[LM24 Race] Start at 4pm instead of 3

[PascaLM]

According to AUTOhebdo, the start of the next 24 Hours will be given at 4pm instead of 3 as usual since 2007. This change would give more time for pre-race activities on the track.
Good for our meeting, less good for some people who have a long way back home.

Not officially confirmed yet.

[vincegail]

Yes, this was mentioned in the mailings I received from the LM tourist office.
Thought this was strange and checked on https://www.fiawec.com/en/race/show/4643 where it still says R(ace) 15.00???
Edit: But the countdown clock counts to 16.00 hrs.
Don't like it, I prefer 15.00 hrs.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by vincegail

Don't like it, I prefer 15.00 hrs.

Same, the fatigue really sets in during those 'run to the flag' final hours on Sunday afternoon. That said, it'll be interesting to see what pre-race activities they schedule, I'm thinking hypercar presentations maybe...?

[VIVA GT]

I thought that the 'traditional' start time was 4:00? I remember that it was occasionally brought forward an hour so as not to interfere with stuff like World Cup football, but when did it change to 3:00?

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I thought that the 'traditional' start time was 4:00? I remember that it was occasionally brought forward an hour so as not to interfere with stuff like World Cup football, but when did it change to 3:00?

It's been a 3pm start since 2007.

[GT6]

Another pain in the xxxx from the aco

[Deleted]

Would be useful change were it to be used properly, ie extending the RTLM race to 2 Hours (thus axing the non-broadcasted Thursday race) or bringing the Legends race back (Masters Endurance Legends thank you), but probably the reason is just jamming in more useless parade VIP laps and other public relations demos

[Aysedasi]

If they brought back the pre-race parade of drivers along the main straight (I always loved that), then fine by me. As we don't have a long journey after the race, I'm not so fussed, to be honest..... I'll be a nodding dog by then whether it's 3 pm or 4 pm...... Now, if the ACO could somehow add a couple of extra hours of darkness to racenight, that would be good!

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by GT6

Another pain in the xxxx from the aco

Do you mean some bread in beer ?

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

It's been a 3pm start since 2007.

OK, thanks for that. It has been a very long time since I've been to the race, I was a regular at one time...

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

OK, thanks for that. It has been a very long time since I've been to the race, I was a regular at one time...

Well, the clue was in the first post , I was actually surprised myself how long it's been, but it's correct. I'd happily bring the start forward by another hour, I think the race benefits from running the maximum number of hours in daylight on the Saturday, there is generally more incident and excitement early on. Once dawn breaks on the Sunday morning, that feeling of the race being nearly over for another year begins to set in...I'd happily shorten the Sunday run to the flag. I'm not much of a traditionalist, in terms of the start time, those Saturday morning support races are of little interest, unless they have a Le Mans specific association.

[Mike E]

I agree. Sitting around in your chosen spot for the start for hours on end is not all that interesting. An extra hour isn't going to help.

[Badlands99]

Interesting one ........ Spa 24 Hours doesn't start until 4.30pm and I always feel that this leaves too little running in the daylight on Saturday - -would much prefer to see, say, a 2.00pm start or maybe even mid day just to give as much Saturday running as possible.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Well, the clue was in the first post , I was actually surprised myself how long it's been, but it's correct. I'd happily bring the start forward by another hour, I think the race benefits from running the maximum number of hours in daylight on the Saturday, there is generally more incident and excitement early on. Once dawn breaks on the Sunday morning, that feeling of the race being nearly over for another year begins to set in...I'd happily shorten the Sunday run to the flag. I'm not much of a traditionalist, in terms of the start time, those Saturday morning support races are of little interest, unless they have a Le Mans specific association.

OK I suppose we can all look at things in a different way depending on how we feel. It always used to strike me at Le Mans (and the long gone Willhire) at 8 AM there were still 8 hours (a working day) to go before the end. Whenever the race starts/finishes a 24 hour endurance race is exactly that.

[Kpy]

A 4 pm start would make the 2020 Worldwide Known Traditional Ten-Tenths Meeting more leisurely

[Truckosaurus]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I thought that the 'traditional' start time was 4:00? ...

The best bit about the change to 15:00 was the press release which said "the new Tradional Start Time is now 15:00".

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Would be useful change were it to be used properly, ie extending the RTLM race to 2 Hours

Great way to send everyone to sleep prior to the main event.

Agree with you on adding some historic stuff again though.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Great way to send everyone to sleep prior to the main event.

.

Good safety car practice though.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Great way to send everyone to sleep prior to the main event.

Agree with you on adding some historic stuff again though

Really? P3 is just as sterily spec and proam as P2 is (in fact there might actually be more variety in it than P2 next year with the upgraded cars) and GT3 is... GT3, whether one likes it or not. How is that more sleep inducing than spec Ferrari Challenge / Porsche Cup / AMR Festival support race, or parade laps from street cars

Anyway yes MEL is what is actually needed... Or even Peter Auto's version of it

[S griffin]

What year was it they moved it due to the French elections?

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by S griffin

What year was it they moved it due to the French elections?

84 and 07

[isynge]

Pretty profoundly unimpressed by this idea, as I suspect will Mrs ISynge be - I'll echo the comment that if they want to shift the start time moving it earlier rather than later is absolutely the thing to do.
Really not sure 2020 is looking as appealing as it's done in the past.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Really? P3 is just as sterily spec and proam as P2 is (in fact there might actually be more variety in it than P2 next year with the upgraded cars) and GT3 is... GT3, whether one likes it or not. How is that more sleep inducing than spec Ferrari Challenge / Porsche Cup / AMR Festival support race, or parade laps from street cars

Anyway yes MEL is what is actually needed... Or even Peter Auto's version of it

I think RTLM is more interesting that the Ferrari and Aston stuff certainly. Variety is one thing (and I respect that you value that a lot), but my biggest issue with the races is they are just thoroughly unimpressive to watch trackside. The driving talent skews waaaaay towards the AM side of the spectrum.

I think the best support race I remember in my nine years was the 2014 Carrera Cup event. And I think a lot of that boiled down to the driving talent on display that day.

Found this video when Googling the year - https://youtu.be/olEYg62Y7RQ

When I was watching that it felt like it actually mattered who won it.

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by Chiana

84 and 07

And, if I remember correctly, it was brought forward a couple of weeks in 1986 in order to avoid a clash with, IIRC, the French Open Tennis. That was useful since my children were all at school in those days and the new date coincided with school holidays.

Back in 1968 the race was delayed until the end of September following "political unrest" in France. In 1936 it was cancelled completely thanks to a general strike in France (not that I remember it personally)

[Aysedasi]

I also prefer the RTLM event. The Aston's are a complete turn-off for me and we tend not to bother to watch the one-make stuff unless we happen to be 'resting' in a grandstand or getting set up for qually at the time. I said before I'm not all that fussed, but yes, I'd certainly be in favour of an earlier rather than later start.