Raceday had finally arrived! It was the day when Bharat ( India ) would host its first-ever MotoGP race. It was the day when the country would be back on the motorsports map, after a decade! Sunday promised to be a busy day with races in Moto3, Moto2 and of course MotoGP.

We headed out early on Sunday morning to not get delayed in traffic en route to the circuit!

Driving to the circuit on Raceday!

It seemed like we reached the Paddock quite early!

As soon as we entered the Paddock, we got to meet more people from the MotoGP Fraternity!

Mr Paolo Simoncelli, Team Owner, Sic58 Squadra Corsa :

Jake Dixon, Gas Gas Aspar Team, Moto2 :

David Munoz, Boe Motorpsorts, Moto3 :

David Alonso, Gas Gas Aspar Team, Moto3 :

Franco Morbidelli, Monster Energy Yamaha, MotoGP :

After spending a few hours in the Paddock, it was time to get ready for the upcoming races. Although we stayed in the Paddock for the Moto3 Race, we headed to the Main Grandstand for the Moto2 and MotoGP events.

But first, time for some lunch in the Hospitality :

The walk to the Main Grandstand was through the tunnel, under the track!

Views from the Main Grandstand, the Moto2 riders congregating on the grid for their race :

The MotoGP teams ready the bikes in their respective garages while the Moto2 field gets ready for its race :

Formation Lap of the Moto2 Race ( Video Link ) :

The Moto2 riders lining up for the race start :

Race Start ( Video Link ) :

A turn one incident saw a multi-rider crash, and the race got red-flagged :

The riders return to the pit lane :

Video Link of the Formation Lap of the Race Restart :

The race is about to get underway after a break of 40 minutes, with the length shortened to 12 laps.

Moto2 Race Restart ( Video Link ) :

Shots from the Moto2 Race :

Pedro Acosta wins the race! Joe Roberts overtook Sergio Garcia for the final podium place in a thrilling last-lap battle :

Chequered Flag after the Race ( Video Link ) :

The riders returned to the pit lane after the race.

Pedro Acosta, Tony Arbolino & Joe Roberts, the podium finishers from the Moto2 Race :

Time for some celebrations :

Podium Celebrations ( Video Link ) :

The podium finishers enjoy the adulation from the crowds :

It was now time for MotoGP to take centre stage!

The Team Garages are abuzz with activity as the riders get ready to head out for sighting laps :

The riders heading out onto the pit lane :

The team personnel and VIP Guests make their way to the starting grid :

The mechanics help the riders navigate through the personnel to their respective grid slots :

The Honda riders make it to their grid positions :

Shots from the grid as everyone prepares for the inaugural MotoGP race :

MotoGP Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

The 2023 MotoGP of Bharat is a go!

Race Start ( Video Link ) :

Some Stills from the race :

The Race in Progress ( Video Link ) :

Marco Bezzecchi won the race from Jorge Martin & Fabio Quartararo. Martin almost lost P2 to Fabio but the Spaniard recovered himself and held on. Joan Mir was P5 for Honda with Marc Marquez recovering to P9 after an early crash.

Fabio Quartararo engages with the fans after the race, throwing over some race wear too!

Jorge Martin suffered from intense dehydration and had to be attended to by the medical staff. This led to a delay in the podium festivities. Meanwhile, we enjoyed ourselves near the podium :

Presenting the podium finishers of the 2023 MotoGP of Bharat :

The Trophy Presentation :

Time for the Prosecco to be sprayed on the podium :

Marco Bezzecchi, Jorge Martin & Fabio Quartararo, the top 3 finishers of the 2023 MotoGP of Bharat :

Video Link for the Podium Celebrations :

With the Podium celebrations done, it was time for everyone to pack up and head to the next circuit. The teams packing up their bikes : 

As I made my final few rounds of the length of the paddock, I met some more motorsports fraternity!

Simon Crafar, former racer & Ace Commentator :

Jose Luis Martinez, Assistant & Best Friend to Marc Marquez :

The Paddock getting emptier by the hour :

The team personnel with the podium finishers' trophy! I also got a moment with Pablo Nieto, the team manager for the Mooney VR46 Racing team :

Pablo Nieto, Team Manager, Mooney VR46 Team, MotoGP :

Meeting riders and personnel continued into the evening!

