Question from a bit of a newbie - Grandstand Access
Discussion
This year will be my 2nd time at Le Mans, but I have a quick question regarding the contramarque system used for gaining access to grandstands. I never quite understood the point of them when you have a ticket with you for your specific seat anyway.
If I left my seat and didn't pick one up - can I still get back in with just my grandstand ticket? Your able to the first time you use your grandstand seat, so why not everytime?
And what if you popped into your grandstand over night? Surely there wont be anyone to give you a contramarque when you left in the early hours. How would you then get back into your seat during the Sunday?!
If I left my seat and didn't pick one up - can I still get back in with just my grandstand ticket? Your able to the first time you use your grandstand seat, so why not everytime?
And what if you popped into your grandstand over night? Surely there wont be anyone to give you a contramarque when you left in the early hours. How would you then get back into your seat during the Sunday?!
Daz, Several points;
1. The first time you enter the grandstand a portion of your ticket is removed, so without the contremarque being picked up on the way out you will not get re-access.
2. In the small hours of Sunday the marshalls tend to disappear. Consequently, the grandstands are open to all, but of course many peeps are not there; they are tucked up somewhere. It is usually the case that after sun up at 4:00 ish people without grandstand tickets sneak in anyway, no probs, and no complaints from the few ticket holders there either at that time.
3. The marshalls return at about 7:00 but they do not know who are those without tickets, so the "interlopers" get to stay for as long as they wish moving around the grandstand until all those with seats have returned. I think one year the marshals did check...must have been extra keen!
4. Every year I've been (since 1996) I've always had a seat in Maison Blanche, and this sneaking in goes on every year, no probs. Common consent among the "interlopers" who move among several grandstands is that Maison Blanche is one of the best. I agree.
May see some PHers doing this in 2008, you never know!
R.
1. The first time you enter the grandstand a portion of your ticket is removed, so without the contremarque being picked up on the way out you will not get re-access.
2. In the small hours of Sunday the marshalls tend to disappear. Consequently, the grandstands are open to all, but of course many peeps are not there; they are tucked up somewhere. It is usually the case that after sun up at 4:00 ish people without grandstand tickets sneak in anyway, no probs, and no complaints from the few ticket holders there either at that time.
3. The marshalls return at about 7:00 but they do not know who are those without tickets, so the "interlopers" get to stay for as long as they wish moving around the grandstand until all those with seats have returned. I think one year the marshals did check...must have been extra keen!
4. Every year I've been (since 1996) I've always had a seat in Maison Blanche, and this sneaking in goes on every year, no probs. Common consent among the "interlopers" who move among several grandstands is that Maison Blanche is one of the best. I agree.
May see some PHers doing this in 2008, you never know!
R.
Its the same with your General entrance ticket, there are normally 3 tear off bits at the end of it, usually the marshalls rip off all three days in one go! then every time you enter and leave the curcit they give you a extra coloured ticket which you give back to them when you re-enter
They did use an electrical device to check people in and out at the main entrance gate last year.
But my original question still stands if anyone would care to answer please.
Do you collect these contremarque tickets from the marshals at the bottom of the Grandstand every time you leave and hand it in when you return. Or reuse the same one all day once given it? Or like the main entrance is it electrical?
But my original question still stands if anyone would care to answer please.
Do you collect these contremarque tickets from the marshals at the bottom of the Grandstand every time you leave and hand it in when you return. Or reuse the same one all day once given it? Or like the main entrance is it electrical?
You will need the contramarque every time you leave the grandstand as they will not let you back in without it. At some points around the track, you will need a contramarque to regain access - Arnage for instance - so always try and get one on the way out of the track too.
The whole point of the system is to stop you handing your tickets down from the grandstand to your mate waiting at the bottom; likewise with the general access tickets.
The whole point of the system is to stop you handing your tickets down from the grandstand to your mate waiting at the bottom; likewise with the general access tickets.
Here,
When you first exit the grandstand there will be a marshall at the stairs exit. You get the contremarque from him/her. If you then leave the circuit to get to your motor etc you get another contremarque as you exit the circuit. The two contremarques are different colours. When you return you give back the right contremarque on entry to the circuit and you give back the other one when you enter the grandstand. As said above, the marshalls have used electronic devices that scan you out and in at the circuit entrances/exits, but not at the grandstands as far as I'm aware.
So, as you come and go on a regular basis you'll be given a fresh contrmarques. You do not keep the same ones.
Oh, and no contremarque, no re-entry (personal expireience..luckily I had dropped mine by my car and found it later!)
R.
