Guest89

I am (finally) making the trip to Le Mans this year, and I have many questions that some of the more experienced among you may be able to answer.

I have Porsche Hospitality tickets (which apparently cover Saturday and Sunday only), but I haven't booked the trip itself yet:

Can I rely on the TGV to/from Paris? How easy will it be to ride the train from Le Mans to Paris on Sunday after the race? Impossible?
Lodging recommendations?
Is it worthwhile to be in Le Mans on Friday since there is no track action? Is it too ambitious to try to go to Stuttgart and see the Porsche Museum on the same trip (before the race probably)

Finally, any other advice or input?

Thanks!

sgnl05

subshooter

I have one prognostication that is full proof. Porsche will not win the over all Le Mans. Not a chance. Sad that they left the LMP1 class. ...and who the heck watches Formula e anyway? Do networks even air it?

Guest89

Great contribution

Larry Cable

well said - its a crying shame ...

DuckieRS

Will be attending with a bunch of friends and we're using the same camping spot for a few years now (Bleu Nord).
Secure parking and good atmosphere...
Booked through: http://1st-tickets.co.uk/

subshooter

I am interpreting your comment to be sarcastic in nature. You are missing the point of my "contribution". I am boycotting Le Mans 2018 - I wont even watch it and you shouldn't go. Porsche is getting farther and farther away from it's roots and becoming an Audi car company. SUVs and Sedans and soon a Tesla competitor. I'm not going to support it.

Larry Cable

I'd recommend using TGV; it keeps you off the roads, and unless you are camping onsite getting in and out of Le Mans (by car) is a nightmare ... they do run buses to/from the station to the track - just don't plan on any time critical appts after the event ...

As for Stuttgart, well all depends where you plan to fly into and out of, but you could catch the train - takes between 3.5 and 5 hrs depending on the route/train... if you do go to Stuttgart you should also sign up for the factory tour in addition to the museum

Larry Cable

+1

Porsche (and Audi) departing LMP1 effectively have killed that class ... all the action will be in LMP2 now (which could be interesting) I suppose GTE might be of some interest but as you point out Porsche has little chance of winning that ... not even sure why Toyota are showing up!!! and all that for what is effectively "full sized" Scalextric racing - drone racing is more exciting! YAWN!

bccars

Ah, good info, thx for that.

Guest89

I am thinking that I will pursue this rough schedule:

Wednesday:

Red-eye flight to CDG

Thursday:

Land CDG
TGV to Le Mans / nearby
Get settled at lodgings
Night practice

Friday:

??

Saturday:

Porsche Hospitality

Sunday:

Porsche Hospitality
Stay in/near Le Mans

Monday:

TGV to Paris
Spend afternoon/evening in Paris

Tuesday:

Fly home

Farther and farther away from their roots of ... racing 911s at Le Mans? 4 factory 911s and 5-6 privateer 911s...

The sky must be falling, Chicken Little

I am excited about Formula E; plan on going to the NYC round in July. The driver quality is second only to F1 and with all of the OEMs pouring in ... it'll be great

928cs

No problem for Paris<-> LM by TGV.

I recommend to use the tramway once in LM. It is far easier and faster than by car, with so many people and cars.

Friday:
- Open pit lane during the afternoon
- Drivers parade in the city's center after.

Arnage or Mulsanne can also be quite funny this day.

The Saint-Saturnin Classic British Welcome (http://www.classicbw.org/?ln=UK ) is also a nice event.

Don't hesitate to ask if you have any other question.

subshooter

Yeah....but look at the scoreboard. The 911s aren't even winning at Le Mans in the GTE Pro class. And frankly, few care about the lower classes of Le Mans outside of the hard corps insiders and car lovers. What matters is who wins overall. Look at the head lines after the race results. Here is one of a 1000: https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsp...o-win-le-mans/
Porsche isn't even competing in LMP1 now.
Cricket cricket cricket. Nobody else is excited. There will be zero Forumla e posters on young kid's bedroom walls. Electric cars are for those who take ubers and accept the future of self driving cars. They are not for racing other than for R&D. Let's compare Forumula e racing audiences to Le Mans. Yawn.

Mission E is going to be a total failure for Porsche. I hope it doesn't bankrupt them. They bet the farm on it.

Guest89

So what is the "essence" of Porsche? I still don't understand you.

Is it racing hybrids overall at Le Mans? You've made it clear you don't like electric cars
Is it racing 911s at Le Mans? You've made it clear that no one except the "hard corps" (sic) care about 911s racing at Le Mans - so are you a "hard corps" fan or not?

BTW, as for the 911s racing in GTE Pro - here are the class winners over the last few years at LM:

2013 = Porsche
2014 = Ferrari
2015 = Corvette
2016 = Ford
2017 = Aston Martin

Competitive class, no?

As for Formula E ... wait until all of the OEMs pour marketing and activation dollars into the series; they will want to sweat their assets and will demand the opportunity to differentiate meaningfully their cars from each other (in fact, these plans are already underway)

I'm in my 20s and most of my friends ... who are Porsche owners and/or enthusiasts in their 20s and 30s and closely follow sports car / endurance racing ... are excited about Formula E going forward

brake dust