Le Mans

Your attention, please.

Your attention, please.

There has been an accident at Maison Blanche.

It involved Porsche Number 64, driven by Michael Delaney,

and Ferrari Number 18, driven by Piero Belgetti.

Signora Belgetti.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

On this circuit, the world's most famous motor race is run.

Conceived by Charles Faroux and Georges Durand

shortly after the First World War,

the course was named after the nearest town

and the number of hours that men and machines

are put to the supreme test of speed and stamina.

The circuit is 13.469 kilometers.

Or 8.418 miles.

Composed of country roads linked through the main highway,

nearly all of it open to traffic 363 days a year.

Along the 3.2-mile Mulsanne Straight,

the cars reach a maximum speed in excess of 230 miles per hour.

The first race was run in 1923.

The lap record was nine minutes 39 seconds.

The average speed, 66.69 miles per hour.

Last year, the lap record was three minutes 22 seconds.

The average speed, 145.508 miles per hour.

The race is open to six classes of cars.

From the smallest production models to the largest sports prototype engines.

All competing at the same time on the same circuit.

There are 55 cars and 110 drivers

representing countries from all over the world.

They will drive day and night, through sun and rain.

Beneath his racing suit,

each driver must wear fireproof underwear

capable of withstanding 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit,

the temperature of burning gasoline, for 15 seconds.

His blood type must be indicated on either suit or crash helmet.

Each car has two alternating drivers.

No driver may total more than 14 out of the 24 hours.

Each driver must have at least one hour rest

between turns at the wheel.

No one may drive more than four consecutive hours.

For the first time in the history of this race...

at the fall of the tricolored flag,

to test speed of action for reaching the safe pit.

This year, the drivers will be securely strapped

into their driving seats prior to the start of the race.

Yellow flags and yellow lights along the circuit

indicate the presence of an accident.

Or, as it is called in the racing world, "the shunt."

Yellow means danger. No overtaking.

The race will start 4 p.m. Saturday and finish 4 p.m. Sunday.

The car covering the greatest distance in 24 hours shall be the winner.

In the case of the faster cars,

this will mean a distance in excess of 3,000 miles.

And so, ladies and gentlemen,

welcome to the most famous motorcar race in the world.

The 38th running of the Grand Prix of endurance and efficiency.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans.

We're pleased to welcome Michael Delaney

back to Le Mans,

after his unfortunate accident here last year.

And to see that he's in such good form following his exciting race

a fortnight ago at the Nürburgring,

where Ferrari's top driver, Erich Stahler, narrowly beat him.

The Delaney-Stahler rivalry will be interesting to follow

on this very different circuit, where the endurance of the car

is as important as is the skill of the driver.

It is now five minutes to 4.

Five minutes till start.

Will all drivers be in their cars in one minute's time, please?

Drivers, to your cars, please.

Four minutes to start.

Three minutes to start.

Two and a half minutes to start.

Two minutes to start.

And once again, here are the first men to qualify in position.

Number 25, driven by Kurt Ahrens.

Number 15, driven by Michael Parkes.

Number 21, driven by Johann Ritter.

Number 22, driven by Paul-Jacques Dion.

Number 8, driven by Erich Stahler.

Number 5, driven by Lugo Abratte.

Number 6, driven by Vito Scalise.

Number 7, driven by Claude Aurac.

Number 20, driven by Michael Delaney.

Number 14, driven by Georges Marnier.

Over three minutes have passed.

We may expect the cars through the chicane any moment now.

Will it be Porsche or Ferrari in the lead?

Here's the leading car, Porsche Number 25,

in for its first pit stop for fuel and possible driver change.

And here comes Erich Stahler, Ferrari Number 8,

closely followed by the first of the Gulf Porsche cars,

Number 20, driven by Michael Delaney.

And watch out for the red Lola. Lola.

Okay.

And here comes 20 back on the track.

Gulf Porsche Number 21, driven by Johann Ritter,

entering the pit.

And Porsche Number 20, Delaney.

Twenty by four.

Okay, thanks.

My colleague has just handed me a weather report

and it looks as if the possibility of rain, which was previously forecast,

will shortly be upon us.

Just one more, Mr. Delaney.

- Hello. - Hello.

You had a very good start.

It's a long race.

Are you well?

Excuse me.

Thank you.

What will you tell Peter and Erica when they get old enough to ask

what their father does for a living?

I'll tell them that their father is the greatest chauffeur in the world.

If you had a choice, would you like to tell them something else?

For example:

"Well, this week, Daddy's flying to Switzerland."

Yes.

The new motor factory is almost completed

and I have to interview various applicants for...

What are you trying to tell me?

Would you like that better?

Only if you'd like it better.

If they ask me what their mother does for a living, I'll say, "She lies."

She can look straight into your eyes

and tell the biggest lies you've ever heard in your life.

Really?

Yes.

It's the right time to stop.

I can finish quite well in this race. Perhaps even...

Well, in any case, it's the right time to stop.

As was forecast, we have our first touch of rain.

It's going to be very interesting to see what tactics the team manages

to outlast the rain.

If it's only a shower, they won't change from dry to rain tires.

But if it does continue, they must.

Your attention to the pit area.

The long-tail Porsche Number 25 is coming in

after having been out on the circuit for only 14 minutes since its last stop

for fuel and driver change.

The team of Kurt Ahrens and Vic Elford has built up a formidable early lead

on the factory Ferraris and the Gulf Porsche team.

However, it appears now

that something definitely out of the ordinary

has befallen the Austrian entry.

You will recall that this is the car

which, for the first time in the history of Le Mans,

averaged a speed in excess of 150 miles per hour.

Mr. Delaney.

You know, the white long-tail is out of the race with a blown engine.

Yeah, well, that's bad luck.

Do you think it will be another Ferrari-Porsche race?

A little early to say, but I think so.

What kind of race will you drive?

Try to save the machine, go as fast as I can, try to win.

Do you think it will be like at Nürburgring?

A race between you and Stahler?

I hope not, ma'am.

And what do you think of Stahler?

Stahler?

I think he's probably one of the best drivers in the world. Excuse me.

What do you think is the most difficult thing about Le Mans?

To go as fast as possible,

and to keep the car on the road for 24 hours. That's difficult.

Would this be the same type of race you had with Delaney at the Nürburgring?

Well, uh, this is Le Mans, it's a different thing, you know?

Do you think that you and Delaney will end up having a close race here?

Maybe. He's fast, I'm fast, so we're always together. Ha, ha.

Good luck.

Michael.

- How's that German car running? - Fast.

- Ferrari? - Fast.

- It's getting wetter. - Slipping and sliding.

Michael, uh, the press is making a big thing about us.

Yeah.

But it's money.

That's American.

Michael.

Be careful.

Now, don't be a pain in the ass, Erich.

And here are the official positions,

two hours into the race.

In first place, Ferrari Number 8

finished 35 laps at an average speed of 144.981 miles per hour.

In second position is Gulf Porsche Number 20 at 35 laps...

All cars have come into the pits to change to rain tires,

with the notable exception of the three Gulf Porsche entries

and the four Ferrari team cars.

It is apparent that neither Porsche manager David Townsend

or Ferrari manager Loretto Fuselli

wants to call his cars in for an unscheduled pit stop

during this closely contested race.

Looks kind of hairy out there.

In practice, it didn't rain, so this is really your first time out in the wet at Le Mans.

Yeah, it is.

Why doesn't Townsend bring them in for rain tires?

Why don't you ask him?

I'll get back to you. Right.

It's raining worse at Mulsanne.

- They're due in in 11... - Eleven minutes, I know.