Postcard from Paul Ricard

The 2009 season is underway – and first stop for the dsc UK squad was the High Tech Test Track at the Paul Ricard Circuit in the sunny south of La Belle France for the first Official Test for the Le Mans Series runners

Credit crunch and logistics meant a very early start from London’s Gatwick Airport.  Dave Lord managing to judge his packing to within 0.1 of a kilo to the permitted maximum weight, the look of disappointment on the check-in ladies face was palpable!

No time for a full breakfast, just a quick coffee and an ‘air biscuit’ (croissant) before boarding the BA 737, Lordy regaling everyone with the conclusions of the most recent edition of Air Crash Investigation on one of those channels that only blokes watch.  David (Doris) Downes was not amused, not a necessarily nervous flyer he does however bear some psychological scars from active service in the service of Queen and country (Royal Signals Regiment – motto – If you can’t get there by Land Rover we’re not going).  Upon further investigation it seems the story was that upon boarding a jet to fly in to some not particularly hostile territory the only newspaper on offer was the Daily Mail!  I can see his point!

Marseilles was reached on time by both the dsc boys and (glory be!) our bags too – Hire car next – a Citroen C4 Picasso – Good to see Citroen returning to their pointlessly weird and different ways, the car had a larger glass area than an industrial greenhouse!

A day to kill (no media permitted at the track on Saturday) so it was a quick vote and a drive down the coast to the lovely town of Cassis.  A warm day had brought out the day trippers so parking was something of an issue – finally finding a car park about half a mile from the harbour we popped down to the nearest beach – beautiful! – then a walk down what seemed to be a seafront path down to the town – Wrong! – about 2 miles later of winding narrow streets through a residential district of the horribly expensive kind and we emerged a good 50m or so from where we started!

Down then to the harbour and with just a croissant and a British Airways sandwich so far despatched it was high time for lunch.  No shortage of choice – Bars and restaurants sat lining the harbour’s edge.  Selection made it was time for a pression (Lord, Howson, May and self) and coffee (Downes) and then a canter through the menu – Moules et Frites for the more cultured writers – Pizza for the artisans!

The weather was a perfect spring temperature, clear skies, a warming sun and a light breeze. – A stroll down to the harbour wall and an ice cream hit the right spot – childhood day trips remembered but with an accent Francais.

Mid afternoon and a chunk of time to kill – What next?

Well the next major town down the coast was Toulon, home of France’s Mediterranean fleet including the world’s only non-US nuclear powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle – Well we are boys after all!  It turned out of course to be something of an appropriate week for such a visit with the French President announcing that he would return France to full NATO membership for the first time since 1966.

A quick hop down to the harbour provided the briefest glance of the carrier’s superstructure.  Confirmed by a local pleasure boat operator – the carrier was in port.

But how to get a good look without being clapped in irons or worse?

A contemplative coffee, and a quick trip to a specialist bookshop for Doris (photography honest!) – no view from the main road and precious little raised ground beyond – the ferry port was inaccessible too – the back seat mumbling began to rise in volume and tone - hang on though what about that wooded area beyond?

Agent Howson was despatched to take a look – a few minutes later he rang to confirm that the ship could be seen clearly – off trekked our little party, up through a rocky path, clearly blocked to prevent vehicular access – past a long abandoned, and burnt out Renault 5 with pretty typically adolescent fascist graffiti urging Mussolini to do something unpleasant.

Then down an overgrown path to a rocky outcrop with a sheer drop beyond and there she was  - all 38,000 tonnes of her – her complement of Rafale, and Super Etendard attack jets either below in the hangars or more likely ashore.

Commissioned into service (5 years late) in 2001 after a troubled build, her squadrons have since seen active service in Afghanistan.  She is Europe’s second largest carrier, only the Russian Admiral Kuznetsov is larger.  Both though are dwarfed by the largest US nuclear carriers, the later Nimitz class ships displacing over 100,000 tonnes.

As we looked out over the dockyard to the ship – Charles de Gaulle moored alongside the Amphibious Assault Ship Mistral – with the smaller assault ship Ouragon moored nearby too - there was a whining noise in the air – it grew louder and louder until, through the gap in the trees Doris appeared, fag in hand, with a forthright analysis of his feelings towards spending part of his leisure time looking for an aircraft carrier – He remains Doris but might at some point be re-christened Ray – as in our little Ray of Sunshine!!!

Back via the local town and Mark “The Carnivore” Howson and I demolished a pair of absolutely delicious kebabs from a local takeaway – Much to the dismay of the rest of the crew who clearly couldn’t think beyond the horrors doled out by Midlands kebab houses – the Southern French equivalent was altogether more tasty and less dangerous to gastric health.

