A RACE LIKE NO OTHER

Join us as we take a front row seat at Le Mans, one of the greatest races in the world, followed by an exclusive tour of Ferrari's automated factory in Maranello, Italy.

- ROBERT STEDMAN

One of the fantastic things about working for a magazine like Portfolio is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities the publication can sometimes bring about. For instance, a little over a month ago, my editor asked if I was able to travel on short notice, which I was. Later, he informed me that I’d be travelling to France as a guest of Ferrari to see the world-famous Le Mans motorcar race. Not only that, after the race, Ferrari had also invited a group of us to visit their new advanced automated factory in Maranello, Italy. Scratch two items off the bucket list!

Most people have heard at least something about the Le Mans race. American actor and avid racing fanatic, Steve McQueen, made an action racing film in 1971 called, appropriately enough, “Le Mans.” Still, if you don’t know much about the race, it’s a 24-Hour automobile contest unlike any other.

The winner of this race is the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours. It’s the ultimate endurance test of both man and machine. Each year, more than 250,000 enthusiastic spectators flock to the Circuit de la Sarthe racetrack located in the outskirts of the small French town of Le Mans for the day-long race. The circuit incorporates the main racetrack and extends into surrounding roads creating a 13.626 km circuit, something like Singapore’s F1 race.

Originally started in 1923, the extreme endurance race was created to test the durability of materials and showcase innovative new automotive technologies.

To be a winner here, you need more than just a dependable, powerful car and the best drivers. According to racing legend and Le Mans six-time winner Jacky Ickx, “The team: Drivers, mechanics, and crew have to start working together closely months before the race.”