H11: Recovering #1 Peugeot spins
While the #2 Peugeot carried serenely on in the lead of the Le Mans 24 Hours, it was team-mate Anthony Davidson that caused the drama of the 11th hour in the recovering #1 sister car when he collected a backmarker and spun
The former Formula 1 driver had closed to within 30s of fifth-placed Tom Kristensen when he collected the GT2 Ferrari F430 of Jean Alesi at the Dunlop Chicane and required assistance from marshals to get going again. Davidson didn't lose any positions but was forced to pit for a new nose.
Nicolas Lapierre put in a monster stint to keep the ORECA Peugeot on the lead lap, waiting to pounce should anything happen to the leading factory car, before finally handing over to Loic Duval.
Timo Bernhard handed over to Romain Dumas in the third-placed Audi R15 TDI Plus, which is a lap down on the leaders and a minute ahead of the sister car being driven by Andre Lotterer.
The battle for the lead in LMP2 was also affected by a trip through the gravel for second-placed Marino Franchitti at the top of the hour. It wasn't his fault though, having suffered the car's third puncture of the race.
The problem cost Highcroft two and a half laps, handing some breathing space to long-time leader Danny Watts in the Strakka Acura.
Emmanuel Collard also enjoys an extended lead in the #64 Corvette after Johnny O'Connell went off at Indianapolis. The American recovered but was forced to pit, whereupon he handed over to Antonio Garcia. The #63 did lose ground however and is now less than 40s ahead of Marc Lieb's Felbrmayr Porsche.
Gabriele Gardele continues to lead in GT1 in the Larbre Competition Saleen with a virtually unchallenged two lap advantage to Julien Jousse's Corvette.
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