Virtual while waiting for the return to reality. With the cessation of all sporting events due to the coronavirus crisis, the world of sport had to reinvent itself. In these troubled times, e-sport has become a response to its ills. The competitions have migrated online, to virtual platforms, on console or PC, in order to continue to distract the fans in need of emotion and to occupy the athletes in lack of sensations. Postponed to the weekend of September 19-20, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is no exception to the rule and will also have the right to their virtual variation on June 13 and 14, dates initially selected for the 88th edition.
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"The opportunity to gather a dream tray"
The race may be on a screen, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), the organizer of the event, makes sure to give it as much resonance as possible. In addition to former basketball player Tony Parker who will start the race, the current motorsport stars will be on the starting line. Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc for Formula 1, 24 Hours of Le Mans winners (Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley), Indianapolis 500 Miles (Juan-Pablo Montoya and Simon Pagenaud), Formula E (Jean- Éric Vergne) as well as pilots from the past like Olivier Panis. "The virtual is something new for me. It's magic, because there are sensations that exist", testifies the last French winner of a Formula 1 Grand Prix, 24 years ago .
Satisfaction for the many fans of the race inaugurated for the first time in 1923, as explained by the president of the ACO, Pierre Fillon. "We thought that all our fans were going to be extremely frustrated not to be on the circuit this weekend," he said. "We asked ourselves the question of what we could offer them anyway. The idea was to recreate the 24 Hours virtual. It is therefore an opportunity to gather a dream plateau of all disciplines. "
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To make the race even more real, driving will also be nocturnal, weather and driver changes will occur, accidents may always occur. Conditions necessarily different, but not easier, according to Olivier Panis. "You don't have the same adrenaline, you don't have the risk of hurting yourself, but on the other hand you always have the anxiety of the result, of doing well. The coolest thing is when you have to go to sleep, you have the bed right next to it. It's exactly the same as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. "
"We now hope that the technique will hold"
To a lesser degree than the real edition, these virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans require significant organization. The simulators will be installed directly with the pilots. There will be 170 of them all over the world, connected by internet. They will have a seat, a steering wheel, pedals, a screen and a good computer. "We now hope that the technique will hold," says Pierre Fillon. "It is a big challenge. There are 120 people who worked on this project started a month ago. The countdown was very short."
The race, it still lasts 24 hours and will start on Saturday at 3 p.m., on television on Eurosport and on the site of France Television.