Joe Roberts, Italtrans Racing Team, Moto2 :

Dennis Foggia, Italtrans Racing Team, Moto2 :

After an eventful and hectic Friday, it was time for our entourage to prepare for all the action lined up for Saturday! Sadly, despite several attempts, my camera hardware failed and I was restricted to using my Samsung S23 Ultra for the rest of the weekend. Apologies for the lack of photos, but I tried to capture as many memories as possible from the Saturday.

An early morning start allowed us to bypass the traffic that got built up later in the day.

Enroute to the circuit :

The Paddock packing was relatively empty when we arrived and the teams were still gearing up for the day ahead!

The Paddock looks beautiful on Saturday morning :

While there was silence on the track, we decided to head over to the Fan Village to check out everything on offer at the inaugural race.

Walking over to the Fan Village, some stills of the Village, honestly an underwhelming experience :

As the MotoGP Qualifying neared, we decided to head to the grandstand that we had access to to watch all the action!

Views from the KTM Grandstand, a panoramic view of some iconic turns from the circuit :

Q1 underway :

Raul Fernandez and Alex Marquez qualified for Q2 but Marquez had a high-side at turn 5 that injured his ribs. The incident ruled the Spaniard out of the race weekend.

Video Link of Q1 :

Time for the top 12 shoot out in Q2 and the results would decide the grid for both the Sprint and the Race!

Marco Bezzecchi bagged the pole position from Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia. Joan Mir and Marc Marquez qualified P5 and P5 for Repsol Honda respectively.

Returning to the Paddock after an intense qualifying session :

On returning to the Paddock, we had the opportunity to meet more riders :

Darryn Binder, Husqvarna Intact GP, Moto2 :

Raul Fernandez, RNF Aprilia MotoGP :

Around 2 in the afternoon, we got told by our hosts in the Honda Hospitality that we would be on a garage tour soon.

Visiting the Repsol Honda garage was very special for me. As a fan of the team for more than 2 decades, it was an emotional experience. 

The RC213V up-close! It hadn't been the quickest machine, but the bike in its trademark orange livery looked as stunning as ever!

Photos with the Marc Marquez's ride!

We were then escorted to Marcquez's cubicle in the garage and it was such a humbling experience to sit in his seat! A place where several riders and former champions have sat in the past!

Returning to the HRC Hospitality from the garage we could see the skies get overcast :

Meeting more Motorsports Fraternity!

Razlan Razali, Team Principal, RNF Aprilia MotoGP :

Jaume Masia, Leopard Racing, Moto3 :

We decided to stay put during Moto3 qualifying due to rain hitting the circuit. Thankfully, the downpour was not for long, and we were able to walk across to the stands to watch some Moto2 action.

Moto2 Qualifying underway :

Due to the downpour earlier in the day, the FIM and Dorna called for a joint meeting with the riders, and it was unanimously decided to have an extra practice session on wet tyres to enable teams and riders to gather data ( should there be another downpour ).

Stills from the extra Practice session :

With the practice session, it was time for the first-ever Bharat GP Sprint Race!

Video Link of the Formation Lap before the MotoGP Sprint :

Shots from the First ever MotoGP Sprint in Bharat :

Video Link of the MotoGP Sprint Race Start :

The Sprint is done and the riders return to the pit lane after receiving the accolades of the crowds :

Jorge Martin won the Sprint from Francesco Bagnaia & Marc Marquez. Joan Mir crashed out of the Sprint in the other Honda.

As dusk approached, I had the chance to meet some more riders and get selfies and signatures from them!

Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Racing, MotoGP :

Johann Zarco, Pramac Racing, MotoGP :

What an experience ( more entertaining than F1 ) at a MotoGP Saturday! The sprint race concept is much better than the ones witnessed at an F1 event and track activities come thick and fast! 

I also published a Vlog about my Saturday Experience on my YouTube Channel!

