Autosport Plus

Memories of the year: Le Mans drama

The 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours was one of the most captivating of recent years, but for Gary Watkins, the highlight of the race - and of the year - was the amazing escape of Audi's Mike Rockenfeller after a hideous night-time shunt

The best and worst moments of 2011, for me, were separated by just a few minutes. How many I don't know, such were the intense emotions that took over my body deep in the night at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

It began with an image of a wrecked car up on the TV screens. It was a car, but such was the violence of the accident that it was barely recognisable as such. A hot sweat descended over my body as it became clear where the machine, Mike Rockenfeller's Audi R18 TDI, had crashed.

Share Or Save This Story

Author Gary Watkins

Gary Watkins has, for reasons best known to himself, devoted all his working life to covering sportscar racing. This season is his 33rd as a motorsport journalist, during which time he has reported on major long-distance events on four continents and approaching 80 24-hour races. He reckons a degree in political philosophy makes him well qualified for covering the sometimes Machiavellian world of international sportscars.

Gary, who also writes for Motor Sport, Autocourse, RACER and others, lives in Surbiton close to the former workshops of the Cooper Formula 1 team but spends more time on the road than at home for most of the year.