Le Mans

[ascarracinguk]

does anyone know how i would go about regestering to marshal at lemans
thanks in advance
me

[wiggles]

funny, I was wondering the same thing over the past weekend.

[ascarracinguk]

bloody hell that was a quick post

[brickkicker]

its a bit of a long way to go.

[Bodysnatcher]

Yes...
step 1
write to Peter Todd at the MSA telling him you'd like to marshal at Le Mans in '03. It all becomes logical after that (eventually)

meanwhile, remember..
you asked something very similar recently
and the search I suggested than could have found
the original

[Bodysnatcher]

wiggles, now you knows who I am, just come and speak to me anytime about it.
Its no problem for an incident marshal as long as you have got beyond the Novice stage.
At least a dozen other Brands guys have been recently and I knows Mr Green and Pinki are thinking about '03. Just bring up the subject on post and I'm sure one of the old farts will be able to help.


and brikkicker, for those of us in Kent, is Le Mans is closer than Croft.

[wiggles]

Originally posted by Bodysnatcher
wiggles, now you knows who I am, just come and speak to me anytime about it.
Its no problem for an incident marshal as long as you have got beyond the Novice stage.

Yup, good to meet you this past weekend. (Also was good to meet Brushpusher on post!)

Right now i'm still a trainee, and 5 sigs away from my course badge (I suspect I won't get all of them this year) so I might have to wait until '04 before I can make the trip

Hey-ho, never mind.

[Novice]

Originally posted by Bodysnatcher
Its no problem for an incident marshal as long as you have got beyond the Novice stage.

BS I can confirm Wiggles passed me on Sunday so does that count as beyond the Novice stage?

[ascarracinguk]

oh dont worry body i passed my rookie training this year

[Bodysnatcher]

ouch...that was bad Novice

but yep wiggles, 5 siggies before the end of the season and getting a new grading card might just be hoping for too much.

One thing some of the old lags had discussed about Le Mans was that most of us had been as a spectator first of all. We then thought that before jumping straight in to the marshalling, you should take at least one trip and play spectator. Honest, it's one of those things in life you've got to do it if your seriosly into motor racing.

[wiggles]

Originally posted by Bodysnatcher
ouch...that was bad Novice

(cue cymbal crash)

but yep wiggles, 5 siggies before the end of the season and getting a new grading card might just be hoping for too much.

Yeah. I suppose I could have been a bit more pro-active in getting on post with X-Obbos. To be honest 'trainee status' never really bothered me, just glad to be on post and in the thick of it.

One thing some of the old lags had discussed about Le Mans was that most of us had been as a spectator first of all. We then thought that before jumping straight in to the marshalling, you should take at least one trip and play spectator. Honest, it's one of those things in life you've got to do it if your seriosly into motor racing.

Good point well made, and that probably applies to the GP as well.

I had the oppertunity to do the GP as a spectator this year (thanks to a spare pass from Mr. Green) but couldn't get the time off work. I might have to try to scrounge one next year though!

[Bodysnatcher]

all unneccessary smilies have been deleted from this post

Originally posted by ascarracinguk
oh dont worry body i passed my rookie training this year

was that a thank you for the first piece of information?

Adam/ascarracinguk, I'm not worried per se, but..what follows is a general statement and does not imply anything whatsover about you, since I don't know you
Losing the novice label does not mean that you automatically know everything and can go anywhere doing anything. Sometimes over enthusiasism may overreach experience and ability.
Build up experience and network with us old lags. Often the best way to go somewhere different is to be accepted by those that already go there.

[brickkicker]

Whats it like to go over there if you dont speak much french? Is it worth taking so lines over so you can at least get some milk and break

[Novice]

Originally posted by Bodysnatcher
ouch...that was bad Novice

Sorry, couldn't resist it

[TimD]

Originally posted by brickkicker
Whats it like to go over there if you dont speak much French? Is it worth taking so lines over so you can at least get some milk and break

It's not too bad, Brickkicker. You can survive quite easily on a smidgin of French and lots of pointing and waving. The key thing to remember is that no matter how bad you are, it's appreciated if you at least try. The worst that could happen is that someone gets a good laugh out of you, and that's happened to me plenty of times.

