The longest day: 2018 Le Mans Classic

Did you go to last weekend’s Classic? Over 135,000 spectators did (a new record), to watch around 700 cars and 1,000 drivers battle it out over 22 individual races and demonstrations, all held in the space of 24 hours. To a backdrop of some stunning photography by Cathy Dubuisson, here’s our five-point take on this year’s event.

1. What a scorcher! The 30deg C weather made it a test of endurance for spectators and drivers alike. Which is what Le Mans is all about. Inevitably, it took its toll on some cars but for those who remember races at the circuit in the 70s and 80s, there’s so much more to do now and the bars and restaurants (some quite smart) offer relief for a thirsty and footsore enthusiast.

2. LM Classic, Goodwood Revival or Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion? Do you have a favourite child? Quite. They are all different and those who say the big 4.273km (2.655 miles) circuit is too long for dicing should have seen the DK Engineering GT40 duking it out wheel-to-wheel with the father-and-son Hart family GT40 in Plateau 4.

3. Memories: the GT40 duel; ditto the Lola T70s in Plateau 5; the factory Renault-Alpine A443 in ’6 that had period Works driver Alain Serpaggi back behind the wheel; the 1969 Porsche 917 long-tails; the sound of the 908 warming up at full throttle in the paddock; the D-types battling for the lead lap after lap in race 2. And much more.

4. THE moment? Modern American pro driver Gunnar Jeannette putting David MacNeil’s ex-Interscope Racing Porsche 935 in the lead after one lap of the Plateau 6 race at midnight on Saturday. You had to be there – and we were.

5. And if anything could be changed… the addition of races for Gp C cars, Jaguars and Porsches has livened up Saturday, before the main action starts at four. The Global Endurance Legends demonstration was exciting. However, for those interested in the later, faster Plateaux it was a wait until eleven or twelve o’clock at night, then a return at seven or eight in the morning. Anyone who wanted to leave at Sunday lunchtime – actually, quite a few after two long hot days – missed the third and final running of these, the most exciting cars of the event.

Chacun à son gout... but can we have it mixed up next time and start with the GT40s or 935s, a real bang!?

That said, the Le Mans Classic really is one of the great events. Ask any one of the 135,000 who went what they’ll be doing in July 2020...

With thanks to Richard Mille.