Video Link : 

Thank you to Repsol Honda Racing for having us over the weekend and thank you to everyone who made MotoGP of Bharat a reality! The Sunday experience follows shortly!

The year was 1995 and during my school days, I rarely got any time away from my studies. Whenever I did, I used to tune in to a sports channel to check if there was anything of interest on TV. One day, I saw a motorbike race aired and a certain Mick Doohan led the field on a Repsol Honda bike. That was the moment I got hooked onto Motorsports. MotoGP was my first love & Mick Doohan was my first motorsports hero! Since then, I became a Repsol Honda fan and followed the team's exploits closely! Although I never had the opportunity to attend a MotoGP event, it was on my wishlist for many years.

The opportunity finally arrived when it was announced that MotoGP would hold its inaugural GP in India at the Buddh International Circuit from 22nd to 24th September 2023. Although preparations were in full swing to host a motorsport event after a decade at India's purpose-built track, there were major hiccups and hurdles along the way. Thankfully, after continued support from the government, the local authorities & the organizers, the race weekend was a go!

What was even more amazing was that I got the rare opportunity to be a guest of Repsol Honda for the entire weekend! 

My friend Yash Gosalia, who runs a nationwide sim-racing series called "The Hybrid Theory" was a co-guest at Honda with Prima Pramac Racing hosting another friend in Shamit Desai!

So, how was the experience at the inaugural Indian GP? The Friday experience begins here!

Enroute to the circuit, from New Delhi, but first, we had to pick up our race passes from the Collection centre :

Race Passes in hand, it was time to head to the track!

Welcome to the Buddh International Circuit :

Walking into the Paddock, so many memories come rushing back from a decade ago :

As we walked to the Honda Hospitality, I bumped into some riders from the current MotoGP grid!

Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati Racing :

Joan Mir, Repsol Honda Team :

Augusto Fernandez, Gas Gas Factory Racing Tech3 :

Miguel Oliveira, Cryptodata RNF MotoGP :

Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Factory Racing Sports Director :

Jorge Martin, Prima Pramac Racing :

After settling ourselves inside the Hospitality, we decided to explore more areas of the Paddock.

Walking to the other end of the paddock & I got to see Sadhguru up close :

Meeting more people from the MotoGP fraternity continued!

Stefan Bradl, LCR Honda :

Mr Julia Marquez, the Father of the Marquez brothers :

Soon enough, it was time to follow the action on track, with FP1 getting underway. We sneaked our way up into the VIP viewing area!

The views from the Hospitality Arena, just after the VIP Village :

Shots from FP1 :

The Repsol Honda riders getting used to setups during FP1 :

Practising grid starts at the end of FP1 :

Video Link :

Marco Bezzecchi was the quickest in FP1 from Marc Marquez & Brad Binder. Joan Mir was P10 in the other Repsol Honda.

Post FP1, it was time to enjoy some lunch in the Hospitality area :

Shots of the Area :

The on-track action resumed with Moto2.

Time for the Moto2 riders to find their optimal setups for the weekend :

Post the Moto2 practice session, we had a brief lull and our group decided to head back down to the Paddock and try and get more selfies and signatures!

Returning to the Paddock before MotoGP Practice kicks off :

The decision turned out to be the right one as we met a host of other riders!

Marc Marquez!! Repsol Honda Racing Team! Fan moment with the most successful ( current ) MotoGP rider!

Sam Lowes, Marc VDS Racing, Moto2 :

Fabio Di Giannantonio, Gresini Ducati Racing :

Somkiat Chantra, Honda Team Asia, Moto2 :

Lin Jarvis, Team Principal for Monster Energy Yamaha :

Fabio Quartararo, Monster Energy Yamaha Team & 2021 World Champion :

Marc Marquez' Crew Chief, Santi Hernandez :

Takaaki Nakagami, LCR Honda :

Six-time World Champion & Aprilia ambassador, Max Biaggi :

Pol Espargaro, Gas Gas Factory Racing Tech3 :

Luca Marini, Mooney VR46 Racing Team :

Davide Tardozzi, Ducati Racing Team Manager :

We then headed back to the VIP Viewing area to get ready and prepped for MotoGP Practice. This session was most important since the lap times would decide which riders would qualify for Q2 and which would need to battle it out in Q1 on Saturday.

