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Old 9 Jul 2018, 20:21 (Ref:3835744)   #26
whitemr2
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whitemr2 should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridwhitemr2 should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridwhitemr2 should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
Because I know the place, it was easy to navigate. I had three tickets, general entree, paddock and infield parking. I read where to enter/park and drove up to MMarena to acces the track inside. Easy acces and friendly people.
Programs were hard to come by and indeed only in the entree area's.
Most of the races look more like parades. BUT wathing all that old stuff on track is fun. Don't expect a race.
There are dozens of shops, great if you like shopping car stuff.
Thousants of beautiful spectators cars parked inside the circuit.
With paddock passes ( only €35 I beleive) acces to all the race cars and their fantastic owners.
It is nothing like the LM24 race, so don't expect that.
To me it was more like a giant Cars and Coffee, and I liked it.
Camping wise I can't comment because I was in a little chateau one hour away from LM, wich is to far...
To bad is was so hot, and yes, I have to agree, shade was hard to find.
Would I come back, YES.
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Old 9 Jul 2018, 20:25 (Ref:3835747)   #27
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i hope the car is still ok, if is an old girl and thrashing her in that heat? but suspect the smile on your face doing that was rather large. Felt sorry for the owner of the 917 that appears to be broken in two.
I loved those paradelaps, will be back for more.
The old girl was really enjoying herself and unlike the owner didn't care about the heat.
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Old 10 Jul 2018, 08:10 (Ref:3835821)   #28
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Truckosaurus should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTruckosaurus should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTruckosaurus should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridTruckosaurus should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
It's good to hear Chunder's experiences as a first time visitor as certain things we regulars take for granted.

There were certainly less food and drink stands than the 24hrs, but there's a much smaller crowd. There's also more 'empty space' behind the stands (and some of the temporary stands had been dismantled) which might give the impression of it being dirty and dusty.

Perhaps Chunder was being too optimistic in his expectations of getting around the circuit (or getting access to the non-permanent sections of track). And, even us 24hrs Regular have bemoaned the gentrification of the trackside experience.

I'm not sure how he needed 6 tickets - I assume he bought separate tickets for Arnage/Mulsanne which I would have expected the General Entrance ticket would have covered? (and it seems he was trying to park in the main car park in addition to having a camping ticket?)

I felt the Classic event was delightfully quiet compared to the 24hrs, plenty of space to walk around - Friday evening was almost a ghost town (perhaps because France were playing football).

The weather was an issue, luckily we could find shade in the grandstand.

I believe I saw WhiteMR2's NSX on display (there can't be many with Dutch plates).

We camped on Maison Blanche and that certainly had a poorer toilet to camper ratio than our usual Epinettes site. Perfectly clean though. (Plus I have access to the toilets in the ACO stand, so don't have to make use of more public conveniences trackside).

I'd agree about programme sellers, there didn't seem to be anywhere obviously selling them. Luckily I had downloaded the timetable to my phone.

As GT6 said, missing out the paddocks is perhaps the biggest 'mistake', going around them in dark (when it was somewhat cooler) was a unique experience and worth the ticket price alone.

As was seeing the '97 Panoz again, the car that enthused me on my first trip to Le Mans.

Finally, there were huge numbers of classic cars travelling down, something you no longer seem to see at the 24hrs.
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Old 10 Jul 2018, 08:47 (Ref:3835830)   #29
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chunder should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridchunder should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridchunder should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
I think in reflection some of this is down to me, some down to the ticketing thing.

I had never been before. I booked a campsite, it said no cars allowed, so I also booked somewhere to park as you would at a festival say, that was the car park for Arnage and Mulsanne. It was the same colour as the campsite so I thought OK. What I actually bought was parking to watch there!

I bought general admission, I never showed that to anyone, only the Arnage and Mulsanne passes I also bought, because I was turned away from a car park on Friday night behind the start straight and could find nowhere else to park.

My purchases had cost me roughly 230 Euros, and apparently I still needed more! I was with another person, so that was 6 tickets, 7 if you include campsite. No plastic sheet or anything sent. So we had to keep them safe.

I found the ordering website clunky and tricky to use, and as I say why the site doesn't have a thing that says "if you buy this ticket, you need to buy a car park one too" I don't know, at least to make you aware.

Biggest issue though was weather, that is my issue, I can't stand the heat, and would likely even suffer in the mid to late 20's without shade. On my own I likely would not have gone and taken the hit, seriously I hate the heat that much.

So I wasted a fair bit on a ticket I never used, but could have had the right data been available to me. paddock was another 50 or so Euros each I think, just too much added to the ferry, etc.

I think an event that is really tailoired for the dedicated LM person. Or even where you buy a package and get it all done for you.

I was simply left feeling disappointed, let down, and very underwhelmed by the whole thing.

I also missed two packs of cars, spectated for probably 12 hours all told and never saw the first or last group once.
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Old 10 Jul 2018, 09:02 (Ref:3835836)   #30
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Drink It's fun to go to the LMC

Interesting.

I really enjoyed the trip - but we've been a few times now, so we know where to eat, not to eat, make your own, etc..

The event almost seemed to be too short to see everything you wanted - so we had to make a few decisions about that.

We'd already worked out a 'wish list' of what to see and when and had the whole of Friday, Saturday and all that Sunday offered to see stuff.

My only slight annoyance was on purchasing paddock passes and they didn't seem too bothered about checking those.

We book with Just Tickets (others are available) and get the right level of tickets and advice from them. I'd be interested in hearing where chunder got his tickets from as it sounds like they were either over-sold tickets or not given enough information.

