ManningUK Treat Automotive Team to Trip to Le Mans for Their Drive During the Pandemic
The Automotive Team at ManningUK on Reading Road were treated to a trip to 24 hours of Le Mans this year.
Celebrating its 90th anniversary, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing brought its win record to an extraordinary total of five this year. The Japanese marque has now surpassed Ford and Alfa Romeo and has become the fourth manufacturer to secure at least five consecutive victories after Ferrari, Porsche and Audi.
ManningUK Managing Director, Ann Manning said, “We have been through a difficult time over the last few years and it is thanks to my dedicated colleagues that we managed to keep our service levels to the same high standard despite working from home. We have previously sponsored the Porsche Curves team with t-shirts and fireworks for Le Mans. This trip is a big thank you but also the opportunity for the guys to meet with some of our clients.”
The team all travelled down to France together in a car with Michael Briggs following on his motorbike.
Rod Buckland who heads up the Automotive Team said, “Having been many times before I knew what to expect, for me the most exciting weekend of endurance racing in the world. All of the ManningUK team I took had not been before so it was a new experience for them all, they were all just blown away by event. The build up to the start of the race on the Saturday is something to be seen, 60+ cars line up of the starting grid, each team drivers lined up next to their cars standing for the French national anthem, with a fly past over the track from the French air force. Then the race begins all goes on for 24hrs. The team were able to see different parts of the track during the day and night, plus watch the start from our grand stand seats for the start and finish of the race. The finish and the podium presentations are very exciting with the fan streaming down the track after the race to watch the presentations. All of the team could not believe what they were seeing and found the whole weekend, the race a very memorable experience. On their return to the office the boys presented Ann with bouquet of flowers and wrote some lovely messages of thanks. 240k people attended this year it was awesome and if you have bear been do it once in your life if you are a motor racing fan. Happy days had by all.”
