le mans classic // edition 2025
It’s the 1st of July in Andalusia, 08:00 AM and the thermometer is already reading 28ºC. I'm about to start the longest road trip of this year : Málaga - Le Mans. A 1700km drive to reach the biggest classic racing event in Europe, with over 200.000 spectators expected and over 600 cars competing - LE MANS CLASSIC!
I have to admit, I didn't grow up watching endurance races on TV, nor did I spend hours playing Gran Turismo. So I can’t truly say the Le Mans circuit has held a special place in my heart. Until now. When you spend time talking to the passionate people who grew up next to the circuit or others who are present at every edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, you get to feel how special the place is. This is one of those events that you have to do at least once in your life if you call yourself a petrolhead - with over 100 years of motoring history and a format of 3 days of racing including 24 hours from Saturday to Sunday, the experience is unique.
Le Mans owes nothing to anyone, and with a length of over 13km, it's a ruthless place for photographers. This year, the weather conditions were tough. We got burnt out on the first two days, briefly rewarded by a spectacular sunset on Friday, but still with very hard light throughout the day, before being drowned in a rainstorm on Sunday. The heat drained everyone’s strength, resulting in a general lack of inspiration, and the rather dull route to the various spots around the circuit didn't help either. It was by far the most demanding experience I've had from a creative angle in recent times. this event contributed highly to my learning curve - an excellent experience that made me realise certain practical things and that will help me evolve my approach to this kind of event and to automotive photography in the future.