Sunday morning and up bright and early from dsc’s lavishly appointed hotel  - Just before our arrival at the circuit though there is a glimpse of the nearby local answer to Disneyworld and Universal Studios – The fabulously crappy ‘OK Corral’ western style ‘Theme Park’ – Fancy paying to stay in a ‘Teepee’ that looks like it hasn’t seen a coat of paint since the 1860s, or a series of ‘attractions’ that look like the dictionary definition of “Crushingly disappointing”?  This place is for you!

And so to the circuit itself – What a place – Mark Howson has already written that it’s level of preparation gives an insight to the mind of its owner (Bernie Ecclestone) but it bears repeating that the place is spotless – literally not a leaf nor a blade of grass out of place – the entrance to the media centre more akin to an international conference centre than a circuit, the function rooms, bars and lounges more silver spoon than Silverstone – The only downside was that the gentlemen of the media made the place look untidy – I was quite surprised we didn’t have the dogs set on us!

A pleasant surprise in the lead up to the weekend was the news that dsc’s longest serving US photographer Regis (the little orange genius) Lefebure would be present. 

As always quiet, understated, enjoying his work thoroughly and producing stunning results – Again and again the quieter men impress more!

We’ll be seeing plenty of Regis’s matchless work from both sides of the Atlantic this season.

Lunchtime and a fine spread was put on for teams and media in the Mistral Suite – a barn of a function room alongside the Signes straight – Pasta salad accompanied by a drizzle of screaming racing engines – Surely one of the best views of any racing restaurant?

The realisation that the Pegasus racing Courage was shod with Avons brought a traditional dsc readers challenge – What was the last LMP car to wear Avon rubber? - followed by a traditionally comprehensive response.

Steven Kilsdonk coming up trumps first – his offer of the 2001 RfH Dome though was trumped by Gerard Vollrath who remembered the MBD Mugen racing on Avons at Le Mans in 2002.    

Sunday evening and the Ed had a dinner appointment, Aston Martin bringing the team, sponsors and media together for a meal to mark the first outing for their new Lola Aston Martin LMP1 project – No sign of Martin Birrane at the meal – more from the Lola boss later – but the Ed was delighted to be joined at the table by the ever lovely and effective Sarah Durose, Aston Martin’s Motorsport PR person, Michael Cotton, doyen of the press pack and a rather sore and chastened Tomas Enge, fresh from his 265kmph trip into the barriers in the now written off #007 car.

David Richards introduced the sextet of Aston Martin Racing drivers to their guests, each getting enthusiastic applause.  Darren Turner was the last to be introduced – Richards ‘bigging him up’ as having been with the team from the beginning and “now living almost on the doorstep” – “In a caravan” came the mischievous addition from a heckler who will remain nameless though Mr and Mrs Durose would be ashamed of their daughter’s behaviour!

Over dinner Tomas explained that he had now moved to England permanently, that he had arrived with all of his worldly goods in a Charouz Racing van on the day that the snows had hit Southern England. 

“I am used to much more snow than this.  I can’t understand how it caused so much trouble.  The van was fitted with winter tyres so for a day or two I was absolutely the king of the road!”  The mind boggles over the prospect of Enge + Sprinter van + Snow + Winter tyres!!!!!

Mindful that the dsc crew hadn’t eaten dinner (or lunch!) I made my excuses and left when the drivers took their leave, as Enge crossed the main restaurant floor he was clearly in some discomfort but from a nearby table a figure rose to give him a reassuring hug and some sage words of advice after a very trying (and painful) day.  Alain Prost, who of course fielded Enge as a driver in his eponymous F1 team at the end of the 2001 season after an injury to Luciano Burti. What a pro!

Leaving the circuit at gone 11pm on a Sunday evening it didn’t seem likely that hot food was a likely prospect – Thank heaven then for an injection of American drive through culture – A Quicky Burger no less – Surely this would be a gift for English language marketers?

“It’s nearly midnight, after a hard days work what you really fancy is a Quicky!”

Our boys certainly did and several flame grilled slices of dead cow later it was time for lights out.

Monday – back to the circuit once again, via a fine boulangerie breakfast of coffee and pastries and past the strangely not very busy OK Corral – News and gossip (the best of course entirely unpublishable) – Conversations with old racing friends and a good crop of new additions to the fold. All too soon though it was time to take our leave – an hour or two before track action concluded – Monday still bright and sunny but with the Mistral bringing very windy conditions indeed to the circuit, several drivers reporting that a gust was enough to give them real problems out on the circuit.  So gusty indeed that the photographers out on the circuit were to be found huddled behind anything substantial, an Armco, marshal’s post or other big unit!

Back to Marseilles and a return flight chock full of sportscar racing types, Drayson Racing, Paul Drayson full of enthusiasm for the test and for a forthcoming visit to the Bloodhound SSC project, Strakka, Lola’s Martin Birrane (very happy indeed with the current and future prospects for Huntingdon’s most famous racecar builder) and many more besides.

All in all a great start to the season, blowing away the cobwebs (and most everything else too on Monday) with clear skies, sunshine and the prospects of a very competitive first half of the European season