Le Mans 24 hour endurance race. June 16th - 19th. Le Mans, France.
If you've seen the 2004 pictures you'll know what happens next. A big drive South, followed by beer drinking and barbecues, fast cars, one 24hr motor race, and this year a record 230,000 visitors from across the world.
Thursday - The Big Drive Down
 Leaving Dover. They still have some normal cars here. |
 In France, that's better. But Ferrari's are sooo common, darling. |
 The car in front is not a Toyota |
 A few hours further, and another fuel stop (of sorts) in Brionne |
 It is I, Leclerc! |
 Meanwhile, down at the campsite, these guys were just everywhere |
Friday - Pre-Race Day
 It's a bit like Tremors, but with sausages |
 But anyway. A Mitsubishi Paris-Dakar type jobby. |
 Peugeot's new 12 cylinder shopping runabout |
 A Corvette without clothes. How rude. |
 This is more like it. Tasty Aston Martin. |
 Or have they just raided the self-adhesive "tuning" section at Halfords? |
 You can have any car you like, so long as it's a silver Audi |
 Open day at the pit lane: popular. |
 The Kwik Fit work experience lads were easily confused |
 Yeah, this one's blown a valve seal, mate. Err, or was it that one? |
 So it can play music, send texts, watch movies, but it can't finish a 24hr race for toffee! |
 Meanwhile, down at the campsite, Johan kept faithful watch. For crickets. Probably. |
 Our camping neighbours. Later joined by Porsche, Ascari, Aston Martin. But their tents were rubbish! |
 And so into Le Mans town centre "to watch the parade" |
 When autofocus goes wrong |
 About as close as we got to the parade |
 Man make tent, man make automobile, man build fire |
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Saturday - Race Day 1
 Bread and cheese for breakfast? Erm, maybe just bread then. |
 Sausagehenge |
 It's the rozzers after Jon again |
 But before the main race - the classic race |
 Fighting the steering |
 These guys kicked classic arse |
 Maybe he does, but it was nice of him to bring a refrigerated beer truck from Denmark |
 Why, hello to you |
 Hmmm, anything eh? |
 D'oh! They've started! |
 Do try to put your foot down, old boy |
 United Astons |
 Bling wheels |
 Porsche engages hyperdrive to stay ahead of Ferrari |
 The one and only sparkling TVR |
 You can have the place back when we're finished |
 And lo there was darkness |
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Sunday - Race Day 2 and Home
 Stare at the lights, get streaky retinas |
 Seriously blurry funfair and grandstands |
 Audi R8 3 cruising its way to overall victory |
 Corvette 64 blatting its way to GT1 class victory using only low frequency sonic blast waves from the exhaust |
 Ooooh. Aaaaah. |
 But you'd get an Asbo for doing this at 2am in the UK |
 Raspy Ferrari's getting blurrier - must be time for some sleep |
 And lo there was light. Start/finish straight and grandstands. |
 Looking back to the Dunlop Bridge. |
 550 Maranello on its way to 13th |
 The TVR still lives! Placed 26th from 27 finishers |
 Wait for all 3 shift lights at 450rpm |
 Note to Aston Martin: Tap the fuel gauge occasionally next time |
 Take away the fence and this photo is a triumph I tell you! |
 Meanwhile, down at the campsite, it was time for us to leave |
 Arse! |
 In the shade, scorchio! |
 In the sun, SCORCHIO! |
 Jon looks to progress the pace just before our solo breakaway. Well, we only picked up a 90 euro fine. Although that was going slowly. Ahem. |
 Proper food for a change at the end the journey |
Monday - Back to work
 Trying out Stephen's compact and bijou Caterham |
 Hey, nice Pantera. Now where's that ferry...? |
Official 24 heures du Mans site