More development on the Mulsanne

FG1 · 19 Aug 2003, 21:45 (Ref:692635)

Given the recent debates on the future of the Le Mans circuit I thought it might be of interest that commercial development continues on the Mulsanne straight (Les Hunaudieres). Just past the first chicane on the right is a huge "Leroy Merlin" DIY store. This was surrounded by a number of smaller store and has just been joined to the south by a large "But" store. More sites are being prepared as I write.

FG

Fab · 20 Aug 2003, 05:19 (Ref:692838)

Terrains are obviously for sale, and there's always an interrest in the developpement of local industry and trades... there will be more and more implantations around...

Francis, are you around to witness of the activity on the track (tests days of some teams for november) ?

This part is personnal : the Jasnières was wonderful !

kdr · 20 Aug 2003, 08:41 (Ref:692948)

its a funny thing, this idea that premises along the mulsanne don't like the race. a lot of companies all over the world would give their right arm to be based there, or even have it as their address.

Mal · 20 Aug 2003, 09:08 (Ref:692969)

Quote:

Originally posted by kdr
its a funny thing, this idea that premises along the mulsanne don't like the race. a lot of companies all over the world would give their right arm to be based there, or even have it as their address.

Agreed and surely it should be a condition of permitting the development that the businesses accept the PQ and the race closures. They must know what they are buying

**Aysedasi** · 20 Aug 2003, 12:11 (Ref:693131)

Absolutely agree. It was bad enough having the carbuncles installed on the Mulsanne in 1990, for the ACO to revert to their plans to move the Mulsanne would be dreadful. The road has been used for the 24 Hours since 1923, plenty of time for any business along the straight (or any business who wants to be situated along the straight) to come to terms with the relatively short limitations which the race brings with it.

pirenzo · 20 Aug 2003, 12:18 (Ref:693136)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aysedasi
Absolutely agree. It was bad enough having the carbuncles installed on the Mulsanne in 1990, for the ACO to revert to their plans to move the Mulsanne would be dreadful. The road has been used for the 24 Hours since 1923, plenty of time for any business along the straight (or any business who wants to be situated along the straight) to come to terms with the relatively short limitations which the race brings with it.

Doesn't drive you mad that people will arrive somewhere, knowing that there is some sort of activity near by (motor racing or whatever), then compain about it?

It's like people who buy houses near Heathrow or Gatwick then complain they can't sleep at night.
These are things which in many cases have been there since before they were born, but still don't take it into consideration before buying (or they choose to ignore it)

There has been racing in and around the area of Le Mans for a century.

Muzza · 20 Aug 2003, 12:38 (Ref:693159)

Quote:

Originally posted by pirenzo
Doesn't drive you mad that people will arrive somewhere, knowing that there is some sort of activity near by (motor racing or whatever), then compain about it?

Oh, we have seen this happening so many times... Zandvoort, Bridgehampton (Longs Island, New York), Brands Hatch, Donington and Zolder are examples of tracks that had big problems with local authorities because of complains (mostly due to noise, sometimes traffic too, as in teh case of Brands Hatch) from people that moved there decades after these tracks were in operation...

I regret to say that I envision Elkhart Lake facing similar problems in the next years. More and more houses are being built close to the track, and I wonder if some of the newcomers are going to start complaining soon...

What is most odd is the fact that Elkhart Lake is kind of "in the middle of nowhere". But housing developers know it is a highly recognizable name, and with the proper sales pitch, the land plots are sold to misled folks, that are led to believe that "racing is not a problem at all" by these developers. So these latter cash quite some money, and then leave the problem behind...

Taking into consideration that some of these business along Les Hunaudières did complain in the past (as recent as last year's practice/pre-qualifying day) about the fact that public roads are closed for the race (claiming loss of revenue), I am rather concerned by this news.

It will take little more for the ACO to abandon Les Hunaudières altogether and propose a purpose-built section somewhere else, linking Tertre Rouge to Mulsanne, like the 1975 plans...

**Aysedasi** · 20 Aug 2003, 12:48 (Ref:693171)

Quote:

Originally posted by Muzza

It will take little more for the ACO to abandon Les Hunaudières altogether and propose a purpose-built section somewhere else, linking Tertre Rouge to Mulsanne, like the 1975 plans...

My concern too. If I recall correctly, the plans were quite advanced in 1975 - it might not take much greasing of palms to get the project going again.....

Disastrous.

pirenzo · 20 Aug 2003, 13:00 (Ref:693198)

Disastrous only for the lost heritage and the sentimental value of the striaght, but at the end of the day, that straight is the circuit's trademark, and the ACO would been keen for any replacement to be similar, so nothing would be lost from a purely driving perspective, we'd still have a long straight (perhaps without the "carbuncles")

pirenzo · 20 Aug 2003, 13:02 (Ref:693201)

Also, from what i've seen of the 1975 plans, the biggest single loss would be the detruction of the run from Mulsanne to Indianapolis...

