Le Mans 24 hours

Building up to the start

Team LNT's orange Panoz Esperante is sat on the circuit as this is written - ready to undertake the 24 hour race ahead at 5pm CET today.

The mechanics worked until late last night to rectify the wishbone problem and prepare the car in time for this morning's 45-minute warm up at 9am. Since then, the crowds have gathered; the cars are out on display and the drivers have done a further parade down the pit straight.

Incidentally, the warm-up went without a hitch - the car running comfortably at race pace. Richard Dean quotes a fellow team mate here "Rocket (Rod Farrell) put it neatly: we started on a 1 (at the test day) ut now we're up to a 4 or 5 and we're aiming to be at 7 or 8 for the race. This morning was proper set-up work."

The atmosphere is alive as the start of the race approaces. Team LNT.com will be providing regular progress reports throughout the 24 hour period.

At 4.22pm the start procedure begins with two display laps of the circuit (in the race cars this time!). Then it's the rolling start.