The drivers’ bags come in all shapes, colours and sizes, some are sturdier than others, some have wheels, others don't. You see them all around the circuit once the paddock starts to get busy and often wonder what’s inside. They sometimes get thrown around quite roughly but they are never left alone. Every year, they contain the same stuff… or do they? To find out what treasures they hide, we took a peek inside one!

“This is the 17th time I’ve had to pack to come to Le Mans and I can assure you that I have much more stuff this year than I did the first time in 2001,” Romain Dumas laughs. “Back then, I rolled up with a fire suit and a few t-shirts. Now, my suitcase is well-organised, with one compartment for track gear and one for paddock wear! Until a few years ago, we had up to four fire suits but it wasn’t really necessary. For my work behind the wheel, I’ve got two fire suits, two pairs of gloves, three full sets of fire-retardant underwear and trousers, socks and t-shirts, two pairs of shoes, two helmets and two HANS devices. For the accessories, I usually have two of everything, just to be on the safe side.”

When they are not in their flash driving gear, the drivers have to comply with their team’s ‘dress code’. “At Porsche, that covered everything from socks to sweaters, from trousers to shirts,” he reveals. “Then, under the influence of Mark Webber [Grand Marshal at this year’s 24 Hours], who arrived from the Red Bull F1 team, things were a bit more relaxed with jeans and shirts not tucked in. At Alpine, things are even cooler this year. We’ve just got t-shirts, shoes... and sunglasses!”

Once all of that is packed in the bag, our drivers need to find room for their personal things so it can be a bit of a squeeze!

“Personally, I bring along some casual wear such as jogging pants and a hoodie, something comfortable to wear between stints”, the French driver continues. “I also bring my sports kit to run in. I don't know exactly how many t-shirts there are in the suitcase because I tend just to grab the whole pile!”

Once the wash kit has been added, there’s just room for a couple of books or magazines. “I like to keeps things as normal as possible during Le Mans week,” Dumas goes on. “I shave every morning, I wear everyday clothes between stints and I read or flick through a magazine. I’m more into reading than listening to music to pass the time or help me concentrate.” That’s lucky - he wouldn’t have fitted a pair of headphones in anyway!

Photo: Bernard Larvol