Igniting New Flames
LE MANS CLASSIC 2022
10 July 2022 • Written By Virgiliu Andone
It must have been different in the early days. These days the runoff areas are ample, the spectators sit way back from titanic catch fences and almighty barriers, lined row after row of tires. The track itself must have been slippery and the other cars didn’t help with their generosity in spilling their fluids everywhere. Different, for sure. But, in essence, the same.
That golden sunset surely had a twin in the 30s. And someone must have watched a 2300 8C swimming in light rays back in the day. These days the track’s generous floodlights make short work of the encroaching darkness. Back then it must have been akin to a very gradual entry into a long tunnel, from which only the blessed can make it, once the dawn finally delivers its salvation from the inescapable phantoms dotting the track at night. Now, at the magical Le Mans Classic, the night shifts only take some 45 minutes at a time. Cars manage only a handful of laps on this mammoth circuit, where just the straight is 6km long. It’s over in what appears to be a blink of an eye, as the intensity makes short work of the race distance. Despite all this, it really gives a very gourmet taste of what it must have been like. It adds a dose of reverence and serenity. After all, all cars taking part in the various groups are far from being just released from the factory floor. All those cars earned the right to be respected some good decades ago. It takes away the nail biting tension. But it compensates thus by providing a glorious passage through time.
OKP Racing Club is here with a silver Giulietta SZ, driven by Mathias Körber and Christian Ondrak, while our friends at AlfaDelta also field a couple of cars. We know we have no chance against the 250 SWBs or the E-types, but, in period, the Zagato bodied Alfas performed really well in their class, even winning in 1964. It’s only fitting that today’s Alfisti get to experience these brave small cars as they were originally intended, although the tiny Giuliettas are utterly dwarfed by the scale of the circuit, feeling much more at home on road races. Despite neither Mathias, nor Christian being in peak form, both having developed fever over the weekend, they managed to bring the car home safely and reward it with another few laps at speed in this temple of motorsport.
Le Mans Classic is so much more than a museum of the bygone races. It’s alive with emotion and buzzes with excitement. It’s not as big as the Le Mans 24 hours, but in essence it delivers at quite the same level, but by subtly different means.
It’s an event that nurtures friendships, rekindling old ones and igniting new flames.
