The Patrick Dempsey Effect

There is a truly astounding amount of hype here at Le Mans this year and most of it surrounds this guy called Patrick Dempsey.

Quite why he has such a colossal following in France might be something to do with the fact he is ridiculously good looking ( which is as good as any reason for your scribe to dislike him !) or maybe his appearance on terrestrial, prime time French TV in a programme called 'Greys Anatomy' has something to do with it. This is a massively popular medical drama and our Mr Dempsey plays the part of a neurosurgeon  called Dr Derek Shepherd or 'McDreamy'  to his friends (surprised a certain burger franchise hasn't caught on to that) .That says a lot!

We have somehow missed seeing the programme in France and do wonder what he sounds like. Apparently some equally rugged hulk dubs his voice on later. Anyway like it or lump it the French are totally hooked.

Dempsey is a star of film and TV and was nominated at The 2007 MTV Movie Awards for 'The Best Kiss'. He also went on for another nomination at The 2011 Golden Raspberry Awards in the race to be ' The Worst Supporting Actor'.

But we will forgive him because he is a pretty serious car nut and not all a bad 'pilot'.. plus, rather irritatingly, he is by all accounts a very nice guy. He also does all sorts of charity work under the banner of The Patrick Dempsey Centre for Cancer Hope and Healing.

Interesting to note that there seem to have been surprisingly few internationally famous film/TV actors that  have competed here at Le Mans. Most famous would of course be Paul Newman. Steve McQueen got close in 1970 but his insurance company said no.( I bet those bloody Meerkats would taken him on)  One thing they all do have in common is that they either had or have a serious 'petrol head' infection

In 2009 he drove a Ferrari F430 GTC and came home a very creditable 30th overall and 9th in Class.  This time Dempsey will be driving a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. On Sunday 9th of June, he returned to the thirteen km circuit for the test day, which began in the rain and finished on a dry track. “I could feel my experience from 2009, but it was a little challenging at first in the rain to relearn the track, but it was also really important to have that opportunity in the wet,” Dempsey said. “The last time here I didn't really have any time on a wet track.”

For his return to La Sarthe,he has set up his own racing team called Dempsey Del Piero-Proton. and he is joined in this venture by the former famous Italian footballer Alessandro Del Piero who captained Juventus,  Italy and even won the World Cup. They can also count on the experience of Proton Competition, who are among the leading specialists in preparing  racing the 911. Patrick Dempsey and Joe Foster will also benefit from the presence of the Porsche factory driver Patrick Long. The latter has raced Porsches in the United States under the banner of Flying Lizard Motorsports, and at Testing he set the third fastest time in LM GTE Am.

OK... so he is good looking, not a bad actor, races with his own team, he is quite quick, his mate is a famous footballer, he has numerous life style advertising contracts under his belt ... dammit .. maybe we should root for him after all! Doesn't stop him seeming to take over Le Mans 2013 though !