Peugeot calm in closing stages

Marc Gene and Sebastien Bourdais are holding position, 90 seconds apart, in first and second places for the French manufacturer, six laps ahead of the third-placed #1 Audi R15 with two hours to go.

After losing the race for the last two years, the team has already decided not to allow the #9 and #8 cars to fight each other for victory, prefering to ensure that both cars make it safely home.

Minassian, whose #7 was effectively taken out of contention for victory in a pitlane accident in the first hour, in confident that the team and drivers will hold their nerve in the closing stages of the race.

"It's surprisingly calm actually, it's very good," he told AUTOSPORT. "They are checking everything, just waiting and trying to win because now is a difficult time."

But Minassian admitted that he was disappointed not to be able to challenge for victory himself.

"It was so stupid, I'm still gutted about it," he said of the incident in the pitlane when Pedro Lamy was released from his box into the path of the Pescarolo-run Peugeot.

"It was just such a stupid little thing. The drivers did nothing wrong, the car was looking good and we've proved all night that we've had the pace. I've got to wait until next year now."