When you first exit the grandstand there will be a marshall at the stairs exit. You get the contremarque from him/her. If you then leave the circuit to get to your motor etc you get another contremarque as you exit the circuit. The two contremarques are different colours. When you return you give back the right contremarque on entry to the circuit and you give back the other one when you enter the grandstand. As said above, the marshalls have used electronic devices that scan you out and in at the circuit entrances/exits, but not at the grandstands as far as I'm aware.
So, as you come and go on a regular basis you'll be given a fresh contrmarques. You do not keep the same ones.
Oh, and no contremarque, no re-entry (personal expireience..luckily I had dropped mine by my car and found it later!)
R.
The Leaper said:
2. In the small hours of Sunday the marshalls tend to disappear. Consequently, the grandstands are open to all, but of course many peeps are not there; they are tucked up somewhere. It is usually the case that after sun up at 4:00 ish people without grandstand tickets sneak in anyway, no probs, and no complaints from the few ticket holders there either at that time.
3. The marshalls return at about 7:00 but they do not know who are those without tickets, so the "interlopers" get to stay for as long as they wish moving around the grandstand until all those with seats have returned. I think one year the marshals did check...must have been extra keen!
Can I ask please re the above, what would happen if you were in the stand past the hours the marshals are there? Do they hand round tickets before they go?3. The marshalls return at about 7:00 but they do not know who are those without tickets, so the "interlopers" get to stay for as long as they wish moving around the grandstand until all those with seats have returned. I think one year the marshals did check...must have been extra keen!
From other posts it says no coloured ticket no re entry?
Would it be a case of getting back to the stand before the marshals return??
One last question (sorry) What time before the 15:00 start would you recommend taking your seat?
Sorry to ask many questions however, bit of a newbie as well
Edited by boycieboy on Sunday 8th June 22:48
BB,
I do not know the answer to your question about leaving after the marshalls have gone for some zzzzs. I would think that if your return without a contremarque but with the grandstand ticket intact (but without its intial tear-off portion), and do so before many people fill the grandstand, you have a good case for admittance to the grandstand.
Re Andy's comment, I've been in Maison Blanche grandstand many times (in my reserved seat) in the early hours and there has been no marshalls.
As regards the time to get your seat, I think to some extent it depends what grandstand you're in. For example, if you're in a grandstand in the pits area there's a lot more pre race activities going on in front of you compared to, say, Maison Blanche. Also, MB is used for hospitality package seats to some extent and this means not all are really race fans (you can spot them easily, they wear host's polo shirts, and don't know what's going on!) and so these people tend to take their seats at around 30 minutes before the race, stay for 30 minutes racing, and then are not seen until 30 minutes before the finish (sacrilege in my view). As for me, I'm there for the racing. This year I'll be in my seat before 10:15 and the start of the Group C cars support race, then after that I'll go to the village to see what's going on there this year, have some lunch, get back by maybe 1:30, stay mostly until the early hours (I'll kip in the car) and then get back around 5:00 Sunday morning and stay there mostly until the end. In my view the racing after sun-up until, say, 10:00 ish is always the best. Serious stuff, great viewing, and pretty empty grandstands. Only the smell of a bacon butty and coffee will lure me away at that time!
R.
I do not know the answer to your question about leaving after the marshalls have gone for some zzzzs. I would think that if your return without a contremarque but with the grandstand ticket intact (but without its intial tear-off portion), and do so before many people fill the grandstand, you have a good case for admittance to the grandstand.
Re Andy's comment, I've been in Maison Blanche grandstand many times (in my reserved seat) in the early hours and there has been no marshalls.
As regards the time to get your seat, I think to some extent it depends what grandstand you're in. For example, if you're in a grandstand in the pits area there's a lot more pre race activities going on in front of you compared to, say, Maison Blanche. Also, MB is used for hospitality package seats to some extent and this means not all are really race fans (you can spot them easily, they wear host's polo shirts, and don't know what's going on!) and so these people tend to take their seats at around 30 minutes before the race, stay for 30 minutes racing, and then are not seen until 30 minutes before the finish (sacrilege in my view). As for me, I'm there for the racing. This year I'll be in my seat before 10:15 and the start of the Group C cars support race, then after that I'll go to the village to see what's going on there this year, have some lunch, get back by maybe 1:30, stay mostly until the early hours (I'll kip in the car) and then get back around 5:00 Sunday morning and stay there mostly until the end. In my view the racing after sun-up until, say, 10:00 ish is always the best. Serious stuff, great viewing, and pretty empty grandstands. Only the smell of a bacon butty and coffee will lure me away at that time!
R.
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