The epic, world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race isn’t just an endurance event for the cars and drivers, it’s a major test of resilience for all team members, whether that’s mechanics or support staff on the inside of the paddock, or fans who attend the race to see the incredible spectacle of cars of different classes competing at full-pelt for a day and a night.

Red Marlin staff supported the Iron Lynx LMGTE-AM team at Le Mans across the build-up week, handling press enquiries, arranging media conferences and keeping the team at the top of minds throughout the great race, in addition to handling the team’s full spectrum of social media – posting updates and handling community engagement.

Motorsport communications are naturally highly time-sensitive so quick and accurate writing and a symbiotic relationship with the team is essential. A key challenge of the race is that it’s longer than 24 hours too – the Red Marlin team were at the track at 9am on Saturday morning, for a 24 hour race which began at 4pm – so the full toll is much closer to 40 hours by the time the pre- and post-race content has been generated, signed off and distributed.

Hard as it may be to shut off from the electric excitement of the race, especially within the bustling paddock, an element of downtime is vital to survive the event with a clear head. Whether that’s taking a walk out to the public areas to get a fan’s view of the race in the depths of the night, or grabbing a couple of hours sleep in a hire car – any break is helpful to ensure the client gets the best service. The team expanded to three overnight, working in 4-hour shifts to maintain focus.

Top tips for surviving the event?

Take the time to revel in the magic of the race, and always remember the context. New viewers or followers will need to know a few of the salient facts before engaging, so start with a few basics before giving more in-depth information. A change of clothes and a toothbrush are essential and can be very restorative – and knowing when to deploy caffeine (very good espresso) or sugar (jelly babies please) can make all the difference.

We look forward to supporting the team for the rest of the season as it continues to compete in a variety of prestigious international motorsport series and events.