There have been modifications to the circuit this year in the area of the Dunlop chicane.  We will have to see what difference it makes but, based on the previous configuration here are my thoughts on the lap:

You come over the start & finish line at full throttle and the track climbs a little, bearing right towards the left/right of Dunlop. You approach the first part blind so, with the track still turning, getting your braking right is difficult. You can take a little kerb on the first part of this third gear combination but must be careful with the kerb in the second part.

Coming out of Dunlop you crest the rise before plunging under the bridge. The track turns gently left, immediately turning into a longer right. Most of this section can be taken almost flat.

This brings you back into the first part of the Esses. It's easy not to brake hard enough now and to take too much speed into the left hander, now a third gear corner. The second part turns right but take care, there's a big bump on the apex just before you change up and the track falls away on the exit.

Then there's the quick squirt down to the third gear right hander Tetre Rouge. It's important to get this right as it will dictate your speed on to the long Mulsanne straight. You can brake quite late into Tetre Rouge, around the 100m board. During the race you need to be careful of the kerbs but in qualifying you can take a lot of kerb on the apex and try to get as early on the power as possible as the car drifts out left.

Now you're on to the famous Mulsanne straight. It's still awesome, what must it have been like without the chicanes? As this is a main road the conditions are not like a track. There's a significant crown to the road and two sets of parallel ruts each side where the trucks have worn a path. You have to take care not to get caught in the ruts, it's like driving a Scalextric car!

The first chicane comes up on you very quickly and you're always surprised how long it takes you to slow down. I'm braking after the 200m board and the rear gets loose as you set up for this third gear right/left/right. You need to keep off the kerbs before getting on to the power as early as possible again for the next part of Mulsanne.

The next chicane is a left/right/left, again in third gear. You don't have to be quite as early on the brakes, I pick the 150m board, and the rear doesn't get as loose. You do get a bit of over-steer mid-corner but the exit is straight forward and you're soon on the final section of Mulsanne.

Coming down into Mulsanne Corner there's a little kink first then into the tight third gear right hander. You have to be very careful here not to touch the kerbs on the kink and unsettle the car for the entry into the corner.

Through Mulsanne and on down to Indianapolis. The track starts to narrow and you kink right in fifth before the main third gear left hander which is banked. I brake at about 120m and the rear becomes nervous but you try to carry as much speed as possible through the corner.

Arnage is a tight right hander and is very slippery. You need to break early before this second gear bend and I always feel I'm losing time here.

Braking at 120m, the track is a little bumpy into the Porsche curves. This is a great set of flowing bends and you have to be neat and tidy, following the right line throughout. The first three are taken very fast in fifth, snatching fourth through the long right hander and holding until the final exit. This is a really great series of corners, really great fun!

You need a good exit from the Porsche curves to take you down to the Ford chicanes. You can brake very late into the first fourth gear left/right, bumping over the curves before snatching third gear for the second left/right. The kerbs are quite flat here and it's important to carry as much speed as you can to set yourself up for the charge up the straight and the start of another lap.

Le Mans is a great circuit with a little bit of everything, fast flowing corners and slow chicanes. There are various bits of banking and camber which all add to the interest and enjoyment in getting a quick lap around this awesome 8.5 mile track.