McNish: This is the best race I've done

The Scot and co-drivers Tom Kristensen and Dindo Capello currently lead the race by less than one lap over Peugeot trio Nicolas Minassian, Marc Gene and Jacques Villeneuve, as the event approaches its final hour.

"I think this is the best race I have ever been involved in," McNish told autosport.com. "I've been in these sort of scraps before, but nothing has ever felt like this, or this good. But I am bloody nervous."

McNish said Kristensen was having to drive at the maximum to stay ahead of the Peugeot, which is edging closer in Minassian's hands.

"He has to go flat out. He has no alternative," he said. "But the more laps TK does only a second away from the Peugeot the bigger the challenge it is for them."

He added that the fact it was the Minassian car that had emerged as Audi's main rival made the contest even more satisfying, as he believes the Frenchman is Peugeot's benchmark driver.

"I think the stint this morning was the most important, because that was when Minassian was in their car and it was important to maintain that gap," McNish said.

"I am pleased we are racing that car, because I think Nic is the best driver they've got. He is very underrated, so it is nice to be going up against them, it means a lot."