24h Le Mans
The 62 competitors in the 87th annual 24 Hours of Le Mans race (15-16 June 2019) will take to the track today for free practice and the first qualifying session. Earlier in the day, the pit lane will open to pit walk ticket holders.
Anyone with a pit walk ticket can wander up and down the pit lane between 10:00 and 15:00 and take a look at each team’s set-up for race week. They will particularly see the mechanics busy on the cars to get them ready for the free practice and qualifying sessions.
The traditional funfair (near the Ford chicanes) will be open for thrills and spills from 10:00 to midnight. The huge Ferris wheel stands towers above a host of exciting rides and typical fairground attractions such as shooting galleries, dodgems and many more. Come and enjoy all the fun of the fair without leaving the circuit!
With the times clocked having no impact at all on the starting grid and the newcomers having already got to know the track during Test Day, the four hours of Free Practice (16:00–20:00) give teams a chance to adjust their car setups before qualifying. Some teams focus on the race and plump for long stints at the wheel; others have their eyes on the clock and opt for aggressive setups. Watch out for the traffic!
French duo Diva Faune will hit the 24 Hours of Le Mans stage from 20:00. They will be playing tracks from their début album Dancing With Moonshine, a refreshingly eclectic collection of 13 songs. Diva Faune are making waves on the French music scene with their unique brand of pop-folk music. Why not head on over to the concert area near the Dunlop footbridge and find out what they’re about?
The Road To Le Mans field will take to the track at 20:30 for a 60-minute free practice session. This 24 Hours of Le Mans support race is the third round of the 2019 Michelin Le Mans Cup season. The Michelin Le Mans Cup is open to GT3s per FIA regulations and to LMP3s.
For the 62 cars entered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the main priority is to complete the five night laps required of each driver – including the most experienced – within one of the two night sessions (Wednesday and Thursday, 22:00–00:00). The second goal is to register a qualifying time in case rain disrupts the next day’s session. That done, everyone can concentrate on getting ready for the race itself. All in all, this is a pretty tense two hours!
10:00–15:00: Pit walk
10:00–00:00: Funfair16:00–20:00: 24 Hours of Le Mans Free Practice
20:00: Diva Faune in concert
20:30–21:30: Road To Le Mans Free Practice 1
22:00–00:00: 24 Hours of Le Mans Qualifying 1