**Aysedasi** · 20 Aug 2003, 13:02 (Ref:693202)

The heritage is actually quite important to me (for some reason). I've seen enough change to the circuit since I first went in 86 - Dunlop Curve (more than once), the carbuncles, the unnecessary Dunlop to Esses changes plus numerous other little nips and tucks. I really don't want to see any more, whether it results in the removal of the carbuncles or not.

pirenzo · 20 Aug 2003, 13:04 (Ref:693208)

Well, i'm still confident that this will once more pass over, resulting in no changes anyway, but should action be taken, we could learn to live with it.

**Aysedasi** · 20 Aug 2003, 13:06 (Ref:693210)

We'd have to, I guess, in the same way as we have to live with what the ACO did in 2002. Doesn't mean to say that I either like it or accept it was necessary, but, as you imply, life goes on!

Muzza · 20 Aug 2003, 13:12 (Ref:693219)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aysedasi
The heritage is actually quite important to me (for some reason). I've seen enough change to the circuit since I first went in 86 - Dunlop Curve (more than once), the carbuncles, the unnecessary Dunlop to Esses changes plus numerous other little nips and tucks. (...)

And the Mulsanne bosse, the Mulsanne bosse!

Thanks, Norbert Haug.

pirenzo · 20 Aug 2003, 13:13 (Ref:693224)

Well, the works done to the Dunlop Curve and that hill over the years are worse than what could ever be done to the Muslannes. And all for those bloody Motorbikes. I can only imagine what that corner was like in '86, but you must have been horrified at what you saw in '87...

Fab · 20 Aug 2003, 14:04 (Ref:693288)

Quote:

Originally posted by pirenzo
nothing would be lost from a purely driving perspective, we'd still have a long straight (perhaps without the "carbuncles")

Don't dream about the chicanes...

And the history is not quite the same when you move things (could you imagine to move the D-Day beaches ?)...

Fab · 20 Aug 2003, 14:05 (Ref:693289)

Quote:

Originally posted by pirenzo
Also, from what i've seen of the 1975 plans, the biggest single loss would be the detruction of the run from Mulsanne to Indianapolis...

THIS could be a real disaster... the only part barely touched by the times...

Fab · 20 Aug 2003, 14:10 (Ref:693292)

Quote:

Originally posted by Muzza
And the Mulsanne bosse, the Mulsanne bosse!

Thanks, Norbert Haug.

Not so much flatten, BTW...

Quote:

Originally posted by pirenzo
Well, the works done to the Dunlop Curve and that hill over the years are worse than what could ever be done to the Muslannes. And all for those bloody Motorbikes. I can only imagine what that corner was like in '86, but you must have been horrified at what you saw in '87...

THIS is another part really destroyed by external contingencies... a real shame to me. The place is now really disfigured, regarding history ; even if the place is still interresting to see, but different, different...

And the trees are almost gone at La Chapelle chicane (before Tertre Rouge)... how sad

pirenzo · 20 Aug 2003, 14:33 (Ref:693314)

yeah.

What sort of reaction in the public and the press was there when they built Posrche Curves bit in 72? Anyone knwo the answer?

Nordic · 20 Aug 2003, 14:46 (Ref:693334)

This is a shot of the start straight pre-chicane either '81 or '82

or maybe not..

Fab · 20 Aug 2003, 14:51 (Ref:693343)

Quote:

Originally posted by pirenzo
yeah.

What sort of reaction in the public and the press was there when they built Posrche Curves bit in 72? Anyone knwo the answer?

The track was too dangerous, and not so pleasant to see... BTW, I'm not sure that the public was so concerned by the 'historical' thing at this period... it seems to be recent, and started with the Hunaudières chicanes and pre-Dunlop chicane...

The fact that the famous "Le Mans start was" let place to the "Indianapolis" start was much more important in the early 70'...

The only thing with the Posche curve is the fact that the name 'Maison Blanche' has no real meaning now...

Nordic · 20 Aug 2003, 14:53 (Ref:693345)

2nd try..

Fab · 20 Aug 2003, 14:54 (Ref:693347)

Quote:

Originally posted by Nordic
2nd try..

The car on the right seems to be a Group C car, maybe a Porsche... so it's at least 1983, or later until 1989.

Nordic · 20 Aug 2003, 14:57 (Ref:693352)

Pretty sure it's 82 and the 956's first outing (and win)

cybersdorf · 20 Aug 2003, 16:00 (Ref:693412)

Quote:

Originally posted by Fab
The only thing with the Posche curve is the fact that the name 'Maison Blanche' has no real meaning now...

The ACO should just build a white house there. And, hey presto...!

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