Enjoying some evening snacks before the start of the Practice :

The track looks stunning as dusk draws in :

Shots from the Practice :

The riders doing practice starts from the Grid :

Video Link :

Luca Marini was the quickest in Practice from Jorge Martin & Aleix Espargaro. Marc Marquez and Joan Mir were P4 & P10 for Honda respectively. Thankfully, both Repsol Honda riders automatically qualified for Q2 on Saturday!



Returning to the Paddock gave us the opportunity to meet more riders!

Aron Canet, Pons Racing, Moto2 :

Jack Miller, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team :

Deniz Oncu, Red Bull KTM Ajo, Moto3 :

Daniel Holgado, Red Bull KTM Tech3, Moto3 :

Celestino Vietti, Fantic Racing, Moto2 :

Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM MotoGP :

Tony Arbolino, Marc VDS Racing, Moto2 :

Marco Bezzecchi, Mooney VR46 Racing Team :

Ducati General Manager, Luigi Dall'lgna :

Albert Arenas, Red Bull KTM Ajo, Moto2 :

MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo Team :

Maverick Vinales, Aprilia Racing Team :

Lucio Cecchinello, Founder of LCR Honda Team. Had a great chat with this racing legend!

Night fell upon us and it was time to head back to New Delhi.

Goodbye from the Paddock! 

I also compiled a vlog on my YouTube Channel about my Friday Experience at the Inaugural MotoGP of Bharat!

Vlog Link :

It had been a memorable Day 1 at the Buddh International Circuit for us as we met a host of Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP riders and enjoyed watching some great action on the track. Sadly, my Sony RX10 IV malfunctioned which meant that I would have to survive the rest of the weekend without my camera. Nevertheless, I returned from the track with great stills and amazing memories!

Thank you to Repsol Honda Racing for having us over the weekend and thank you to everyone who made MotoGP of Bharat a reality! The Saturday experience follows shortly!

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a test of endurance. The hallmark event of the FIA World Endurance Championship, Le Mans is a motorsport event like no other. Man and machinery get tested to the hilt and finishing the race remains an achievement in itself.

My friend and I had decided to soldier on and stay awake for the entire duration of the race and as we headed into Sunday and the critical hours of the morning, our eyes began to feel heavy & we began to get drowsy.

The only way to beat this lethargy was to do some activity and we decided to head to Casa Ferrari from the Paddock and watch the racers and their rides navigate through the circuit at night!

Driving through the night, relentless endurance displayed by the drivers and the teams :

The AF Corse Ferrari Hypercars operating in tandem :

After an hour, we decided to head back to the Paddock again and this time, we took a different route.

The Ferris Wheel was fully illuminated as we walked back to the Paddock :

Once we made our way back to the Paddock, we took a short stop outside the Porsche Hospitality. The Hospitality had a large screen outside with the race feed being relayed live.

Incidentally, the broadcaster was showing onboard footage from Car Number 51, a lap around Circuit de la Sarthe!

Onboard with Ferrari Hypercar 51, for almost a lap ( Video Link ) :

As we headed back to the Ferrari hospitality, we got invited to spend some time in the garage. As the only guests present with the team overnight, we had the liberty and the luxury to spend as much time as we wanted, to see the team perform up close!

Spending a couple of hours in the garage was a special experience. The views from the box were amazing. The Pit crew tried to get some rest, as and when the opportunity arose.

After we exited the garage, we went up the stairs to the highest level of the Pits building. The views rivalled that of the Pit Grandstand, and we could see the cars go full throttle down the start-finish straight!

Some Stills from the highest viewing gallery above the Pits Hospitality :

The drivers continue driving as the dawn breaks :

The Ferrari Hypercars racing in the early hours of Sunday morning :

Video Link of the drivers racing with dawn arriving :

The light kept improving as dawn approached and we were slowly feeling hungry again!

