Race morning - a look around the paddock
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The Le Mans 24 Hour race starts at 3PM on the Saturday of race weekend. In the morning there is final free practice as well as some support races. Our first exploration was the pit and paddock, including inside some of the working team garages, under the expert guidance of veteran racer, Richard Cuene Grandidier.
A really nice reflection of Le Mans is, compared to F1, for example, it’s a much more friendly and relaxed affair. Everyone seems to know each other and there is genuine camaraderie. Even as strangers traipsing through the working environments of the team garages, as Richard’s guests we were made welcome.
Here’s a gallery of P20 Pro shots taken during our look behind the scenes at Le Mans:
We were given a grand tour of the pits and paddock by veteran driver and Le Mans expert, Richard Cuene Grandidier.
Even the team paddock quad bikes get the motorsport treatment.
The entrance to the SMP Racing pit garage viewed from the paddock thoroughfare.
The winning team details outside the Toyota hospitality centre in the paddock. Notice they are all current or former F1 drivers.
Bodywork may look like plastic or metal but most of it is woven and heat-cured carbon fibre, which is much stronger and lighter than either material.
Racing wheels and tyres.
An engineer making pre-race checks in the pit garage.
The complexity of a sportscar power train and a good example of the P20 Pro can do in poor light.
At the engineering IT centre at the back of the pit garage.
Final preparation for the big race inside the DragonSpeed oit garage.
Alloy race wheel close-up.
Wall of tyres.
Race alloy wheels and tyres racked and ready for use.
Stars feture heavily on the rear bodywork of the DragonSpeed LMP1 car.
Adjustments being made to front bodywork.
Through the (closed) window of our hospitality suite as the two SMP/BR Engineering cars arrive at the garage simultaneously during pre-race free-practice.
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Continue: The spectacular grid walk