A 24 Hour race is a film. With a storyboard which changes as laps go by, heroes, challengers, developments, unexpected finishes and always the breathtaking image of the sunrise on the Hunaudières straight line. Every two years, Le Mans Classic gathers the leading players of the over eighty year old mechanical saga. Three days full of flash-backs to the key moments of a legendary race, and a tribute to the drivers, their cars and to all motor racing enthusiasts… Action!
Former years' success is definitely confirmed: 100,000 spectators; 8000 club cars, now the biggest car gathering in the world; 460 racing cars; around 1,000 drivers and 100 Little Big Mans budding drivers.
As for the Clubs, the Jury, presided over by brilliant designer Jean Pierre Ploué, the master of Citroën renewed design, has awarded the 1937 Adler Super Trumpf the "Best of Show" of those 24 former Le Mans racers gathered at the Mans Heritage Club. And the French TVR Car Club de France was the one to win at the contest theme "Automobile and Cinema" with their tribute to the Swordfish movie.
Le Mans Classic was also the former Le Mans stars' meeting point. There were over 40 ex-Le Mans drivers and 100 ex-Le Mans racers, including the Art Cars displayed by BMW. But it was also the future Le Mans challengers since brand new Citroën electric concept car has for the first time run on a racetrack!
A success also for Hervé Poulain and the new Artcurial Motorcars team: 6,4 million Euros and 75% of the cars sold during the auction... … Without forgetting the weekend unforseenable star, we mean the Sun and a temperature average of 32°C.
Foto's: Steven Vandeputte
