does come naturally, and I find personally that the time I have to watch myself is when negotiating a supermarket car park. There is nothing obvious to remind you and so it is easy to pull backwards out of a space, point left and suddenly find yourself face to face with a Renault 4.
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