Mood ticket – Phew, motorsport is being shared again! – Motorsport.com France

BD, Le Mans – For the regulars of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, for the inhabitants of Sarthe as well, yesterday was special. In the middle of August, at an unusual time to say the least, what is one of the biggest races in the world reopened. A ball which, unlike last September, is not a private ball. On the contrary, it is a popular ball! The very one that MotoGP fans, for example, had been deprived of during the French Grand Prix last May.

By postponing the 89th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for two months, the ACO maintained the firm hope of being able to welcome the public. Deal. We will then come back to the conditions, but the fact is that enthusiasts, regulars and families have once again crossed the gates of the circuit to attend the Endurance High Mass. While the health crisis has disrupted our lives for 18 months now, let us dare to speak of small pleasure, even small victory, all things considered.

On Wednesday on the Circuit de la Sarthe, we saw people traveling for motorsport. The image is beautiful, although there is no mistaking it: unsurprisingly, the ranks were very sparse. Foreign spectators are largely missing, the school holidays certainly have an impact, as well as the reluctance that some may have to gather again. Nevertheless, the ACO has done everything possible to allow this rebirth, with a health protocol that meets the necessary requirements that everyone knows to live in times of Covid. Ticket sales have been limited to 50,000 for the duration of the event, while on the circuit, health passes and masks are required.

These masks, whose obligation is rather well respected by the public on the spot, did not hide the joy of those who did not hesitate to return. We do not see the smiles but we can guess them, and the eyes, especially those of the many children, shine at the sight of the slightest beautiful mechanism or the slightest pilot seen in the distance. Far away because, quite logically, the proximity between the actors and the public, so characteristic of the week in Le Mans in normal times, is reduced to nothing to ensure the safety of all.

“It feels good, it’s been too long, the noises, the vibrations… it’s a great day”, slips us a spectator, specifying besides that the access to the circuit and the controls were “very well spent”. Further on, a father who has been accustomed to the Le Mans party for twenty years uses similar words, while he is showing his daughter the place for the first time. “It’s special, obviously, there are fewer people and less things”, he admits. “But it has the merit of existing, we are happy to be there and I would rather be here than on my sofa like last year.”

The good that comes from returning to the circuit is probably what we heard the most when probing the spectators crossed here and there. Everyone spoke to us about simple things, about the noise of the engines and the so particular odors (even with the mask, if so!) That a racing circuit offers. They are hundreds to have benefited from a redesigned village, airy but still rich in several activities for young and old, in the respect of the sanitary rules.

So yes, these 24 Hours of Le Mans are unlike any other edition, but they pave the way for hope and optimism. Sportingly, they also have everything to keep great promises, which we can’t wait to share with you. Sharing this passion is a need as much as a duty.