Since last Sunday dealing with public relations, track action and being pulled in every direction, the drivers were tired, very tired. But the ones who've been here before wouldn't have missed for anything in the world this "moment de decompression," as 2013 winner with Audi and current driver of the #28 ORECA LMP2 Loïc Duval described it. "It's the ideal way to go into the race," added Gustavo Menezes, driver of the #13 Rebellion R13.

The parade is welcome downtime between two stressful aspects of race week, qualifying and the race itself. For a few hours, the race is forgotten and it's time to become a star! Richard Lietz, driver of the #91 Porsche 911 RSR: "Every year, we hurry to leave the circuit to get there on time, and every year we wait an eternity for the parade to start, and every year for a short moment in time we get to feel like superstars. After that you only want one thing, to come back next year!"

And they do! "Year after year, it's fantastic," says Bruno Senna, driver of the #1 Rebellion R13. "Especially since Rebellion Racing always organizes a party in the middle of the parade to make it even more enjoyable for fans." In 2018, several members of the Swiss team jumped up on a truck bed, danced to the music over the loud speakers and tossed goodies to thrilled fans, like an open-air nightclub, the music blending with the samba played by a group of Brazilian dancers nearby.

Orchestras, dancers, acrobats, luxury cars, supercars and hypercars interplayed with the vintage convertibles carrying each driver line-up in the parade as it snaked its way through thousands of people from all over the world. According to Jean-Eric Vergne (#6 ORECA LMP2): "This is the only race in the world that attracts this many people. This is insane!"

As a rookie at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (#32 Ligier LMP2), the parade left former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya slightly stunned: "I can't believe how many souvenirs I gave away. This is truly a sensational event." Tommy Milner, GT winner with Corvette in 2015, chimed in: "People are so happy to have the little gifts, but really they're mainly happy to be able to communicate, even bond, with us. It's a wonderful way to interact with the public."

In the end, as 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button (#11 SMP Racing) summed it up so well, the only goal for the parade is to "make people happy and put a smile on everyone's face," he says...beaming.