We even made it in to town for a couple of beers. The Tram is such a great thing!! We 'know' where to avoid in terms of traffic and getting in and out of the circuit to shop or pick up a croissant or two and pain au choc is an easy task. I even managed to help out a French chap whose car wouldn't start - it only needed jump starting

I'm sure we probably didn't see as much as we wanted, but we were also happy to sit and chat etc.. It was a great event. Didn't mind the heat too much as it is July and 'everywhere' is hot...

A la prochaine...
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Old 10 Jul 2018, 11:39 (Ref:3835860)   #31
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Chunder as a regular on here and on your first trip to le mans, perhaps you should have asked on here where to purchase tickets, what tickets to purchase and how to get about to make the most of your time there, we would have been very glad to have helped and as i could not actually go this year i would have helped you to get discounts and even the aco grandstand which has facilities for the elderly in your group. Was the little train not working as this is always useful for those less mobile to get about?.
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Old 10 Jul 2018, 11:43 (Ref:3835862)   #32
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Chunder as a regular on here and on your first trip to le mans, perhaps you should have asked on here where to purchase tickets, what tickets to purchase and how to get about to make the most of your time there.
Yup, always make use of the knowledge available on tenths. It’s what makes the forum......
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Old 10 Jul 2018, 14:42 (Ref:3835905)   #33
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eps should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
The little train was in operation - two of them. Train 1 and Train 2.
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Old 10 Jul 2018, 16:08 (Ref:3835915)   #34
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so if they were working why did you not use the chunder? much easier than driving around and then trying to park
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Old 10 Jul 2018, 18:04 (Ref:3835936)   #35
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whitemr2 should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridwhitemr2 should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridwhitemr2 should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
Must agree with chunder, the ACO website to buy tickets is very confusing and if you do not know what to buy, or what you want can be a disaster. There is to little info on there.
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Old 11 Jul 2018, 07:55 (Ref:3836011)   #36
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chunder should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridchunder should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridchunder should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
I did see the little train, but had no idea where it went to, if you needed a ticket for it etc?

AS I say, I have no issue with the people there, they were friendly.

My beef is with the ticketing website, that made me order stuff I didn't need, was unclear, ie needing to park for camping, not needing to, very unclear pictures etc.

I would have used you guys, but thought I had done enough and bought everything I needed

But being brutally honest,k the weather was so oppressive for me, that took the edge off. I had seen a forecast a week before that said it was going to be 25 and overcast, sheer bliss for me.

THen a few days before that changed to 30 degrees, little breeze and blazing heat.

That is the prime reason I felt a little let down, and that is nothing to do with the track.

However, after going to other sporting events, I do think the ticketing is rather confusing and a tad unclear.
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Old 11 Jul 2018, 08:51 (Ref:3836018)   #37
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Chunder, I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience at the Classic. reading between the lines I think you must have missed at least 90% of the available fun and action through lack of information.
I'm sure that the regulars here could guide you to an entirely different experience should you change your mind and have another crack at the Classic in 2 years' time.
You probably know that the weather in Stevenage last weekend was almost as hot as that in Le Mans - just 2 degrees cooler!
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Old 11 Jul 2018, 10:06 (Ref:3836026)   #38
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chunder should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridchunder should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridchunder should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
I think if I went again, I would either go with a group of people that knew what they were doing, or maybe a package tour. AS I made a lot of mistakes or was simply let down by crap info.

Inside Porsche Curves there was a group that had their own camping area, and food, shuttle bus, all sorts, looked great, but likely expensive way to do it.

Primarily though the weather was a factor, and that is likely to be the case in the future. It pervades everything in me anywhere. I literally can't stand it that hot, and the forecasts got worse, the closer the event got!

I am annoyed that I missed out on so much, but some of that was me not wanting to plod around in 32 degrees, some of it poor information.

And to be honest, the money it would cost to do one of those tours, I am not interested enough to go to those lengths I am afraid, for any kind of motorsport.

I looked on this is a relatively affordable way to do a cool event, and partly through my own annoyance, partly the poor info but mainly the weather, the event was a bit of a damp squib.

Put it this way, have been to the Ring 3 times after the first visit, simply to go there. I did not feel that vibe at LM. It's a very different place. Ring for me is Mecca, for all sorts of things. LM just seemed like a very big race track. I know I am not comparing like for like, but my Dad felt the same and he is not easily impressed!!! And he was very surprised by how the Ring made him feel, was not expecting it at all.

Simple thing like not having a food stall anywhere in the biggest campsite, loos and showers yes, but no bar or food outlet. That's plain stupid unless there is a reason for it. Thousands of people in there.

Oh and was it me, but was it mainly Belgians, French and Brits! there!!
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Old 11 Jul 2018, 12:04 (Ref:3836053)   #39
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Well to be honest the brits, dutch belgiums and french make up most of the people at the main le mans aswell.
Next year try the main event, usually cooler in June and as you would expect most people on this forum will be there so you will have plenty of people who know you to help you make the most of it. It van be done cheaply or expensive, but either way you will not regret it.
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Old 11 Jul 2018, 18:49 (Ref:3836123)   #40
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I would not at all be interested in going to the 24 hour race.

the appeal for this was a smaller crowd and cars I and my Dad were more interested in, and it was a tad cheaper

I have soothed a little over LM, but I would not ever be interested in watching that event live.

Unless I was a guest or something.
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Old 16 Jul 2018, 13:20 (Ref:3836933)   #41
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I would not at all be interested in going to the 24 hour race.

the appeal for this was a smaller crowd and cars I and my Dad were more interested in, and it was a tad cheaper

I have soothed a little over LM, but I would not ever be interested in watching that event live.

Unless I was a guest or something.
Puts that one to bed then!
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