TV doctor living Le Mans dream

  • Breaking
  • 14/06/2014

Nearly a quarter of a million fans will pack the Le Mans circuit this weekend, and it seems like most of them turned out for the annual driver parade too.

But of all the world famous drivers taking part in this year's race, the biggest star is only a part-time driver.

Patrick Dempsey, best known as Dr Shepherd in Grey's Anatomy, is making his third Le Mans appearance.

"The first time I came here in 2009, it was mostly Grey's fans and the oddity of 'what's he going to do', and then last year with making our [motor racing] documentary, I think it's really helped broaden the base. So there are a lot more racing fans and also fans of the show."

And Dr McDreamy actually dreams of racing full-time.

"It's just so much fun. It's challenging too, mentally and physically, and it really tests you on so many different levels."

He's not the first Hollywood hero to fall for Le Mans. Paul Newman and Steve McQueen have both raced, McQueen even making a movie about the race.

It is movie New Zealander Brendon Hartley loves.

"I watched the Le Mans movie before my first time at Le Mans and it was awesome, but I don't know who'd have been more popular with the fans. I've seen the hype around Patrick. It's a close call"

There's no question that Le Mans remains one of racing's ultimate challenges. Safety has improved immeasurably since motorsport's blackest day, when Pierre Levegh crashed into the crowd in 1955 claiming 84 lives.

But the hurdle of high speed and low light remains. For Hartley that's what make's Le Mans so special.

"All your references are gone. It's a huge adrenaline rush."

So while the drivers head off to try and get some rest before their 24-hour endurance test, the party has officially started for the fans, whose own test of endurance is more like 48 hours.

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source: newshub archive