Dawn breaks over the circuit :

Breakfast in the Hospitality, always been a fan of Lotus Biscoff! Healthy grub is always available in the Ferrari Hospitality, after all they are catering to the drivers and the team personnel!

As the morning hours crept in on us, people started returning to the paddock from their overnight slumbers.

The light improves as the Paddock begins to become a busy place again :

We decided to head to Casa Ferrari and enjoy the early morning views of the track from the penultimate corner, along with some more indulgent breakfast treats!

Some breakfast treats at Casa Ferrari :

The cars navigating through the penultimate chicane, on a glorious Sunday morning :

The AF Corse Ferraris soldiering on. Car number 51 was in contention for victory :

The guests of Casa Ferrari had the opportunity to watch the action from other parts of the circuit at appointed times. We too enrolled for one such tour and this tour took us to Hunaudieres, a high-speed section followed by an S-chicane that opened up to the legendary Mulsanne Straight!

Shots of the cars through the high-speed Hunaudieres-Mulsanne section :

After we returned from Hunaudieres, we decided to head to Casa Ferrari for the final time. Car Number 51 was leading the race and we hoped to be in the garage for the celebrations.

Walking from the Paddock to Casa Ferrari for the final time on the weekend :

En route, I met an ex-F1 Driver!

Will Stevens, Hertz Team Jota, Hypercar :

Grabbing some stills for the final time from Casa Ferrari!

Back in the hospitality, and lunch was ready!

A quick lunch but a tense one too!

Car Number 51 had been leading from the Toyota Car Number 8 comfortably. The final pit-stop was completed but an electrical shutdown ( due to a malfunctioning steering ) caused number 51 to stall in the pits. With Alessandro Pier Guidi frantically trying to re-activate all systems, all of us in the hospitality were reciting our prayers and gasping with fear. Finally, the car roared back to life and the Italian emerged from the pits, still in the lead, but the gap truncated considerably. Thankfully, that was the last stop and we hoped for no more hiccups in the final hours of racing.

As the clock ran down, we headed to the garage to get ready for the celebrations ( once car number 51 took the chequered flag of course ).

The agonizing wait!

Finally, Victory!! There were jubilant celebrations, tears of joy, hugs and ecstasy as we celebrated this victory for Ferrari AF Corse, on Debut!!

It was time for the drive of honour through the pit lane for the winners of the Centenary Edition of Le Mans.

We lined up on both sides of the pit lane to get a good view of the winners :

Getting a glimpse of the Le Mans winners as they drive through the pit lane!

Drive of Honour through the Pits ( Video Link ) :

Like in F1, we then ran towards the Podium for the celebrations!

As we waited for the podium finishers to come onto the stage, Charles Leclerc got invited for a quick interview.

Charles Leclerc talks about attending the race and his experience as a spectator. The Monegasque expressed his desire to race in the future :

Video Link of the Interview :

The podium finishers from the Hypercar Category make it to the podium :

2nd and 3rd Place Finishers ( Video Link ) :

Winners of the Centenary Edition of Le Mans ( Video Link ) :

The trophy and wreath presentations begin :

Ferrari AF Corse car number 51 finished ahead of Toyota Gazoo Racing car number 8 and Cadillac Racing car number 2.

Well done to James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi ( Ferrari AF Corse ), Sebastien Buemi, Brendan Hartley, Ryu Hirakawa ( Toyota Gazoo ) & Earl Bamber, Richard Westbrook, Alex Lynn ( Cadillac Racing ) for finishing on the podium!

The winners of the Centenary Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, AF Corse Car Number 51 :

Trophy Presentation & Podium Celebrations ( Video Link ) :

Walking back to the Hospitality after the Podium celebrations :

Time to add 2023 to the list of victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Ferrari AF Corse :

The team personnel brought the constructor trophy to the hospitality.

The Winning Constructor Trophy :

This got shortly followed by the drivers of Car Number 51 - James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi and Alessandro Pier Guidi, who took the Chequered Flag at the end.

The drivers of Car Number 51, returning to the Hospitality amidst some applause!

