Between 5 and 9 September, there are driving courses and tests lined up on the Bugatti and Maison Blanche tracks in anticipation of the FFSA championship, the GT tour, the Caterham cup, Renault Clio Cup, Peugeot RCZ Racing Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup and the F4 championship.

The Bugatti track is monitored by an experienced track manager who ensures motorcyclists and racing drivers can practice their sport safely. A doctor, nurse and an ambulance are always present, ready to act during the circuit’s opening hours (9-12am and 2-6pm.

 

Here’s what’s on!

 

Monday 5 September

Beginner biker’s course, Maison Blanche

Intermediate biker’s course, Bugatti track

 

Tuesday 6 September

Intermediate biker’s course, Bugatti track

These courses are run by experienced instructors. The ACO academy’s team of trainers includes Baptiste Guittet, world Superstock champion 2014 and his teammate from Junior Team Suzuki Le Mans Sud, Robin Camus, vice champion of Supersport in 2015. The courses are very hands on, although there is also some theory included. Riders use the school’s bikes or bring their own. (30 riders max.)

 

Wednesday 7 September

Track day

The BMC/Michelin Power Days is open to all bikers who wish to improve their techniques in track conditions. Well-known French instructors William Costes, Guillaume Dietrich, Regis Laconi, Alex Vieira and Fabien Foret give participants the benefit of their experience. Riders can also try riding a Ducati 959 Panigale and 1299 Panigale during the BMC Moto track day.

Thursday 8 September

Le Mans Driver prototype experience

The ultimate driving course: a day in a Pescarolo prototype. Take the wheel of one of the six endurance prototypes, very similar to today’s LM P3 cars and experience the Bugatti track at its best. This course is open to drivers who have already completed at least a half-day course in a prototype. Get ready to unleash the power of your prototype and apply the techniques with expert tuition from race-hardened instructors. As a Le Mans Driver trainee, you get to drive a prototype at full power around the 4.158km of the Bugatti track.

 

Friday 9 September

Autosport Academy

The star drivers of the future, the trainees of the Autosport Academy take over the track to practice for the fifth and penultimate round in the F4 championship, part of the GT Tour.

Some two dozen drivers aged between 14 and 23 take the wheel of single-seaters, all with identical set-ups, prepared by the trainee mechanics at the FFSA Academy. Several well-known French racing drivers began as trainees of the academy, namely Jean-Eric Vergne, Romain Dumas and Charles Pic. The academy has even coached two generations of drivers, with Nicolas Prost, Aurélien Panis and Guiliano Alesi all following in their fathers’ footsteps. This year’s star is Chinese driver Ye Yifei.

 

Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 September

Here comes the GT Tour!

Team equipment will start arriving on Wednesday and by Thursday, the GT Tour will have well and truly taken possession of the Le Mans 24 hours’ paddocks. The first briefing session is on Friday but track actions begins at 8.30am on Saturday with the Caterham Cup qualifiers.

The FFSA championship is coming to Le Mans for the fourth year running and there’s a jam-packed schedule for the weekend, with no less than 14 races to watch, as well as the practice and qualifying sessions.

The Caterham, Caterham Academy, Renault Clio Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup and Peugeot RCZ Racing Cup competitors will run two 30-minute races each, all on Sunday, apart from the Caterham Academy. The F4 competition is comprised of four 20-minute races, two on each day.

Free entry for all. Bring the whole family for a day of fun!