H7: #2 Audi still holds the edge
Audi #2 continues to lead the Le Mans 24 Hours, with Andre Lotterer currently holding the advantage at the end of the seventh hour
Despite the better fuel mileage of the Peugeots, the extra pace of the R18 is keeping it ahead. Towards the end of the hour, Lotterer was able to make the car's ninth stop and still get out ahead of the #7 Peugeot, which has only stopped eight times.
With the Audis and Peugeots on different strategies, the #1 Audi, currently driven by Mike Rockenfeller is third at present. He had caught Pedro Lamy in the #9 Peugeot before the 908 driver made his stop.
The #8 Peugeot is also in contention in fifth, holding a significant advantage over the older ORECA-run 908.
The battle at the front of the unofficial petrol class continues to rage between the #16 Pescarolo and the two Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyotas. With Jean-Christophe Boullion making a scheduled stop in the #13 Rebellion car just before the turn of the hour, Emmanuel Collard currently leads the petrol runners in seventh overall.
After losing ground with Nick Leventis at the wheel, the Strakka HPD is now lapping quickly again in the hands of Jonny Kane. He has been further delayed by a stop to change the legality plate, and a stop-go penalty for an earlier infringement, but is still fourth in LMP2.
The #74 Chevrolet Corvette continues to lead GTE Pro. The #56 BMW M3 had been nibbling away at the gap, but has just gone into the pits with an electronic problem.
Fine stints by Jean-Philippe Belloc in the #70 Porsche and Julien Canal in the #50 Corvette have moved Larbre Competition into first and second in the GTE Am category.
NOTES:
- The #3 Audi of Allan McNish crashed out of the race in the first hour having just taken second position. The Scot collected the #58 Luxury Racing Ferrari in the right-hander after the Dunlop Bridge. The heavy impact destroyed the car and the Scot was taken to hospital for precautionary checks, but appears to be unhurt.
- Both Aston Martin AMR Ones ran into trouble on the first lap of the race. Darren Turner spinning with mechanical trouble and Adrian Fernandez stopping out on the Mulsanne. The #007 car of Turner was recovered to the pits where it was discovered an alternator belt tensioner was to blame.
POSITIONS AFTER SEVEN HOURS Pos Car Team Class Gap 1. #2 Audi Audi Sport Team Joest (LMP1) 2. #7 Peugeot Peugeot Sport Total (LMP1) + 21.258 3. #1 Audi Audi Sport Team Joest (LMP1) + 1 Lap 4. #9 Peugeot Team Peugeot Total (LMP1) + 1 Lap 5. #8 Peugeot Peugeot Sport Total (LMP1) + 1 Lap 6. #10 Peugeot Team Oreca-Matmut (LMP1) + 2 Laps 7. #16 Pescarolo Pescarolo Team (LMP1) + 4 Laps 8. #12 Lola Rebellion Racing (LMP1) + 4 Laps 9. #13 Lola Rebellion Racing (LMP1) + 4 Laps 10. #48 Oreca Team Oreca-Matmut (LMP2) + 7 Laps 11. #22 Lola Kronos Racing (LMP1) + 8 Laps 12. #41 Zytek Greaves Motorsport (LMP2) + 8 Laps 13. #39 Lola PeCom Racing (LMP2) + 8 Laps 14. #24 OAK OAK Racing (LMP1) + 8 Laps 15. #42 HPD Strakka Racing (LMP2) + 9 Laps 16. #33 Lola Level 5 Motorsports (LMP2) + 9 Laps 17. #26 Oreca Signatech Nissan (LMP2) + 10 Laps 18. #49 OAK OAK Racing (LMP2) + 10 Laps 19. #35 OAK OAK Racing (LMP2) + 11 Laps 20. #74 Corvette Corvette Racing (GTEP) + 12 Laps 21. #56 BMW BMW Motorsport (GTEP) + 12 Laps 22. #73 Corvette Corvette Racing (GTEP) + 12 Laps 23. #75 Porsche Prospeed Competition (GTEP) + 12 Laps 24. #59 Ferrari Luxury Racing (GTEP) + 13 Laps 25. #51 Ferrari AF Corse (GTEP) + 13 Laps 26. #80 Porsche Flying Lizard Motorsports (GTEP) + 13 Laps 27. #55 BMW BMW Motorsport (GTEP) + 13 Laps 28. #36 HPD RML (LMP2) + 13 Laps 29. #44 Norma Extr (LMP2) + 14 Laps 30. #66 Ferrari JMW Motorsport (GTEP) + 14 Laps 31. #77 Porsche Team Felbermayr-Proton (GTEP) + 14 Laps 32. #76 Porsche IMSA Performance Matmut (GTEP) + 14 Laps 33. #70 Porsche Larbre Competition (GTEA) + 15 Laps 34. #50 Corvette Larbre Competition (GTEA) + 15 Laps 35. #57 Ferrari Krohn Racing (GTEA) + 15 Laps 36. #61 Ferrari AF Corse (GTEA) + 15 Laps 37. #81 Porsche Flying Lizard Motorsports (GTEA) + 15 Laps 38. #60 Aston Gulf AMR Middle East (GTEA) + 16 Laps 39. #65 Lotus Lotus Jetalliance (GTEP) + 17 Laps 40. #71 Ferrari AF Corse (GTEP) + 17 Laps 41. #40 Oreca Race Performance (LMP2) + 17 Laps 42. #63 Porsche Proton Competition (GTEA) + 18 Laps 43. #88 Porsche Team Felbermayr-Proton (GTEP) + 19 Laps 44. #83 Ferrari JMB Racing (GTEA) + 19 Laps 45. #62 Ferrari CRS Racing (GTEA) + 22 Laps 46. #68 Ford Robertson Racing (GTEA) + 23 Laps 47. #89 Ferrari Hankook Team Farnbacher (GTEP) + 24 Laps 48. #64 Lotus Lotus Jetalliance (GTEP) + 37 Laps 49. #58 Ferrari Luxury Racing (GTEP) + 38 Laps 50. #5 Oreca Hope Racing (LMP1) + 42 Laps 51. #15 OAK OAK Racing (LMP1) + 55 Laps 52. #79 Aston Jota (GTEP) + 32 Laps 53. #20 Zytek Quifel-ASM Team (LMP1) Retired 54. #3 Audi Audi Sport North America (LMP1) Retired 55. #007 AMR-One Aston Martin Racing (LMP1) Retired 56. #009 AMR-One Aston Martin Racing (LMP1) Retired
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