And for those who haven't spectated at Le Mans before, I can only say YOU GOTTA DO IT!!!! It is indescribable, and quite unlike any other motor racing experience in the world.

[Novice]

Originally posted by TimD


The key thing to remember is that no matter how bad you are, it's appreciated if you at least try

Quite agree. Went to Magny Cours for the GP this year and my French is, well, virtually non existent. Apart from the French having a good laugh at my feeble attempts my daughter was doubled up in hysterics, just because she is fluent. little show off.

[garagegirl]

has anyone noticed when you try and write in french on here the accents dont work?

[Alan Green]

After marshalling Le Mans for the first time I would recommend it thoroughly, but do the spectating thing first - the chances to build up the beer bottle mountains are much better!

In the meantime can some of the regular Le Mans marshals tell me, will I get an invitation automatically this year from the MSA or ACO, or do I have to get in touch with Peter Todd again?

Thanks
ALAN

[KayBee]

Originally posted by garagegirl
has anyone noticed when you try and write in french on here the accents dont work?

Oh yes they do e.g. parc fermé. You either use the Alt key and the three figure code for it to work or copy the required character from the Windows Character Map e.g. é.

[KayBee]

I have read that for those who wish to marshal in France for the first time that there is an upper age limit of fifty. Is this true? Could someone please advise me.

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[QuickBrownFox]

Originally posted by KayBee
I have read that for those who wish to marshal in France for the first time that there is an upper age limit of fifty. Is this true? Could someone please advise me.

Hi Kaybee. I can neither confirm nor deny, but I'm sure whatever the reason, it'll have something to do with British Beef or Lamb

[ascarracinguk]

bodysnatcher. yeh i agree i do need experience and im sorry if that sounded a bit cocky it wasnt meant that way. all i was saying from your first comment that i had got my green badge. thing is im a huge fan of le mans and ive always wanted to go down there and unless i do i will never get the experience.

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally posted by brickkicker
Whats it like to go over there if you dont speak much french? Is it worth taking so lines over so you can at least get some milk and break

I've never known a supermarket yet where a knowledge of the local language is required. Just dump the stuff at the checkout and wait for the price to appear. Anyway, to be honest, the locals are used to the annual invasion and take it all in their stride. If you bring your own bread and burgers and tins of baked beans to our post, we will taunt you again and again. <Holy Grail scene> Now go away you seely Eenglishmens</>

from Alan

will I get an invitation automatically this year from the MSA or ACO, or do I have to get in touch with Peter Todd again?

in the past it has been automatic for your name to be carried over by Peter Todd for a couple of years, so you should hear something from him in the New Year.

from KayBee

I have read that for those who wish to marshal in France for the first time that there is an upper age limit of fifty. Is this true?

The only event I know that an age (and fitness!) limit applies to is the Monaco GP - for trackside marshals. I think the maximum age for a new marshal is 30 and you get retired at 50. Having spent a weekend with a French Monaco marshal talking a lot of Franglais he assured me that I would be more than welcome as a Paddock marshal, like what he is. (as if!) Whatever, Monaco is'nt France, and I've heard nothing like it in relation to French events.

Ascarracing - ok, you're dead keen, see if you can find somebody from your "home" circuit that does Le Mans. You really really need somebody to show you the ropes to get the best out of the weekend. A reasonable alternative (if the MSA don't give you the permit to marshal abroad)is to go as somebody's guest on post. That way you can play speccy and get a feel for the marshalling side of things. It's always good to have somebody else brewing up the kettle for when you come off shift...

and finally, to get ze accent right, I copy and paste from babelfish - comme ceci. C'est vraiment très facile

[ascarracinguk]

thanks bodysnatcher see you @ lemans next year?possibly. i think ill go through the msa route. if they dont pass me ill take a hint and it may not be wise to go although ive had more fires and big crashes this year than my i/o a few weeks ago.- first meetin i had 2 fiestas rollin up at mcleans and my second i had a huge crah where a radical ended up on top of the tyre wall split in half @ the cage. i know i need more experience but like i said im never gonna get it if i dont try and go.

[Stephen Green]

Ahhh, I might be tempted to have a crack now I am a 'single man' and don't have to 'ask permission' to go racing...yippee!!!!!!!