Video Link :

Signatures of all 6 Ferrari Hypercar drivers, mission accomplished!

My friends bid adieu as they had a train and plane to catch! I decided to loiter around the Paddock for one last time!

As I made one final round of the Paddock, I had the opportunity of meeting two more drivers!

Neel Jani, former Le Mans Winner & P3 in LMP2 this year with Oreca-07 Gibson :

Sebastien Buemi, Great P2 for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the Hypercar Category :

Having said my farewells to Ferrari, I headed back to the tram station, via the same entrance that I had come through the previous day.

The circuit and the fan zones bear a deserted look a few hours after the race finished. It was a long walk back to the tram station, but also a memorable one, as I bid goodbye to this iconic circuit.

The sun sets over the town of Le Mans. What an end to a beautiful weekend!

I have also compiled a Vlog on my YouTube Channel about my Sunday Experience.

Video Link :

This was a special special weekend for me, personally. As an ardent motorsports fan, attending the 24 Hours of Le Mans was on my bucket list for quite some time, and what better way than to attend the Centenary Edition and see the Ferrari AF Corse Hypercar win on debut!

A big thank you to the team for the amazing hospitality over the weekend, and for an all-access experience that allowed me to enjoy all that this event had to offer! 

It was great to have my friend Raul and his son for company the entire weekend and as guests of Antonio Giovinazzi, we got treated like Royalty.

Always thankful to God, truly blessed! Motorsport Weekends will return, from another event in 2023 that I had the privilege of attending, so watch this space!

Friday at the 24 Hours of Le Mans was quite a memorable one as we enjoyed meeting a host of drivers at the city parade, but what made it even more special was to meet F1 team personnel from past & present who had congregated to the town of Le Mans to enjoy their bit of endurance racing!

We met personnel from Cosworth, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1, Ford and so many others in the trams, in the cafes and even in the bars! To rub shoulders with these heroes & hear their stories, no holds barred, made the trip worth it.

Eventually, we headed to bed to prepare ourselves for the marathon that beckoned us on Saturday.

Saturday morning arrived sooner than we expected and our day began at 7 am. After some coffee and croissants for breakfast, we headed out to the circuit, prepped and ready for the 24 hours of endurance!

Leaving for the circuit and taking the tram, which turned out to be a convenient conveyance :

Welcome to Circuit de la Sarthe! It was a 30-minute walk to the paddock from this entrance but it was well worth it!

Walking towards the paddock, also getting a chance to walk on the track tarmac ( which wasn't being used for the weekend of course) :

En route, we got to explore various fan experiences and stations erected by the organizers for the weekend!

The Manufacturers Village, an area consisting of makeshift pavilions created by the manufacturers competing in the WEC Championship :

NASCAR, Garage 56 featuring the winning team Hendrick Motorsports had a special entry at the Centenary Race of Le Mans, and was the star attraction in the Village :

The list of winners and our walk to the Paddock continued :

Finally, we reached where we needed to be!

The Ferrari Hospitality in the Paddock is quite a big area!

Lunch was almost ready and famished as we were, we went full send!

Post-lunch, I couldn't stop myself from running over and meeting some Ferrari superstars!

A moment with Pole Sitter Antonio Fuoco, Ferrari AF-Corse, Hypercar :

Exploring the vicinity of the Ferrari Hospitality and taking selfies too!

As the race start time neared, we had the opportunity to get onto the Grid! It would be my first grid walk ever and I wanted to enjoy every minute of it. We made our way to the grid through the garage and then the pit lane.

Helmets and gear are ready for the big race ahead!

Ferrari had a special guest for the weekend, Charles Leclerc! It was such an amazing feeling to see him up close and in a relaxed mood, not having to race but enjoying one as a spectator instead!

Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Walking through the pit lane as we make our way to the grid!

Moments on the actual tarmac, oh what a feeling!

Selfies on the Grid!

The grid walk is a busy place to be, and navigating through the crowd was an issue :

Cars from the grid walk, shot with the Sony RX10 IV :

Shots of the cars from the grid walk, taken with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra :

Some stills of the Ferrari Hypercars on the grid! The Ferraris secured a front-row lockout!

