[Books] 'Essential Guide To Le Mans'

[Craig]

1/ Do they still make this?
2/ Is the 2004 edition out yet?
3/ Where can I buy it?

I want to buy a copy for a friend for Christmas!

Thanks for any help!

[Fab]

I didn't know this one, Craig... is it only in english ? Ayse should help for this...

[Steve Tarrant]

Craig,

this comes out literaly the fortnight prior to the race, as it includes the Autosport guide to the race, etc. So you'll have to look out for the adverts for it come May time.


Steve

[Craig]

Ah, right, thanks for that! Maybe a review of the 2003 race will be a suitable replacement then...

[thebear]

Originally posted by Steve Tarrant
Craig, this comes out literaly the fortnight prior to the race, as it includes the Autosport guide to the race, etc. So you'll have to look out for the adverts for it come May time. Steve

I bought (I believe) the first one in '99 in "The Village". Information was non-existant in the US and even the Michelin web page in French had no information. It would seem that "Autosport" is more involved than Michelin. Best bet would be to watch the magazine.

[Rorie]

Apparently, TRMG were going to produce one of these for 2006 (the first time since 2003) and put a flier in the programme for the Historic Motorsports Show in February. But they were told by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest that they were forbidden to sell it inside the circuit and so they decided it would be uneconomic. Club Arnage's Guide is a worthy alternative, though.

[bernard b]

woaaahhh!!

what a reborn of a thread!

[SALEEN S7R]

Also a essential guide to Le Mans is this weeks Autosport magazine suppliment. Got mine today and once again on the whole Autosport have done a decent job. IMO.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Rorie

Apparently, TRMG were going to produce one of these for 2006 (the first time since 2003) and put a flier in the programme for the Historic Motorsports Show in February. But they were told by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest that they were forbidden to sell it inside the circuit and so they decided it would be uneconomic. Club Arnage's Guide is a worthy alternative, though.

Welcome Rorie - you have been doing some work on the archives, haven't you?!!

I bought the first of these guides - and I imagine the later ones were much the same. If so, Werner's CA guide is infinitely better - and its FREE!!

[clkgtrlm1]

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Also a essential guide to Le Mans is this weeks Autosport magazine suppliment. Got mine today and once again on the whole Autosport have done a decent job. IMO.

Which copy of Autosport are you reading Saleen? I think that this is the worst edition ever, and it seems to get increasingly worse year on year,IMHO.

There is no 'essential' information
Nothing that captures the prestige of the event
There is not even a mention of the 100 years and celebrations

For sure, it will be the last time that I buy the publication and I would urge anyone that feels the same to advise Autosport of this

[MikeHoyer]

Yeah, a couple of years ago or so, it was bigger, more info, lots of info about where to go, what to do etc. etc.

Now it just seems like an (out-of-date!!) entry list, and a few ads.

[clkgtrlm1]

OH Yes - I didn't even mention that they still have team Icer Brakes listed

Did they write this two weeks ago?

[jase]

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

... once again on the whole Autosport have done a decent job. IMO.

You're kidding, right?

The car/driver information is incorrect - OK I can appreciate this had to be printed a while in advance.

The "By Road" bit has absolutely no route assistance for those not traveling via Calais, and the route they give doesn't even include the Motorway which has been open for months. It's prety much m/way all the way from Calais, but the Autosport "guide" shows the final bit on the OLD N138

4 pages for F1? In a Le Mans guide - what a waste of space.


2/10 more homework needed.

If you want a GOOD guide, try this one: www.lemanszone.de/caguide2006.html

[Graham Goodwin]

All the cars, all the drivers?

Actually there are a grand total of 21 drivers either incorrect or missing altogether

[ss_collins]

Yes its rubbish frankly, if you tried to follow the old road using Autosports maps you would get incredibly lost just beyond Les Essarts - A28 all the way - open fast and in place very narrow, but at least an hour faster than the old road, the final approach to Le Mans is different too, no more Saint Saturnin.

So bin the Autosport guide and use the club arnarge one, or DSC if there's one there. It appears that sportscar racing should be left to the publications that actually understand it...

[Aysedasi]

I'm really saddened by this year's Autosport guide. For 21 years now I've looked forward to buying the "guide issue" As I sit here, I have (as it happens) a 1985 "yearbook" in front of me. Cover to cover - 46 pages. What a difference. This year's was clearly Audi sponsored - Audi articles and Audi adverts sprouting from most of the pages. Entry list substantially out of date (but I appreciate they had to go to press some time ago). And, as I remarked elsewhere (and is mentioned here as well), sod you if you're not travelling from Calais......

And what's with this new A5 size as well? (I think we had to put up with that last year as well.....)

Very poor show Autosport. Save on the glossy cover and put some more detail in it. Hopefully Autosport will learn how to do it properly from the CA guide otherwise I just won't bother in future - and as I've been teetering on the bring of cancelling my many year's old subscription - this could be the clincher for me, sadly......

[FIRE]

The-Paddock Le Mans Spotters Guide 2006
Project Le Mans Fan Guide 2006 (in German)

[Aysedasi]

More very useful links FIRE, thank you

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by jase

2/10 more homework needed.

I don't know how you can say that. This is the guide that has great informative facts such as "Jaguar won their 6th and final Le Mans in 1998". It certainly put my memory straight about 1990.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

I don't know how you can say that. This is the guide that has great informative facts such as "Jaguar won their 6th and final Le Mans in 1998". It certainly put my memory straight about 1990.

88 even.......

Yep, I saw that and nearly closed the thing in disgust - who did they get to write it for Gawd's sake - or do we blame the proof-reader.....?

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

88 even.......

Blast! Although does this mean that I can get a job with Autosport?

[clkgtrlm1]

I think this makes you a little over-qualified......................

[yamato]

For those interested; here is the pre-qualifying version of my spotters guide:

http://www.filefactory.com/?61c8a4

And a sample page:



Enjoy!

Edit- I will be putting out a final version prior to the race once the final grid is set (with any changes). One that I see that I have already missed is that Kinch is no longer in the Ecosse Ferrari. Feel free to tell me what else I've got wrong.

[Andy Zarse]

This is the first time in, oh I don't know, probably about 18 years that I haven't bought an Autosport for the LM guide. It seems it's slipshod beyond belief this year, obviously the only reason they still do it is to sell extra copies; their naked money raking tactics, rendolent of F1 (which I refuse to call Grand Prix racing by the way) won't wash with me anymore.

I stopped reading Autosport regularly some years ago. It's utter rubbish these days, with a 90% focus on the dullest sport of all, F1. Clearly under the influence of the Evil Dwarf, do any of their journalist actually know that sportscar racing exists? Autosport's a shadow of it's former self, when in days gone by it was actually written by "people who knew".