Le Mans - another collection

[dengli]

Had a great birthday present - a trip to Le Mans for the first time. Just had to take a camera and get some snaps - all taken at the Ford chicane just before the start/finish straight from the Maison Blanche grandstand.

Travelled light with a 40D and 100-400mm.

#1 The corvettes were stung last year losing to Aston Martin - they lost again this year to the 009 car

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3364.jpg

#2 Lots of British interest. This is the Creation Aim car shared by Stuart Hall, Johnny Molem and Marc Goosens. They finished a disappointing 24th overall after an excellent showing last year.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3640.jpg

#3 Some very pretty Ferrari F430s in the LM GT2 class where they took a clean sweep over the Porsches

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3370.jpg

#4 Although the Audis and Peugeots got all the headlines there were some other LM P1 cars running. This is the Lola Judd driven by Jan Lammers and co. Unfortunately it only manged 146 laps before it broke!

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3397.jpg

#5 Ugly duckling for me was the Spyker C8 Laviolette. It only lasted 72 laps which was a lot better than it's sister car which went out after going round only 43 times.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3529.jpg

But the one that did most laps - the winner - Audis #2 car of Capello, Kristensen and Alan McNish. Here's the Brit doing his stuff on the way to the podium.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3567.jpg

The pre-race chat was about it being Peugeot's race to lose and, despite having the fastest car they did!

Comments welcome

[Borbor]

i don't see any pictures :confused:

[Simon Harrison]

Just red X's for me as well I'm afraid.

Apart from that, many happy returns Dave! Cracking birthday pressie.

Simon.

[dengli]

Thanks guys. The pictures were showing fine on my machine so I don't know what the matter was.

I've relocated them but do let me know if they still aren't visible.

[Simon Harrison]

Can see them now Dave, and very nice they are too!

Simon.

[Not4you]

These are great. Were there any Saleens there?

[GSH]

I'll take the Audi out of this lot Dave, although i would ask if you've done anything to the colours (saturation?) as the yellows in particular are really bright.

Audi were definitely saved by the weather. If it had stayed completely dry the Pug's would have run away with it i think.

Anyone for a POTN Le Mans invasion next year ? ;)

[dengli]

4you Not4you a Saleen S7R driven by Christophe Bouchut, Patrick Bornhauser and David Smet. Christophe Bouchut lost a wheel and spun into the gravel at the Dunlop Curve. The car was still circulating at the end, but 40 laps behind the GT1 leaders.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3447.jpg

I agree about the Audi Geoff. McNish came to the Motor Racing International tent before the race along with Johnny Molem and gave the assembled masses some insights on the race. Very informative and entertaining. He was very willing to stand and chat afterwards so I'm glad he won and I got a decent pic of him at the wheel.

I see what you mean about the yellows but all I did was tweak the levels and contrst a bit and apply a small amount of sharpening. Nothing to the saturation.

It was my first time at Le Mans and it was really enjoyable - totally different from normal meetings in lots of ways. I'm certainly considering going back next year although the regulars I met were of the opinion that this year's race was an exceptional one.

[Butler]

Youve done well there. Jealous of your lens. If I were to be very picky Id say some look slightly over saturated but overall some very nice shots :)

[luigi1991]

hi, great shots.
did u get any of the vitaphone aston ?
thanks
lewis

[dengli]

Hi Lewis. The Astons were a great sight so especially for you here's the #53 DBR9 of Hardman, Leventis and Negrao. Unfortunately they retired after only 82 laps.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3366.jpg

Nice looker though.

[NeherPhoto]

I am interested in seeing the purple porsche lmp2 car.

[dengli]

The Van Merksteijn and Team Essex Porsche Spyders had a great race early on but superior reliablity of the Dutch car earned a deserved class win in LM P2 and an excellent 10th overall

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3561-1.jpg

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/dengli/IMG_3604.jpg

[Kevbuts]

You've got some great shots there Dave. Nice to see some photo's from a different vantage point. Were your shots taken at the Ford Chicane or Porsche Curves by any chance? Did you have a media pass? I wasn't aware of there being a spot down in that area of the track where you can get over or through the catch fencing?

You right about the Creation AIM having a disappointing performance. I was actually standing at the Tetre Rouge Esseses during Thursday nights qualifying session when the gold Creation had a heavy off into the barriers. Luckily Stuart Hall (driving at the time) was ok, and amazingly the mechanics managed to get the car fully repaired and ready for the race. It's testament to the team that it actually finished the race really.

Another car which had a very heavy accident during qualifying was the Lola-Mazda (no. 44). This car had a massive off at the Dunlop Chicane (before the Dunlop Bridge) on the Wednesday qualifying session resulting in it flipping over several times. Again, despite serious damage to the car the driver walked away shaken, but amazingly with no serious injuries. Again the mechanics did a stirling job and managed to fully repair the car and get it on the grid for the Saturday morning warm up session ready for the race. It is simply amazing how the crash structures in these cars are so strong that even after a heavy impact, the cars can be repaired very quickly and put back on the track. In all honesty I would have said that the Lola-Mazda was a right off, but amazingly the tub must have remained intact such that the car was repairable.

[dengli]

Thanks Kevin. All the shots were taken at the Ford chicane from the Maison Blanche grandstand (thanks to my wife as this was part of the birthday present). I was high enough up (row F) to get shots over the fence.

Media passes for major events like this are like hens' teeth although I was watching some of the "media" togs below the grandstand and some of them just didn't have a clue. A case of not what you know but who you know!