Pierre Ragues joined his Signatech-Alpine team-mates and colleagues for the all-important scrutineering session on Sunday afternoon. 

 

The traditional event, which draws a crowd of excited fans to the Place de la République, signals the first formality of a busy week of activities for teams and drivers as they prepare for the 24 Hours race which gets underway on Saturday afternoon.

 

Three major areas are covered during the scrutineering session as a team of controllers assess the legalities of each participating car. From the dimensions – length, width, wheelbase, weight, height – to the aerodynamics to the safety elements of the car, nothing is left unchecked. 

 

Once a car has passed the detailed inspection, official Le Mans 24 Hours stickers are put on the car to confirm its entry into the prestigious Le Mans race, which this year marks its 90th anniversary. 

 

The next event on the busy drivers’ schedule is the official autograph session that takes place on Tuesday afternoon before the first track session on Wednesday.