Bruno Vandestick has been the official commentator for the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 1993 and his enthusiastic delivery has become part of the Le Mans legend.  Bruno’s voice is now synonymous with the Sarthoise circuit for all the many French and international spectators and fans.

All through the year he prepares for the big event by researching and updating his notes.  His main sources of information are the different internet sites devoted to endurance racing.  Furthermore he can rely on his excellent relationship with Info Course who provide him with detailed notes on the drivers (Le Mans CV and other results, marital status, anecdotes etc) and on the cars entered in the current race.  

His race weekend begins at 0530 hours, the hour at which he gets up in order to be in his commentator’s cabin at 0700 hours.  He is then in place with his three other colleagues, Marc Arnoldi, Vincent Cerutti and Jade from RTL.

During race night he sleeps very little.  He generally goes to bed towards 0130 hrs on Sunday morning and picks up the microphone again around 0600 hrs.  The most difficult time is not the early hours of the morning but around 1000 hrs.  To keep himself up to par, the commentator takes energy drinks, water, orange juice and coffee as well as Solupred and Celestene, permitted stimulants which speed up his heart rhythm.

Hardest for him is not really the lack of sleep but the need to create suspense when there is little to be had! Happily, the last few events haven’t lacked action and the 1999 and 2011 races are, for him, certainly the best.

After the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it takes a minimum of a week for him to recover with the toughest day being the Tuesday.

David Bristol, translated by Fiona Miller

  

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Photo : CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES DU MANS (LE MANS, SARTHE), 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, BRUNO VANDESTICK, 16TH JUNE 2012.