Le Mans Page #2

you had with Delaney at the Nurburgring?

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, l'm fast,

so we're always together. Ha, ha.

Good luck.

Michael.

- How's that German car running?

- Fast.

- Ferrari?

Fast.

- lt'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.

ln first place, Ferrari Number 8

finished 35 laps at an average speed

of 144.981 miles per hour.

ln 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.

lt 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.

ln 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?

l'll get back to you. Right.

lt's raining worse at Mulsanne.

- They're due in in 11 --

- Eleven minutes, l know.

Your attention, please.

Your attention, please.

There has been an accident...

lt involves Lola Number 11

and Porsche Number 47.

Fortunately, the drivers are not hurt.

Bring them in for rain tires.

Here we are.

Ferrari's decided to change at last.

And Porsche Number 20

is coming to the pits also.

Now we shall see a race develop

between the mechanics,

and they will determine

who's going to be the first to go out.

Twenty is away first.

Delaney now leads Le Mans.

There goes Stahler, now in second place.

- Well done, lad. Well, done.

He's coming.

Claude is coming.

No problems. lt's nothing.

No problems, yes, yes.

Come on.

lt's going well, Claude, isn't it?

l can feel it. The machine is good.

This might be the year.

Well, let's hope so. lt's a long race.

l know. Don't think too far ahead.

- Lisa?

Yes?

Would you like some coffee?

No, thank you.

Ciao.

What problems have you got?

Only thing is that off the Mulsanne,

in the middle of the road. . .

--if you stay a little bit to the right and watch

it when you come up over the hump,

has a little bit of tendency

to go this way.

Be a little careful

before you go into the cave,

and you can out-brake the Ferrari.

Let's go fast. Hey, guys, move it.

All right, Michael. You got this one.

How long?

Monsieur.

Hello, Mike.

- How are you doing?

Cheese, please.

Seems to be the only seat left.

Can l sit down?

- Where are you living now?

- ln Paris.

l have to watch myself in Paris.

l always get fat there.

l heard you and Erich had

quite a race at the Nurburgring.

Well, he keeps me honest.

Can l--? Can l get you something?

No, thank you.

Were you hurt badly in the accident?

No.

Was it difficult to get back into racing?

Not really.

But it must've been very difficult for you.

Was in the beginning. l'm better now.

l was just wondering

why you came back here.

For myself.

Delaney's on his way.

Dixie, check the rear uprights

on 20, 21 and 22.

All right.

lt is 5 a.m., the 13th hour of the race,

and the Ferrari-Porsche battle

continues unabated

with only 12 seconds

separating the two lead cars:

Gulf Porsche Number 20,

Ferrari Number 8.

As of this moment,

there are 25 cars left in the race.

l shall give you a precise listing

of the most recent abandonments

in a few moments' time.

Watch the handling, Michael.

Just a slight turn

about the rear upright.

Here's the second

Ferrari team car coming in.

Number 7, piloted by Chris Barnett.

Another driver change

should be in order.

Get in.

Yes, Aurac will take over.

Your attention, please.

Your attention, please.

There has been an accident.

lt involves Ferrari Number 7,

Porsche Number 20.

Both cars are out of the race.

l shall tell you about the drivers' condition

as soon as l get word from the hospital.

This way. Come along.

Will you sit down here, please?

Can you tell us. . .?

- Know what caused the accident?

We just want to ask. . .

l don't know.

- l don't know. l don't wanna talk about it.

Over here.

Now that you're out of the race. . .

We really don't know if it's possible.

Do you compare this to last year's shunt?

The one in which this lady's husband

was killed?

I have received

word from the pit boxes that Matra--

That Matra-Simca Number 30,

out of the race due to gearbox problems.

Just got word from the hospital

about Claude.

lt's bad,

but they say he will pull through.

And Delaney?

Nothing serious,

but he's out of the race.

You all right, Michael?

- l'm fine.

You sure?

- Yeah. l'm all right.

- Where are we running?

Third and fourth.

Michael? Are you all right?

Yeah, l'm okay.

lt was a bad shunt.

Yeah.

- Where are you running?

Third.

lf you try to nail Scalise,

do it down through Maison Blanche.

He doesn't like it there.

Thank you.

Michael, are you all right?

l'm okay.

Are you sure?

- No, l'm fine.

Then what happened to the car?

lt was my fault. l made a mistake.

l wrote the car off, David.

David.

This isn't just a 1000-to-1 shot.

This is a professional blood sport.

And it can happen to you.

And then it can happen to you again.

When people risk their lives,

shouldn't it be

for something very important?

Well, it better be.

But what is so important about driving

faster than anyone else?

A lot of people go through life

doing things badly.

Racing is important to men

who do it well.

When you're racing, it's. . .

lt's life.

Anything that happens before or after,

it's just waiting.

Come on.

What happened on the Delaney shunt?

There was problem at the mall.

Slower traffic got in the way.

The car is finished?

Yes, the car is finished.

Hey, David, 21 is coming in.

Get the jack.

Wishbone.

Your attention to the pit area,

where the leading car,

Gulf Porsche Number 21,

is experiencing something

other than a routine stop.

From the action of the mechanics,

it would appear that there is a problem

with the rear suspension.

Here is

the second-place car, Ferrari Number 8,

coming in for what should be

its last stop for fuel and driver change.

Erich Stahler will take over

for the final driving session,

and, no doubt, will assume the lead

from Gulf Porsche Number 21,

still in the pit.

Stahler, is he in trouble?

The bonnet's up on Ferrari Number 8.

Ladies and gentlemen,

both first- and second-place cars

are in the pits

experiencing mechanical difficulties.

Yeah.

Hello, David.

- Are you fit, Michael?

- A little stiff--

l say you're fit.

My knees are sore.

Stahler's Ferrari

is in the pits with ignition problems.

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