Le bombe at Le Mans

Whilst we've seen a Morgan Aero 8 around the Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe, work performed on the modification of the Dunlop chicane and the layout of the future Village has uncovered a different type of a bomb, dating back to the World War II.

According to circuit promoters the discovery was not a surprise and was even foreseeable. The proximity of the circuit with the airfield and more particularly the marshalling yard had been a specific target of WWII bombings.

The safety and mine clearance procedure was immediately set up on site to remove the bomb.

In other Le Mans news this year's event, which celebrates 100 years of the famous 24 hour endurance race, will start at 5pm -- an hour after the traditional race start. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest says changing the start time was necessary to accommodate television coverage of the Football World Cup.

It's not the first occasion the race start time has been changed: In 1969 (for presidential elections) and 1998 (Football World Cup and tennis at Roland Garros) the race start was changed to 2pm, and in 1968, '79, '81, '84, '85, '88 and 1996 the race was started at 3pm.

This year's Centenary event features increased support races on the Saturday. There will be two 'Le Mans Legends' fields, for cars built before 1939 and the second for cars built between 1945 and 1955.

Last year around 230,000 people went to the Le Mans 24 Hour race, and promoters expect the record-breaking figure will be topped for 2006's 100 anniversary race, 18-19 June.