Derek Bell on the history of Le Mans
Former racing driver Derek Bell shares his experience of the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours race. From the race in 1923, to Bell's heyday in the Seventies, to the present day, Bell explains how the race has evolved in line with technological advancements. "Cars have changed dramatically: from front-engine cars to rear-engine cars, and all the different rules and regulations regarding fuel consumptions. In the beginning it was pretty raw. We had no idea, as drivers, what speeds we were doing." As a five-time winner at Le Mans, Bell knows what it takes to come first. "They key to success at Le Mans is to be absolutely perfect and I think Audi has shown this over the years. They have incredible machines, incredible engineering and drivers who do the ultimate, perfect job." And the experience of the race itself? "There's nothing else like it. You're on an eight-mile piece for road out in the French countryside, there's 200,000 people gazing at you over the fences. And there you are driving this magnificent machine, which you hope is going to take you through to the finish."