Legends are forged on the asphalt of Le Mans

Contents

Beyond the Showroom

Le Mans

?? A Little Bit of Background

?? A Little Bit of Trivia

?? What the Drivers Say

Fisherley isn’t in the business of selling motor cars; it’s in the business of forging connections.

My role is to introduce potential buyers to discerning sellers.

For the Privileged Few, a handful of very well-connected individuals can access limited-edition motor cars and keep their clients advised through advanced notification.

I plan to provide access to more of this information early in 2024.

Le Mans

A Little Bit of Background

24 Heures du Mans

Le Mans is probably the best-known motor car race in the world.

The track is outside Le Mans and is correctly called Circuit de la Sarthe. It comprises a designated racetrack, and public roads closed for the events.

The team that covers the most distance during the race will win 24 Hours of Le Mans.?

Each team has three drivers that alternate over the 24 hours.

There are three classes of racing simultaneously, plus unpredictable weather.

The famous Mulsanne Straight is a long, fast straight where maximum speeds are achieved. Chicanes have been introduced for safety reasons.

Before the chicanes, the fastest speed recorded was 248mph in 1988 by a WM-Peugeot.

The furthest distance covered by a winning car is 3,362 miles—in 2010, an Audi R-15-plus; before that, the record had not been broken since 1971.

Mazda is the only Japanese manufacturer to win and the only rotary engine to win.

Le Mans gets its fair share of inclement weather, but it has never resulted in a race being cancelled.

Le Mans has been running annually for 100 years this year. In 1936, a strike in France prevented it; between 1940 and 1948, it was cancelled due to the Second World War.

In 1968, it was delayed and held later in the year due to political unrest in France.

There is also the Le Mans Classic, which is held biennially.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is typically held annually in June. The Le Mans Classic is held every two years in July.

Both the 24 Hours Le Mans and the Classic Le Mans race on the full 13.65 km circuit.

There are three distinct racing car classes in the 24 Hours, Le Mans.

The top class is the LMH, the LMDh, and the GTE Am; the latter is for amateurs and professionals driving 'conventional' Porsches, Ferraris, Aston Martins, etc.

2022 was the last year for a GTE Pro class, and 2023 is the last year for the GTE Am class, to be replaced by the LMGT3 class from 2024 onwards.

At the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, French driver Pierre Levegh hit the spectator stand, killing himself, 83 spectators and injuring 120.

The 'Classic' started in 2002.

The Le Mans Classic runs for 24 hours; the races start at 4 p.m. on a Saturday and end at 4 p.m. on the following Sunday, with cars racing throughout the entire period.

Each team competes in a series of races for cars that have competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans or for similar cars of the same model.?

The event consists of a series of races for cars from different eras, and the vehicles are divided into six grids, each corresponding to a particular period, from 1923 to 1981.

Unlike Le Mans 24 Hours, the Classic splits the 24 hours between six series.

A Little bit of Trivia

The famous Le Mans start involving drivers running to their stationary cars was outlawed in 1969 due to safety concerns.

Porsche is the most successful marque with the number of 'wins'.

Twenty-four manufacturers have won the 24 Hour Le Mans.

Jean Rondeau is the only driver using his name and was victorious in 1980 driving his Rondeau M379B.

Anne-Charlotte Verney raced ten times between 1974 and 1983, making her the most 'capped' lady driver.

The 24 Hours Le Mans has seen over sixty female drivers.

American driver Dan Gurney, the 1697 Le Mans winner, is responsible for starting the podium champagne shower tradition.

This most significant gap between the winner and the runner-up was back in 1927 when the winners streaked ahead in a Bentley and left the runners-up almost 350 km behind in a Salmson.

What the Drivers Say

? Le Mans: where speed, strategy, and stamina collide in a relentless pursuit of victory: Derek Bell

?? Le Mans isn't just a race; it's a legend: Jackie Stewart.

?? There's something magical about Le Mans that captures the essence of motorsport: Mark Webber.

?? To win at Le Mans, you need precision, perseverance, and an unwavering team spirit: Martin Brundle.

?? Le Mans is not just a race; it's a 24-hour adrenaline rush: David Brabham.

?? Le Mans is the ultimate test of man and machine: Tom Kristensen.

? The beauty of Le Mans is that every race has its own story: Tom Kristensen.

? Racing at Le Mans is like being in a marathon that lasts 24 hours: Allan McNish.?

? Le Mans is the race that rewards consistency and punishes mistakes: Allan McNish.

? The endurance, unpredictability, and sheer intensity of Le Mans make it a unique spectacle in motorsport: Dindo Capello.

? The spirit of Le Mans is defined by its history, challenges, and unparalleled excitement: Emanuele Pirro.

? Endurance racing at Le Mans is a battle against time, the track, and oneself: Sebastian Bourdais.

?