Audi 2009 Annual Report Download - page 24

car was forced to retire shortly be-
fore 10 pm. Kristensen and his team
continue to fight for one of the top
positions.
The lights of a Ferris wheel shine
from behind the grandstand. Specta-
tors stroll along the track, passing
amusement rides and stands with
fan merchandise, crêpes and refresh-
ments. At night, candlelight flickers
in front of many of the tents, and
fireworks streak heavenward again
and again. Visiting strangers are
welcomed warmly and given a cool
drink. Rupert Bullock and James
Blackhall, who made the trip in his
Audi RS 6, sit next to their red-and-
white-striped pavilion tent. Together
with their four friends, the two are
drinking red Burgundy and eating
baguette with camembert.
Like many campers, the group is
from England. After completing
school, they spent their youth travel-
ing the world together; today most
are over 40 and travel together once
a year to Le Mans. Blackhall is the
CEO of a valve manufacturing com-
pany and father of five. His friend
Rupert works on the stock exchange.
“No schedules, no deadlines, no pres-
sure – Le Mans offers us the luxury
of freedom,” says Bullock. The men
are more than willing to give up the
luxury of their business travel in ex-
change. “It is simply an unbelievable
experience. We’re right up close to
the race.”
Close to the race means directly at
the track. Although the campers are
in the middle of nature, they don’t
hear the chirping of the birds but
rather squealing tires and screaming
engines – 24 hours long. Sleep is
possible only with ear plugs, if at all.
Yet the maxim for most is: “The clos-
er to the track, the better.” Some
pitch their tents just a few meters
from the next guardrail.
All night long, fans wander back and
forth to the track. The fans experi-
ence the race up close and personal
on the grandstands and grassy knolls
directly next to the track. They stare
mesmerized into the distance and
wait for the next car. First all that
can be heard is the buzz of the en-
gine, which slowly develops into a
hum. Headlights suddenly flicker far
down the track and begin to draw
nearer, seemingly slowly at first, and
then ever faster. At night, the cars
have to approach to within roughly
200 meters to be truly recognizable
before flying past the spectators.
Many are still in their seats as the
sun comes up. At the campground,
three brave fans in lounge chairs sit
atop their camper trailer directly at
the track.
“I think it’s great to be woken up by
the roar of the engines,” grins
Danielle Booth after a short night.
The Booths have grandstand tickets
for the finish in the afternoon. From
there they will cheer on the Audi
drivers one last time and watch Tom
Kristensen and his teammates claim
one of the spots on the podium.
Sports journalist David Mayer camped with
the fans right next to the track.
Passionate fan: Danish fan Claus Petersen keeps his fingers crossed
for his countryman, Tom Kristensen. The Audi driver secured a top-
three finish.
Box seats: Undaunted, some campers make it through until dawn.
From their elevated viewpoint, they scan the horizon for the lights of
the next racecar.
“
What can be better than
seeing all of the cars on
and around the track?”
Claus Petersen, who traveled from Brazil
21
THE LE MANS LEGEND
Dive into a world packed with
emotion and passion:
www.audi.com/ar2009/lemans