A Rondeau reunion with added Spice
Le Mans has history, a wondrous heritage, and for me that is a big part of the spell under which we fall each summer.
La Sarthe is a battlefield upon which there has been so much triumph, tragedy and sheer heroism. This year, away from the Audis and the Peugeots, there was an intimate reunion for some of those involved with the Rondeau team. This took place at Mierre, the farmhouse where Jean based his team, and where wild parties celebrated French success at Les Vingt-Quatre Heures long into those summer Sunday nights. Rondeau is the only man ever to have won in a car of his own design and construction, a truly French victory over the might of the works teams.
Gordon Spice (above) it was, along with his wife Mandy, who organised a delicious lunch in the countryside away from the mayhem of race weekend – there were 234,000 people there this year. If you have not read Gordon’s autobiography A Life of Spice then you must. A witty, informative and revealing book from the man who combined a successful career in business with winning a great many motor races. A terrific story. Gordon tells me the bits they had to cut, to protect the innocent, are even better. And I believe him.
Philippe Streiff, among others, was at Mierre having driven himself there in his cleverly adapted Renault Espace. There is no steering wheel, only hand controls, and Philippe steers, brakes and accelerates with his right hand strapped to a joystick. Extraordinary. Following his horrible accident he has designed a life for himself, and an ingenious way of driving his car, despite all the odds. He was full of his recent trip to Valencia for the first round of Jonathan Palmer’s new Formula 2 series, fascinated that the sons of Surtees and Brundle were racing in F2, a championship in which he flourished before moving on to Grand Prix racing. A fine man.
Back at the circuit, there was talk of Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori on the 50th anniversary of their Le Mans victory with the gorgeous DBR1 Aston Martin. OK, I know the new LMP1 car is a Lola chassis run by Prodrive, but it is powered by the glorious Aston V12 and it sounds absolutely wonderful. The new car came fourth this year, first of the petrol cars, and out on the circuit the Gulf-liveried car looked and sounded like a Le Mans car should.
Ginetta, a good old British sports car manufacturer, came to the race this year for the first time. The car showed pace and promise but clearly the team needs experience of this unique race. As Allan McNish remarked: “At Le Mans you are fighting the circuit as much as your competitors.” It is still a mighty challenging place to drive a racing car, and very, very fast. To finish is a great achievement. To win is momentous. Ask the Rondeau boys. This is a BIG race.
Speaking of history, there are whispers that Ferrari may be taking a serious look at coming back to Le Mans. Now that would be good. At the weekend Luca di Montezemelo and Stefano Domenicali were in attendance. You can bet that the ACO might even up the diesel/petrol performance margin were they to have works Ferraris back at Le Mans. A diesel from Maranello is surely unthinkable.
Yes, Le Mans is a big chapter in the history of our sport. Gone is the long, long Mulsanne, gone is the swoop down from the Dunlop bridge, and twisty bits designed to slow the cars abound. But the magic is there. Love it or hate it, you cannot ignore Le Mans.
Filed under: Blogs, Events, Sportscars
Rob was brought up on racing, being taken to Goodwood as a small child and devouring his father’s copies of Motor Sport. During a career in newspaper, radio and TV journalism he created the ‘Track Torque’ motorsport show on radio and was Indycar commentator for Eurosport before co-founding the Festival of Speed and Revival events. He was marketing director of the Goodwood Road Racing Company. 
kenny:
June 16th, 2009 9:07am
The novelty of something other than McLarens and Ferraris winning Grands Prix has worn off, and the politics of F1 have degenerated into farce. Over in the IRL the venerable (kindest word I can think of) Dallara-Honda chugs around on parade lap after (zzzzzzz) parade lap. Thank goodness we still have LMS/ALMS and MotoGP to look forward to. The races this weekend were brilliant.
rob widdows:
June 16th, 2009 11:36am
Hello everyone and thanks for all your contributions to the story about Luigi Chinetti. Yup, those were the days my friends.
Just back from Le Mans. Knackered but happy. I’d forgotten just what an extraordinary event this is and 2009 was no exception. Enthralling to the end and a well deserved victory for Peugeot. Poor Audi had the weekend from hell. Not like them at all. The R15 is a superb racing car but it was short on development – and it showed. they will be back.
La Sarthe was buzzing with speculation about the return of Ferrari. Both di Montezemelo and Domenicali turned up, not to mention Piero Lardi Ferrari himself.