We made our way back to the Paddock and then decided to rush over to Casa Ferrari, the team hospitality at the penultimate turn to witness the race start.

The stands and balconies of various hospitality buildings were full as the fans waited for the Centenary Race to begin!

The Centenary Race is a go & we already got a Safety Car on the Opening Lap!

Video Link to the Race Start :

Video Link to the Safety Car Deployed :

Race Restart ( Shot with the Sony RX10 IV ) ( Video Link ) :

Video with the Samsung S23 Ultra :

Shots of the cars navigating the Ford Chicane while a Cadillac Hypercar has front body damage and enters the pits :

The Ferraris navigating the last corner of the circuit :

Video Link of the cars battling it out!

Some of the Shots of Casa Ferrari :

Pizza and Ice cream anyone?

A couple of hours into the race, we decided to walk back to the Paddock and relax in the Hospitality building.

We entered the building and I met a close friend of Kimi Raikkonen!

Le Mans winner and a close ally of Ferrari, Toni Vilander :

Enjoying some evening snacks on offer inside the Ferrari Paddock Hospitality :

Nice to see the signatures of all the personnel on some of the bodywork of the Ferrari Hypercar!

The hospitality was abuzz with activity as the drivers of the cars were either returning from their stint or getting ready for one. I had the privilege of meeting Nicklas after his opening stint in Car No. 50

WEC Champion and Driver for Car No. 50 for Ferrari - AF Corse, Nicklas Nielsen!

The sun hadn't set yet ( European Summers ) but it was time for dinner already!

Time for some dinner, healthy again!

Post dinner, we decided to head back to Casa Ferrari to enjoy the racing at night and also capture some memories of these beautiful racing cars.

Shots of the Paddock at night, as we make our way to Casa Ferrari :

A fireworks display to celebrate the Centenary Race of the 24 Hours of Le Mans :

The Fireworks Display ( Video Link ) :

Shots from Casa Ferrari, the cars and the drivers epitomizing endurance racing, as they battle all odds to race to supremacy, through the night!

The Ferrari 499P Hypercar relentlessly competing in the darkness :

The Safety Cars being put through their paces throughout the night :

Racing through the night ( Video Link ) :

Enjoying some Pasta, a midnight binge indeed!

We then walked back to the Paddock to spend some time and relax in the Ferrari Hospitality. 

More than half the distance and still going strong!

It had been a hectic Saturday which began early morning and tested the endurance and resolve of both our body and mind. Despite the inclement weather and the walking from the Paddock to Casa Ferrari and back, we were still feeling fresh and soldiered on into Sunday.

I also did a two-part Vlog Series about our Saturday Experience at the Circuit!

Part 1 :

Part 2 :

The Sunday Experience follows soon, but first, a big thank you to Ferrari for their Hospitality on Saturday and for giving us all-access to experience the Centenary Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A truly special weekend was going to become even more special!

More to follow, so watch this space!

In the world of Motorsport, there is a term called "The Triple Crown". The title gets awarded to the racer that wins the Indy 500, Monaco Grand Prix ( F1 ) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The three events pan three different racing classes. Many a racer has striven, but only Graham Hill accomplished this feat.

Although I have been an avid follower of Formula 1, there was always something appealing about the World Endurance Championship. Over the years, I slowly understood different aspects of this series and began following its hallmark event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans with enthusiasm. A true test of grit and endurance, watching a race non-stop for 24 hours was impossible, let alone seeing it live.

However, during the 2022 edition, I discovered that Le Mans would be having its Centenary Grand Prix in 2023! I decided to leave no stone unturned to be present for this special edition! 2023 was also the debut season for Ferrari in the Hypercar category and the Italian marquee roped in the services of Antonio Giovinazzi as one of its six drivers lineup for the season.  

With the pieces falling into place, I finally had an invite to be Giovinazzi's guest at the 24 Hours of Le Mans! After a lot of meticulous planning, which would see me attend the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix before the 24 Hours of Le Mans, I finally had my itinerary ready for this Motorsport-filled trip to Europe!

