The 24hrs of le Mans isn’t a race, it’s a pilgrimage. A journey taken by over 320,000 car fanatics to La Sarthe, to 13.626km of tarmac, made iconic by
the heroics of drivers and co-pilots for over a century. A mecca where teamwork translates to performance, an endurance event for drivers, teams, cars and spectators alike. The perfect place to start
the refuel journey then.
And what a place to start that journey… having loaded Buck, our faithful Chevy truck, with everything you need to create a showcase at the world’s most iconic endurance event, including an obligatory bottle of Ricard, we headed south. Driving through France, we avoided the Autoroutes (doing 25km up hill is understandably frowned upon by the hard-working Leclerc lorry drivers), taking the long way down on the D roads. Playlist on point, road trip snacks adhering to one simple rule: to be French and ideally a new taste sensation. A drive that captured the essence of The Refuel, time, savouring every mile, shoulder to shoulder with your co-pilots. It was joyous.
Le Mans itself was, as ever, exceptional. We got to work setting up our tent/truck/lounge area and laid 50 square meters of artificial grass and nailed it down with 9 inch nails, then moved it 3 meters forward on the kind direction of the organisers, to give it more prominence (why did we nail it all down again?) then we awaited the gate opening, we were all set.
Gatherings like this have an unrivalled, unmistakable energy to them. Hot, sunny days lead up to the main event, helicopters flying overhead, blimps waving, a constant swarm of people through the gates, race team colours, flags and costumes, anticipation and excitement, the energy is palpable. As was the energy and engagement with our soon-to-be Refuel Founding members.
4pm, flag drop, and you cannot help but think of the focus, work and commitment of the drivers and their teams that will not wane for a moment in the next 24 relentless hours. While it used to be a race to see who could finish, it’s now an out-and-out sprint for 24 hours… a single beat missed, a race potentially lost.
As the hours passed and the crowds became nomadic, drifting from one iconic viewpoint to another, The Refuel became a hub of conversation, connection and if I’m honest, a deeply rewarding pride and joy for us, having created something that everyone we talked to (well almost everyone but that was probably my GCSE French) aligned with, was supportive of and excited by.
If you’re reading this, it’s likely that at some point we may have met, talked, laughed, and you provided the team and I with infectious enthusiasm. Thank you, few things are as rewarding as that positve energy, and we will never be able to thank you enough, but we are going to try.
Dawn breaks, my favourite time of the race, and one I spent with others, my fellow Refuel founder Sair and my good friend and epic human Robbie, watching the cars continue, fully committed and millimetre perfect through Porsche curves. We’re met with the realisation that there are still another 11 hrs to go. A truly heroic human endeavour. Heroic too the passion of those we walk by, asleep, and many still awake on the banks, some of whom may have been part of The Refuel team, committed to watch, support and encourage those racing past, respect doesn’t
quite cover it.
Last-minute surprises are always on the cards at Le Mans, and the perfect 1,2,3 for Ferrari was looking on the cards. La Sarthe had other ideas, disappointing for Ferrari, but as Kubica and team crossed the line in the 83 AF Forsa 499P, the narrative could not have been more perfectly written.
For Kubica, the adversity he has faced and overcome to win the ultimate endurance race is a story that aligns so closely with the very essence of The Refuel. His journey to recovery, aided by the support, love and energy of his life’s co-pilots, could not have been more apt.
As the gold flecks of confetti wafted around the paddock, and the drivers, teams and fans set about the road home, we packed our first Refuel activation and savoured the last moments, the circuit becoming quickly quiet and reflective once the energy of the crowd had moved on. An unforgettable time in an unforgettable place. Then we pointed Buck north and took the long way home, savouring every mile on a D road journey that took us through some of the TripAdvisor highlights of this epic country, and some we just stumbled upon, like any great road trip adventure does.
None of The Refuels time at Le Mans could have been made possible without the incredible work of our own young team on site, and the exceptional team at the ACO at Le Mans, whose enthusiasm, energy and passion for what we are doing is infectious. We cannot wait for the road ahead together as we work to build the Refuel Road Trip to Le Mans into the unstoppable energy force for good we know it will become. Drive More, Connect More, Live More.
We can’t wait to be back in 2026.
