As has been the case since 2012 scrutineering and administrative checks – called the weigh-in at Le Mans as in the early days of motor sport – will take place on Place de la République in the town centre. Over a day and a half the 60 cars and the 180 drivers will turn up one after another to be checked by the scrutineers and officials to see if the cars comply and the drivers are fit to drive them.
Scrutineering will take place on Sunday 12th June between 14:00 and 19:00 and will continue on Monday between 10:00 and 18:00. The So24 ! By Lombard Racing team will kick off the festivities and the Race Performance team’s no. 34 Oreca 03R will bring them to a close.
During scrutineering the cars follow a clearly marked-out route with three posts. The first is where the main dimensions are measured (width, length, overhangs, wheelbase, height of the wing and the fin, dimensions of the holes over the wheels, etc). The cars pass onto a horizontal platform equipped with lasers and mounted on scales on which they are weighed.
When the car goes through the second post it is placed on a hoist to enable the officials to check the underbody.
At the final one the bodywork is partially removed for the inspection of the safety equipment (extinguishers, belts, circuit breakers, indicators, safety measures for the hybrids’ electrics, etc) the fuel tank and the engine oil recuperation tank as well as the conformity of certain key elements like the adhesives and the timing devices. The data acquisition system in each car is scrupulously tested as is the marshalling system, which tells the drivers in the cars about what’s going on on the circuit and the actions carried out by the track marshals via a special black box. In total the operation lasts around 50 minutes per car.
While this is going on the drivers in their driver suits go though administrative checks during which their licences, helmets, driver suits and all their equipment, which must comply with the FIA standards, are inspected. They are also weighed to define the average weight of the line-up and to respect the current sporting regulations. They then have to take part in various communications operations (individual photos, team photos with the cars, press interviews, etc).
This free entertainment organised by the ACO together with the Le Mans metropolitan services is always a big hit with the spectators. The site on which the scrutineering zone is installed enables them to see everything that’s going on as the public is very close to the action, and they always turn up in large numbers to get near the drivers who enjoy posing for photos and signing autographs. Everybody has a great time sharing their mutual passion and it gets the Le Mans week off to an enjoyable start.
In addition to the free grandstands installed around the scrutineering bay two giant screens will show the bubbling enthusiasm at the heart of the event. Numerous activities will also take place in the different stands in the village that will be installed around the zone. The Etablissement Francaise du Sang, a Secours Populaire stand as well as simulators from the Le 24 complex (10 euros for 8 minutes – 8 euros for ACO members) will round off the show.
Additional information
The hybrid LM P1s will undergo additional scrutineering on Tuesday 14th June inside the circuit to check the engines with hybrid systems as well as the rules dealing with the safety of these technological masterpieces.