August is time for a vacation in France. A tour of circuits, wine tasting, and stunning food. Or as some comedian friend of mine noted, a drink driving holiday.
Again I was joining the Lotus on Track (LOT) Club of UK. Twice a year - every May and August - they set up a group tour of French race circuits. The circuits differ year to year to keep it fresh. The August event is massively popular, you book a year in advance. I have already booked August 2027. The pace is relaxed - you get a relaxed transit day between circuits. There is a group hotel option or you can go alone and stay in special places.
The appeal of running with LOT is they specialize in lightweight cars only - Lotus, Porsche, small BMWs, Caterhams, Westfield, and the like. So all cars know how to get through corner, unlike say a Mustang.
This year the circuit order was 1) Le Mans Bugatti, 2) Dijon-Prenois, and 3) Magny-Cours/Nevers. There was a 4th circuit on offer but I could not make that date. Naturally these circuits fall nicely into the Bourgogne and Loire wine regions.
My car was being trucked over from the UK by TFL Racing, along with 11 other cars (Caterham, Atoms, and a Lotus 2-Eleven). TFL support something over 50 cars, based in the Stratford area. They have rental Caterhams to go to events - quite a few people from this site have rented before to try out their bucket list tracks. You are fully supported - fuel, tires, mechanical. If something goes wrong then you have a fighting chance to fix it unless it is major like an engine or gearbox failure. The rental solution is easier - if that goes wrong then they throw you in another car.
Le Mans Bugatti
This circuit is part of the full Le Mans circuit used for the famous 24 Hour race. It connects the start finish, the run up under the tire bridge around to the esses just before the pit straight. In the map below, the blue line is the section of the circuit used in the 24 Hour race. The red line is the purpose-built Bugatti circuit. I have never run here before but I have wanted to try it out for quiet a while.
Unusually they only run this with sessions - above 900kg or below 900kg (my class in a Caterham). This gave you alternating 30 minute sessions. In theory 30 cars on track but it never felt like it was this crowded.
The day before I ran on track, I went to the Le Mans Circuit Museum. Stunning. One of the greatest collections of race cars I have seen outside of the one in Redmond WA. An array of original and restored cars that previously competed at Le Mans. One nice surprise was the extensive Formula 1 and World Rally Championship cars. For 3 Euros extra you get access to the track to wander around. This is worth making the effort to see.
Views from the top of the grandstands on pit straight - Looking over the back of the grandstands.
TFL Racing were supporting a lot of cars - my 420R SV.
Sadly this Lotus 2-Eleven dropped a timing chain in the first session. Game over for his vacation.
Gives you an idea of the types of cars I was running with. A nice collection of Eliges.
No on-track photos from this day, apart from this one along the main straight - family member out in my car while I was on top of the grandstands. Its pretty daunting coming between these tall towering stands, sweeping right at full throttle after the start finish line, then left right esses to then head up under the Dunlop/Goodyear Bridge.
Part 2 continues here
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