Le Mans 2013 Wednesday practice & qualifying
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That's a wrap for the night. We're off for some well-earned sleep, but we will be back to bring you all the news from the circuit tomorrow.
Second qualifying starts at 1900 local time (1800 UK) with the final session commencing at 2200 local (2100 UK).
Second qualifying starts at 1900 local time (1800 UK) with the final session commencing at 2200 local (2100 UK).
Still no word on the status of the Krohn Ferrari - all we can say is that the car has been stripped down pending a decision. A spare car or chassis is known to be on its way to cover every eventually.
Stopwatch
That'a a wrap for the on-track action for tonight.
Your provisional polesitters for all the classes are...
LMP1: #2 Audi (Loic Duval)
LMP2: #26 G-Drive/Delta-ADR ORECA-Nissan (Mike Conway)
GTE Pro: #99 Aston Martin (Frederic Makowiecki)
GTE Am: #96 Aston Martin (Allan Simonsen)
Your provisional polesitters for all the classes are...
LMP1: #2 Audi (Loic Duval)
LMP2: #26 G-Drive/Delta-ADR ORECA-Nissan (Mike Conway)
GTE Pro: #99 Aston Martin (Frederic Makowiecki)
GTE Am: #96 Aston Martin (Allan Simonsen)
Checkered flag
The session will not restart. All cars are now under parc ferme conditions.
How about Daniel Radcliffe to play a certain AUTOSPORT sportscar correspondent? Some reckon he might be too old to carry it off.
A gaggle of the Toyota boys are standing impatiently at the gates of parc ferme. The #8 car has made it back on a flatbed, but hasn't been released to the waiting team.
Jimmy Nail has also cropped up. We're staying mum on the real-life parallels though.
Incidentally, there's nothing extra we can report on the current red flag situation. As soon as we know more, we'll bring it to you.
Incidentally, there's nothing extra we can report on the current red flag situation. As soon as we know more, we'll bring it to you.
In between CCTV shots of flashing lights and broken barriers, talk has turned to who would play each member of AUTOSPORT if a film was made. No, we don't imagine it would be a blockbuster. But yes, we're having fun offering up the worst possible suggestions. Timothy Spall has made an appearance...
There's no ability to stop the clock in this session of course, which means we're approaching the final 30 minutes of tonight's qualifying.
Meanwhile, the AUTOSPORT crew is having a Twitter war. Apparently its not all about followers - followers per tweet has been suggested as a better gauge. Yes, it's getting late folks.
Seems the welding crew has made its way round to the damaged barriers at the second Mulsanne chicane.
Kamui Kobayashi Le Mans 2013
We're deep into the night here at Le Mans, a situation not everyone is used to - as Kamui Kobayashi's photo attests to.
The ex-F1 driver's AF Corse squad is currently sixth fastest in class, less than one second slower than the pacesetting #99 Aston Martin.
As repairs continue, Sebastien Buemi's stricken #8 Toyota TS030 heads back to the pits on the back of a low loader.
Aston Martin also leads in GTE Am, with the #95 Vantage some six tenths of a second ahead of the lead #88 Proton Porsche 911.
Aston Martin Le Mans 2013
Over in the GTE Pro, Aston Martin is still leading the way through the #99 Vantage. The sister #97 and #98 cars are third and fourth, with only the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 458 spoiling the party.
Viper meanwhile is propping up the order on its Le Mans return. The fastest car, the #53 SRT, is 10th in class, some eight seconds off the pace - "where we expected to be," according to Ryan Dalziel.
As we wait to find out how long this red flag lasts, we'll continue summing up the mid-distance order.
In LMP2, the #26 G-Drive ORECA-Nissan is still the clear pacesetter, over one second faster than a chasing pack led by the #43 Morand Morgan-Judd and #24 OAK Mirgan-Nissans.
In LMP2, the #26 G-Drive ORECA-Nissan is still the clear pacesetter, over one second faster than a chasing pack led by the #43 Morand Morgan-Judd and #24 OAK Mirgan-Nissans.
That's our third red flag of the day incidentally.
We could be in for another lengthy stoppage here, if early reports about heavy barrier damage prove true.
The FIA has confirmed Thiriet is OK, thankfully.
The FIA has confirmed Thiriet is OK, thankfully.
