Nick Mason

THERE ARE FOLK who aspire to walk across the Arctic; others will not rest until they have stood on the summit of Everest, or rowed across the Atlantic. For the man behind Pink Floyd’s drum kit it was always Le Mans. To race at La Sarthe was the pinnacle, a lifelong dream, despite never having raced anything more modern than a Ferrari GTO. Well, you know what they say about drummers… but then, to tackle the ultimate test of man and machine, you do need to get a rhythm going. And he did, winning the Index of Performance and coming second in class at his first attempt in 1979.

‘Given the choice, going to Le Mans is a hell of a lot easier than walking in the Arctic or rowing the Atlantic,’ he begins, ‘and 40 years ago you could compete in one of the greatest races in the world as an amateur, and go racing with the big boys. It wasn’t exactly a burning ambition but it was achievable and a chance to reach that pinnacle.