See the 24 Hours of Le Mans Through the Eyes of a First-Timer

Our car experts choose every product we feature. We may earn money from the links on this page. Ford Racing gave photographer Marc Urbano the opportunity to realize a dream. Marc Urbano|Car and DriverMy first time at Le Mans. An honest newbie. As much as I spent my childhood dreaming about Le Mans, an opportunity to attend never really presented itself. As I got older, the fantasy gradually gave way to adult responsibilities. Taking the time off was impossible, or I simply couldn't justify the expense. For years, Le Mans was the only item on my bucket list—a list of one. Somehow, though, I had quietly given up on it. So when Car and Driver asked if I wanted to attend as a guest of Ford Performance, it didn't feel real. Even after I said yes, part of me still didn't believe it was actually going to happen. After this weekend, I've experienced the magic of Le Mans firsthand.The circuit and its history are stunning. Mulsanne, Indianapolis, and the Porsche Curves are every bit as spectacular in person. The enormous crowd adds an incredible amount of energy to the event. It wasn't difficult to stay up all night when there was so much happening around every corner.There is one obvious downside to Le Mans: The place is enormous. Getting around without a guide or a car is nearly impossible. I wanted to see every corner of the circuit from both the inside and outside perspectives, but that was never going to happen. I spoke with a photographer who has covered the race for the past 20 years, and he told me there are still sections of the track he hasn't seen.Le Mans is an aura machine. For once, I can honestly say that simply being there felt like enough of a reward. A participation trophy would have been good enough.Of course, that isn't why companies like Ford Racing come to Le Mans. For the Mustang GT3 program, a third consecutive year without victory brought visible disappointment. The expressions on the faces of those at Ford Racing told the story.Ford badly wants to win at La Sarthe with the Mustang, and I don't expect that determination to fade when the company launches its hypercar program next year. The first Le Mans challenge was to photograph the start from the spectator areas. I wanted a non-traditional shot, so I headed just past the newly renamed Goodyear Bridge. What I didn't expect was the sheer size of the crowd. Anywhere that had a decent viewpoint, it was easily 30 people deep at the fence. And when they all stood for the first lap, I raised my camera above my head and hoped for the best. The result was not exactly what I had pictured in my head. First Le Mans shot compromised. A handful of laps into the race and the field has already spread out. A Mustang within a sea of spectators. The esses just past the Goodyear Bridge. Still utterly amazed at the size of the spectator crowd. Early race damage for the #88 Proton Competition Mustang GT3 I hitched a ride from a Ford Racing shuttle out to the Mulsanne straight. It was more challenging to shoot there than I had anticipated. I followed some fellow photographers, and we found a little gap through the trees near the golf course. Amazing place. One of the Mustangs drives through a shower of sparks created from a passing hypercar on the Mulsanne straight. For photographers, one of the biggest challenges is navigating the circuit, especially if you don't have a scooter. I stayed at the Mulsanne longer than I probably should have and ended up missing my shuttle ride back to the paddock and to the next location for better sunset light. The Mulsanne is the one section of track I've dreamed of visiting. It's a special place, and I was in awe standing there in person for the first time as cars swept by at speed. I shot one of the Mustangs through the barriers. It's a shot I've seen many times done by a friend and mentor, Regis Lefebure, when he was Audi AG's official photographer back in the R8 and R10 days. One last image from the Mulsanne. The circuit glows as the sun sets. A following car and the setting sun light up the side of one of the Mustang GT3s. Dusk on the straight between Indianapolis and Arnage. The spectator hill was still packed. A great place to watch the Mustang's glowing brake rotors. Full darkness at LeMans is actually not very long. There is light in the sky well past 10 pm, and the first bit of light starts around 5 am. The #77 Mustang was still in contention as nighttime hits. Hopping the Ford Chicane curbs at night. 2:40 am on the front straight. It's amazing the number of spectators that are still in the stands. 4:15 am: The straightaway just before the Ford Chicane. I stopped at Ford hospitality to charge my phone and camera batteries before heading out to the track again. Ford booked us a ride in the Goodyear blimp on Sunday morning. From it, I snapped this picture of the #88 Proton Mustang GT3 and a helicopter at the Ford Chicane. A second shot from the blimp. #88 soldiering on in 17th place as it completes a

See the 24 Hours of Le Mans Through the Eyes of a First-Timer

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