Well I\'m here at Le Mans, and it\'s all starting to happen.  I arrived Sunday as we had official scrutineering in the town centre on Monday and that was really good fun.  Just driving to it from the circuit gave me the first taste of the atmosphere and the feeling that Le Mans creates – and that\'s when it dawned on me that it\'s actually happening now.  I\'m going to do this. 

Driving for a French team, with Hugues de Chaunac, the team boss there, attracted a lot of attention and atmosphere.  He was there talking to Henri Pescarolo, who is a Le Mans legend, and that got the crowd going.  It was great to see the cars going through the technical process, and it was the first time I saw the team all together and the size and enormity of the event became apparent and what it means to everyone, especially the fans.  It highlighted to me how long the week was going to be prior to the race and how tiring it\'s going to be, standing round in the sun talking to so many different people.  I really enjoyed it though.

The team have made me feel very welcome and are managing very well the fact that I\'m the only non-French driver.  Olivier Panis, from the other car, has been exceptionally helpful and Soheil and Didier from my car, who have driven here numerous times, are treating me like the baby of the group but being great team mates...it\'s quite good fun!  They are all really accommodating and my French is coming along slowly.  I spoke a bit of French to the crowd which was okay; not the smoothest of French maybe but I enjoyed the experience.

I went on a scooter around the track yesterday and then spoke to Brabs [who was last year\'s winner] afterwards.  He asked me if I could sum up in three words what my impressions of the track were and I had to say, \'no, I can\'t, it\'s impossible.\'  There are so many different types of corners and the Porsche Curves are crazy – the speed you\'re going to be doing into such tight corners which are usually main (public) roads with no run-off...the adrenaline will be pumping.  I\'m nervous, apprehensive and excited all at once and can\'t wait for the first practice session.