My friends Raul Martinez & his son Raul Jr were the partners in crime as we embarked on a mission to stay awake for the full 24 hours! 

So how did the weekend pan out? Was the schedule similar to that of F1? Motorsport Weekends, a new series on my blog, begins right here, right now!

The WEC Championship has practice sessions and qualifying sessions on Thursdays. Friday is reserved for support races and the Driver Parade through the city of Le Mans. Unlike F1, WEC has the parade through the city centre of the host city and the town gets decked up as if it's for a carnival!

We were yet to receive our race passes for the weekend and had a late start to the Friday. Nevertheless, we decided on a reconnaissance trip to the circuit to work out our commute options for the rest of the weekend! The easiest way, to and fro, was the tram!

Enroute to the Circuit :

Circuit de la Sarthe is the home to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

We got to the circuit and walked around the periphery.

The entrance to the circuit and seeing some safety cars driving around the outskirts :

Soon enough, it was time to head back to the city to make it in time for the Drivers' Parade.

Walking to the starting point of the Drivers' Parade :

After a little wait, we finally got our passes!

The Race Passes for the weekend :

The square from where the Drivers' Parade commences :

There was a band that was playing some melodious tunes as they walked around the Parade Square.

Video Link :

As we made our way to the Parade Square entrance, I got a chance to bump into some of the contenders from the weekend!

Alex Lynn, Cadillac Racing, Hypercar :

Daniil Kvyat, Prema Racing, LMP2 :

Robin Frijns & Sean Gelael, Team WRT, LMP2 :

Alessandro Pier Guidi & Antonio Giovinazzi, Ferrari-AF Corse, Hypercar!

James Calado, Ferrari-AF Corse, Hypercar :

Jean-Eric Vergne, Peugeot, 9X8, Hypercar :

The drivers start heading out for the parade :

Some beauties, from the yesteryears and now!

Antonio Felix da Costa, Hertz Team JOTA, Hypercar :

Jack Aitken, Cadillac Action Express Racing, Hypercar :

Kamui Kobayashi & Mike Conway, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hypercar :

Jose Maria Lopez, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hypercar :

Jimmie Johnson, 7-time NASCAR Champion racing with a Camaro ZL1, Innovative Car Category :

Alexander Sims, Cadillac Action Express Racing, Hypercar :

Olli Caldwell, Memo Rojas & Andre Negrao, Alpine Elf Team, LMP2 :

Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, Iron Dames, 911 RSR, LMGTE AM :

Loic Duval, Peugeot 9X8, Hypercar :

Nico Muller & Gustavo Menezes, Peugeot 9X8, Hypercar :

Malthe Jakobsen, Cool Racing, LMP2 :

Nicolas Lapierre, Cool Racing, LMP2 :

Alexandre Coigny, Cool Racing, LMP2 :

Pietro Fittipaldi, JOTA Oreca-07, LMP2 :

Andre Lotterer, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Hypercar & A WEC Legend!

Giedo van der Garde, Graff Racing, LMP2 :

Juan Manuel Correa & Filip Ugran, Prema Racing, LMP2 :

Ferdinand Habsburg, Austrian Royalty racing for Team WRT in LMP2 :

Mathieu Jaminet, Porshce Penske Motorsport, Hypercar :

Felipe Nasr, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Hypercar :

Dane Cameron & Michael Christensen, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Hypercar :

Laurens Vanthoor & Kevin Estre, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Hypercar :

With almost all the drivers leaving the square, I followed the Parade Path till the end of the Parade route!

Walking along the Parade path until the end of the parade itself :

Meeting the drivers wasn't the only special part of the weekend. We had the privilege of hanging out with some iconic mechanics who were associated with the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team and Cosworth! The experience was simply elevated to another level! 

I also created a Friday Experience Vlog on my YouTube channel that does a much better job of showcasing this weekend!

Video Link :

Although we didn't get to witness any on-track action, it had been a memorable opening day at the Centenary Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans! A Big Thank you to Ferrari for giving us an indescribable experience!

More to follow from the WEC Weekend, so watch this space!