LeMans: Instants choisis 1980-89

by Jean-Marc Teissedre ISBN 2914920598. published by Editions du Palmier. €45

‘Chosen Moments’ doesn’t pretend to be the thorough history of a decade. Instead there’s a paragraph per year (in French and English), followed by generous captions to photos concentrating on the pits, the paddock and the odder entries.

There are more shots of interesting no-hopers than of 962s — ideal if you’re drawn to the GRID, the ADA and the Dome. Drivers resting or sitting sadly on the Armco mix with mechanics under pressure, while some crash shots (none fatal) remind you of the risks which surround the romance. It’s not the greatest-looking book, it’s expensive and there are proof-reading errors, but it gives a flavour of a unique event — I’d not seen an aerial shot of the Mulsanne before, and I was tickled at seeing Dieter Quester playing the accordion in the paddock. G C