They are not about to walk away from Grand Prix racing, no Sir, but the Presidente does not take his jet to northern France just to drop he flag on a motor race. According to those who know, the company is taking a serious look at a return to sports car racing. You can bet that the concversations over lunch with the ACO were not about the weather.
We must make mention of the Aston Martins, their performance rather overshadowed by the general hullbaloo surrounding a French victory on Sunday. The new car ran as high as third overall during the night and came in fourth only two laps behind the Audi.
Should Ferrari be serious,then you can expect the ACO to ‘modify’ the current margins of performance between the diesels and the petrols.
We may be on the cusp on another great era in long-distance sports car racing.
Meanwhile, Silverstone here we come.
Boy, this is going to be a big weekend. Can it really be Farewell Silverstone? I don’t think so. But if it is, then it’s sure going to be a memorable finale. You’d be brave to bet against Buttton. If he does it, you will hear the cheering on the Moon.
RW
Santiago Fernández:
June 16th, 2009 6:21pm
It was a very enjoyable race, every time you tuned in (or logged on) there was something interesting happening. I expected Audi to mount a sterner challange than they did, but the fact that the Pugs (and even the Astons) where there to capitalize on their mistakes was nice to see. I do hope you’re right, Mr. Willows, about being so close to some nice times in endurance racing, all the elements seem to be there.
The idea of Ferrari returning to this series would be wonderful, especially if they return to the old practices of employing some of the F1 drivers for these races, even if some lawyers would dread this idea (and the drivers don’t really need the money like the used to). I was really happy to see Wurz with the winners trophy, but I’d also enjoy seeing Bourdais or Davidson there (McNish too, but he’s had his moments of glory already :P). I’d really like to see Alonso, Button or Kimi there, as well as Montoya (just for the hell of having someone else win Indy, Monaco and LeMans).
rob widdows:
June 17th, 2009 10:45am
Fernando Alonso was at Le Mans last weekend, saying he was there because he’d always wanted to see this race………..I wonder if that was all it was about. It is alleged that he has a Ferrari contract – if Renault pulls out as everyone in France expects – he will need one.
So, with all the turmoil surrounding the finances of Grand Prix racing, we might just see some of the big drivers back in a sports car.
As you say, this would be a wonderful prospect…….!
I somehow feel that the fall-out from the global recession may result in the absolute focus moving away from F1. We will see.
RW
CasinoSquare:
June 19th, 2009 2:06am
So now with the Grand Prix split formally announced it is an Alonso/Raikonnen/Masse Ferrari win in Le Mans 2010. I’ll get down the bookies quickstyle!
rob widdows:
June 19th, 2009 12:51pm
Do not bet too much on this. The latest shenanigans in Grand Prix racing are all about getting rid of Mr Max Mosley and installing an FIA President who is more sympathetic to the teams.
The teams are intent on toppling Mosley from his perch and the fastest way to that is to withdraw their support and prepare for a breakaway series.
But they are surely not so stupid as to carry out this threat, bearing in mind how the Americans ruined US single-seater racing in much the same fashion.
No, these are clever people, and while they have some justifiable reasons to be unhappy with the FIA and the commercial rights holders, they also know that staging a breakaway series will be a risky and demanding process.
Of course, I have no more information than you lot do, but my instinct – based on the last few decades of political spats, is that the 2010 season will go ahead with Ferrari et al, and there will be a Grand Prix in Monaco.
Meanwhile Vettel is fastest in this morning’s free practice at Silverstone. I still believe that Vettel is capable of keeping Button on his toes until the end of the year.
RW
Chris Nally:
June 27th, 2009 6:58pm
I might be wrong Nigel but David Brabham has won 3 Le Mans in a row , in 2 categories, 2 with the DBR Aston Martins and now with the Peugeot, and his brother won in 1993 with a Peugeot 905, but I have a photo and I hope someone will tell me if I am correct {or it is!}
it shows Sir Jack Brabham getting out of a Matra after his stint at Le Mans in 1973 and it says 5th place overall. Would that be correct, Gary Brabham as the French had on thier Home ACO Site had also raced there!
What a dynasty,
what would I give to see the ALMS Patron Highcrofts Acura LMP-1 race with Brabham/Sharp/Franchitti, and the Ferrari’s LMP-1 make it back, and Porsche coming back with an LMP-1 dreams I suppose dreams..
Gret to see the Gulf livered Petrol Aston’s this year as well, a fine Le Mans.
As for F-1 well what a load a cobblers, Go Red Bull, Go Brawn, now the rest catch up, KERS my bum
cheers from Australia