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Right in the thick of things

A campsite directly at the race track is everything a true fan could wish for on a visit to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Racing enthusiasts even come from overseas to experience the intense fairground atmosphere of parties, campfires and the roar of the engines.

COPY/DAVID MAYER
PHOTOS/JEAN-LIONEL DIAS

Like English lords they swagger through the rows of tents in the gray light of dawn, the field still wet with dew. Ankle-high leather shoes, knee socks in classic Scottish tartan, brown breeches, dark green vests and tweed caps – every last detail of the clothing of the five racing fans is “very British.” The tradition-minded Britons chat as they head off to the race track to secure the best spots along the fence. And with that, any farther thoughts of sleep are banished from the Karting Nord campground at the Le Mans circuit.

It is Saturday morning. The 77th edition of the legendary 24-hour race begins this afternoon, and Brian Booth slips out of his sleeping bag. The manager from Liverpool jauntily unzips the entrance to his igloo tent and smiles at the sight of his Audi R8, which he parked directly adjacent to his one-man quarters. Booth set out from northern England three days ago, steering his sports car past London and onto the train through the Eurotunnel to France, then drove roughly 450 kilometers southward directly to his customary camping site close to the home straight, just like every June. In his professional life, Booth spends a lot of time in high-class hotels. He considers camping at Le Mans to be a down-to-earth luxury which he treats himself to once a year. Joining him are roughly 30,000 guests spread out over 14 campgrounds. “This long weekend is a timeout. I enjoy the days outdoors, right in the countryside,” gushes Booth as he slowly rubs the soles of his feet across the dewy grass. “I work enough at home. Here I relax and fool around.” Wherever he goes at the campground, the tall Briton meets like-minded people with whom he can talk shop about the progress of the race, breakdowns, drivers and the latest diesel racecars.

Two spots down, Danielle, Booth’s 21-year-old daughter, now crawls from her flowered tent. She and her friend Sophie are here for the first time and have already caught Le Mans fever. “Everyone here is really friendly, and I love the cars,” says the architecture student enthusiastically as she gets a second folding chair from her car. The pulse of the Le Mans weekend resonates through the campsites surrounding the track. The first racing aficionados wander in days before the race. Small groups of fans set up camp everywhere; they barbeque, listen to music, laugh. “It’s a family atmosphere,” says Daniel Bargh, who has traveled here with a few friends. Numerous Le Mans stickers adorn his A4 Cabriolet throughout the weekend. Besides a British flag, the door sports his name and that of his codriver, just like on the professionals’ cars. The men want to take an upclose look at them in a few minutes. Bargh closes the top of his convertible and joins the others as they head out on the roughly ten-minute walk to the home straight. By this time the race on the 13.6 kilometer long track is well under way. Flags bearing the four rings of the Audi logo flutter in the wind over numerous tents. A particularly large number of Audi fans have made the trip from Denmark to cheer on their idol, Tom Kristensen. The “King of Le Mans” has already won the race eight times. The Dane has driven for Audi since 2000. Joining him for the first time at the wheel of the newly developed Audi R15 TDI in 2009 are his teammates Dindo Capello of Italy and Allan McNish of Scotland. The ten-cylinder turbodiesel with over 600 horsepower and the sophisticated aerodynamics ensure that the latest star racecar from Ingolstadt is the number one topic of discussion at the campgrounds.

Kristensen’s countrymen reside in a sea of hundreds of red tents set up by a Northern European tour operator. Danish Village also includes a medical services tent, a big screen, plus sausage and beer stands that also accept Danish kroner. Claus Petersen even flew in specially from Brazil. The 31-year-old moved to South America for professional reasons, but is not willing to give up the weekend in Le Mans. An Audi flag the size of a front yard lies over his tent, completely enclosing it. “What can be better than seeing all the cars on and around the track?” asks the Scandinavian, who has to shout out the second half of his sentence over the crescendo of the engines roaring in the background. One car after the other races past his campsite. A stone’s throw from the pits, a cowboy hat seems to float through the rows of tents. It’s Brian Booth on his way back to his tent. Rounding the corner, he gives a friendly nod to a young man slinking around his R8 with a camera. His Audi makes Booth one of the stars of the campground. Le Mans is also about seeing and being seen, with high-performance racers, classic cars and convertibles parked everywhere you look. A walk through the extensive campgrounds to look at the cars is every bit a part of the weekend as the race itself. Booth also knows exactly where the must-see cars can be found this year. It has now been hours since the starting gun was sounded. The headlights and the glow of the red-hot brakes of the racecars light up the asphalt. The Audi R15 TDI models are particularly easy to spot thanks to their LED lights. The Ingolstadt company now has just two cars remaining in the race after their third car was forced to retire shortly before 10 pm. Kristensen and his team continue to fight for one of the top positions.

The lights of a Ferris wheel shine from behind the grandstand. Spectators stroll along the track, passing amusement rides and stands with fan merchandise, crêpes and refreshments. At night, candlelight flickers in front of many of the tents, and fireworks streak heavenward again and again. Visiting strangers are welcomed warmly and given a cool drink. Rupert Bullock and James Blackhall, who made the trip in his Audi RS6, sit next to their red-andwhite-striped pavilion tent. Together with their four friends, the two are drinking red Burgundy and eating baguette with camembert. Like many campers, the group is from England. After completing school, they spent their youth traveling the world together; today most are over 40 and travel together once a year to Le Mans. Blackhall is the CEO of a valve manufacturing company and father of five. His friend Rupert works on the stock exchange. “No schedules, no deadlines, no pressure – Le Mans offers us the luxury of freedom,” says Bullock. The men are more than willing to give up the luxury of their business travel in exchange. “It is simply an unbelievable experience. We’re right up close to the race.” Close to the race means directly at the track. Although the campers are in the middle of nature, they don’t hear the chirping of the birds but rather squealing tires and screaming engines – 24 hours long. Sleep is possible only with ear plugs, if at all. Yet the maxim for most is: “The closer to the track, the better.” Some pitch their tents just a few meters from the next guardrail. All night long, fans wander back and forth to the track. The fans experience the race up close and personal on the grandstands and grassy knolls directly next to the track. They stare mesmerized into the distance and wait for the next car. First all that can be heard is the buzz of the engine, which slowly develops into a hum. Headlights suddenly flicker far down the track and begin to draw nearer, seemingly slowly at first, and then ever faster. At night, the cars have to approach to within roughly 200 meters to be truly recognizable before flying past the spectators. Many are still in their seats as the sun comes up. At the campground, three brave fans in lounge chairs sit atop their camper trailer directly at the track. “I think it’s great to be woken up by the roar of the engines,” grins Danielle Booth after a short night. The Booths have grandstand tickets for the finish in the afternoon. From there they will cheer on the Audi drivers one last time and watch Tom Kristensen and his teammates claim one of the spots on the podium.

Sports journalist David Mayer camped with the fans right next to the track.