ANDY PRILL
Traditionally held every two years, the Le Mans Classic returned to Circuit de la Sarthe for its tenth outing following a frustrating Covid-induced absence. The event was a huge success and will be back again in 2023 to commemorate the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Porsche is sure to be at the centre of the celebrations...
After four years, the sights and sounds of hundreds of classic racing cars returned to Circuit de la Sarthe for the Le Mans Classic. It was completely worth the wait, not least because of a veritable feast of support races to whet the appetite for the twenty-four hour main event. Fans of historic motorsport returned in droves. In fact, do not believe I have ever seen more people at this event or, indeed, the modern 24 Hours of Le Mans. Their patience was rewarded — once practice started at 9:30am on the Friday, there were cars on track to entertain all the way until 4:00pm on the Sunday afternoon.
There was a short break to grab sleep between the completion of night practice at 3:30am on Saturday and the support races getting underway at 9:30am, proceedings kicking off with Endurance Racing Legends. This highly anticipated race featured the most modern cars on track. Sadly, no Porsche GT1 was there to race at the front, but no less than twenty-three assorted 993 GT2S, 996 GT3 Rs and 997 GT3 RSRS participated in a sixty-eight-strong field.
The next race featuring Porsches was possibly the largest and most representative Group C event to date, in which the best part of fifty cars battled on the legendary circuit. Let’s not forget this is where the 956 and 962 made their mark with six consecutive overall victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1982 and 1987. This race was just as thrilling as I hoped it would be — the Vercoutere/kelleners 962 romped away with the lead until a safety car intervened at the worst possible moment, allowing a Jaguar one-two-three podium lockout in the process! Even so, this race was an amazing celebration of Group C — currently in the throes of its fortieth anniversary — and took me back in time to the 1980s, when I enjoyed my first very adventures at Le Mans.
The all-porsche support race featured seventy-five cars, in which 904s and early 911s raced together with 935s. The sight and sounds will last long in the memory. The main race was as challenging as ever. With five cars in each of four paddocks, I’m sure this event is harder to compete in than the modern 24 Hours of Le Mans. Our guys more than earned their spurs. There was far too much on track action to report here, but rest assured Porsches featured in all five post-world War II plateaus. For me, plateau no.5 was the one to watch — it was wonderful to see a 917 being raced in anger at the very venue giving rise to the legend in 1970.
A personal highlight of this year’s Le Mans Classic was driving in the middle of the night behind a 1974 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo. I couldn’t help but focus on the super-hot football-sized turbocharger glowing red as a rain light. Witnessing the bright orange flame-outs on every gear change was also a magical experience, especially from the cockpit of an RSR 3.0.
My next racing will be at Laguna Seca for the Pre-reunion and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, where I have the honour of being on the advisory board. I’ll be driving the first 911 to win an FIA race. Stay tuned!
A PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BEHIND A 1974 911 RSR 2.1 TURBO