Radio Le Mans

Radio Le Mans is the English language radio service for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, as well as for numerous other sportscar events. It first broadcast at the 1987 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The commentary was broadcast on local ('special event') radio in 1986, in 1987 headed by a sportscar and radio enthusiast, Harry Turner, backed by Jim Tanner and Chris Crewe-Smith, founders of TTC radio. Backed by Silk Cut Jaguar the station quickly found favour with the tens of thousands of English-speaking fans at the race. The early years provided for only a very rudimentary service, no pit reports and a music loop played overnight.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s the station evolved adding new features like the 'Mad' Friday Campsite Tour in 1989. This show, conceived and presented by a newcomer, John Hindhaugh, was to prove almost as popular as the race coverage, and propelled Hindhaugh, with his distinctive North-Eastern accent and irreverent attitude, to a similar status with the fans as the commentary team. Resident statistician Paul Truswell, famed for remaining standing at his microphone throughout the 24 hours (and more) has been ever-present on the Radio Le Mans commentary team since 1988.

Haymarket Publications, publishers of Autosport had been involved almost from the start. At first only giving ad pages which were then "sold on" by Radio Le Mans to raise funds. When Studio 6 and Landon Brown, the first operators of the service stepped aside, Haymarket took over the running of the service, and remained in control until 2005.

Radio Le Mans has been available to listeners at the circuit every year since 1987. In 1997 it began streaming on the internet.

From 2004 to 2006 the service was also available to digital satellite listeners, as it was carried on the Globecast Radio channel on the Sky Digital (UK & Ireland) platform in the UK. Globecast Radio also carried coverage of the American Le Mans Series. Globecast Radio ceased broadcasting in January 2007.

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