24h Le Mans
The purpose of this early visit to La Sarthe was to shoot footage for a documentary in four episodes about his participation in the race in June.
He arrived in France with the producer and director, and used a French film crew for the shoot.
They shot some scenes bicycle training in various parts of the track riding a high-tech machine lent by the French subsidiary of the cycle brand with whom he is under contract. The documentary series "Road to Le Mans" is produced by Planet Grande Pictures based in Malibu. It will be released in August and September in the United States on Discovery channel group - probably Velocity Channel - before realease in Europe.
Before leaving the circuit, Patrick Dempsey went to greet the track marshals for testing that day. After a detour through the official store of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the team then went to shoot some images in the countryside and in the old part of Le Mans city where the actor had lunch before taking the road to the airport Charles de Gaulle catch a flight back to Los Angeles in the early evening.
The two days in France, which Patrick Dempsey had planned into the filming of the new season of Grey's Anatomy, the actor, who was accompanied his brother was delighted. "I was thrilled to participate in jury who met on Friday at the headquarters of Rolex France and had to choose the ten most prestigious cars in the history of the race", he explained on Saturday during a break in shooting. "I admit it was stressful and as I am fascinated by the history of motorsport, I had to bone up on all machines put to the vote."
Each episode will tell the preparation and participation of Dempsey at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the narrative is interspersed with explanations, and stories of the sporting passion of his predecessors in the role of actor/driver: Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and James Garner . After his first participation in the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours (30th in Ferrari F430 GTC with Joe Foster and Don Kitch), Patrick Dempsey will start the next edition, on the 22nd June at the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR # 77 with Joe Foster and Michael Avenatti as team mates.
Dempsey's partner in his race team, the soccer star Alessandro Del Piero, should also be present at Le Mans to support this participation. Note that this season the team also have two Porsches entered in the American Le Mans Series. The first will be driven by Andrew Davis, Michael and Bob Faieta Avenatti and the second by Patrick Dempsey, Joe Foster and Andy Lally.