Good news from Greaves - the tub of its Caterham-sponsored Zytek has not been damaged beyond immediate repair. Even better news for the team's crew is that they aren't facing an all-nighter.
Pierre Thiriet is the cause of that stoppage. The #46 TDS Racing Oreca-Nissan is parked having gone off at the chicane.
Red flag
Red flag, as we have an accident down at the second Mulsanne chicane.
With one hour down (and one to go), we still have an Audi one-two-three lockout. Toyota holds fourth and sixth, split by the #12 Rebellion Racing Lola.
The fastest Toyota, the #7 TS030, is some four seconds off the lead #2 R18.
The fastest Toyota, the #7 TS030, is some four seconds off the lead #2 R18.
Stephane Raffin has just spun the DKR Lola-Judd at Mulsanne. He's continued and the #39 remains in 39th place, at the tail end of the LMP2 class.
We won't see the #66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari 458 in this qualifying - the rear sub-frame is being rebuilt after an off in practice.
Across in LMP2, our top three have just headed out in quick succession. The #26 G-Drive ORECA-Nissan still leads the way, more than one second clear of the field.
It is mighty close behind though, with less than 0.2 seconds to choose between the #43 Morand Morgan-Judd, the #24 OAK Morgan-Nissan and the #25 Delta-ADR ORECA-Nissan.
It is mighty close behind though, with less than 0.2 seconds to choose between the #43 Morand Morgan-Judd, the #24 OAK Morgan-Nissan and the #25 Delta-ADR ORECA-Nissan.
In GTE Pro, incidentally, we have just over one second covering the top seven cars. The #99 Aston Martin, now being driven by Bruno Senna, is still on the top of the pile.
AUTOSPORT ventured up to the roof of the main stand for the start of the session. Looks pretty cool, doesn't it?
For those of you wanting a weather update, track temperature is 21.7 C - two degrees lower than it was when the best times were set in practice. Humidity is signifcantly higher though: 85 per cent compared to 74.
Another spinner coming out of the Ford chicane. This time it is Marco Cioci in the #61 AF Corse Ferrari, who is able to continue with the minimum of fuss.
Meanwhile across at Audi, the #1 R18, currently third, is wheeled into the garage, with work going on at the rear of the car. Possibly a new rear wing arrangement being fitted.
Right-rear puncture for the #70 GTE Am Larbre Corvette. We're only 20 or so minutes on from Pascal Gibon's spin and now Cooper MacNeil has suffered a bit of misfortune.
Just before that incident, we also had the rather odd spectacle of Paolo Ruberti spinning the #88 Proton Porsche - currently second fastest in GTE Am - coming across the start/finish line.
Seems like a mechanical issue, possibly gearbox, with the Toyota. The car died approaching Arnage. Not good news for the team.
We have a Toyota in the grass. It's Buemi, who has only just taken over the #8 TS030. He's stopped halfway between Arnage and Indianapolis.
Anthony Davidson hands over the #8 Toyota, currently running sixth, behind the lead #12 Rebellion Lola. Sebastien Buemi steps into the breach.
Frederic Makowiecki sets a new benchmark in GTE Pro, a 3m55.658s. That's enough to the put the #99 Aston Martin four tenths clear of the chasing pack, led by the #51 AF Corse Ferrari and the sister #97 Vantage.
Le Mans 2013
A first 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours appearance for the #32 Lotus T128. The team only gained clearance to compete this afternoon, following a morning in court. Gary Watkins was on hand to get all the details.
We spoke too soon about the Audis. Now they are locking out the top three; Lotterer going third, but still 3.5s off Duval's earlier lap.
A couple of Porsches have gone off at the second Mulsanne chicane; Jorg Bergmeister straight-lining it in the #91 works car and Pascal Gibon spinning in the older Imsa Performance GT3-RSR. Neither did any damage and both have continued.
Andrea Belicchi has a quick spin in the #13 Rebellion Lola-Toyota at the Dunlop chicane. He recovers without too much trouble.
That car is seventh at the moment and second among the non-hybrid LMP1 machines. Only the Strakka HPD, currently driven by Danny Watts, is behind in the class.
That car is seventh at the moment and second among the non-hybrid LMP1 machines. Only the Strakka HPD, currently driven by Danny Watts, is behind in the class.
By: Jamie O'Leary, Sam Tremayne, Gary Watkins, Scott Mitchell
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