2020 Le Mans 24 Hours Live Updates
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Hello and good afternoon! Welcome to Autosport Live - and yes, this weekend we'll be right at your side (not literally) to guide you through the full Le Mans 24 Hours.
The French national anthem is currently being sung with typical gusto. Doing his best to make up for the lack of noise from the grandstands at least.
In just under half an hour, we'll be away for the full 24 hours. The #7 Toyota will start this race from the front, after Kamui Kobayashi was quickest in quali - although admitted he was unhappy not to break the lap record.
The typical pomp and ceremony that accompanies Le Mans may have been oddly lacking this year due to the condensed schedule - which meant no scrutineering in the town, nor the customary driver parade - but you can always rely on the ACO to make a fuss over the arrival of the Tricolore, which is abseiled out of a helicopter by the French military.
LMP1
Of the LMP1 runners, Mike Conway will kick us off in the #7 Toyota. Bruno Senna starts in the #1 Rebellion, Sebastien Buemi in the #8 Toyota, Nathanael Berthon in the #3 Rebellion and then Tom Dillmann will be first in the ByKolles hotseat.
LMP2
Paul di Resta took the #22 United Autosports car to the front of the LMP2 pack in qualifying, but Filipe Albuquerque will be first in the blue ORECA this afternoon. Jean-Eric Vergne is first in the #26 G-Drive, as Giedo van der Garde will appear first in the #29 Racing Team Nederland machine.
GTE PRO
In the GTE Pro class, Gianmaria Bruni took top spot in the #91 Porsche, the new 911 RSR-19 making its first appearance at Le Mans this year. He'll take the start, but will have to serve a 5s penalty after his first pitstop due to team-mate Fred Makowiecki failing to sufficiently slow during a yellow flag period in Thursday night's FP3 session. James Calado will start the #51 Ferrari that won here last year from second place, with Nicki Thiim kicking off in the #95 Aston Martin from third.
GTE AM
Meanwhile in GTE Am, it'll be Oz Negri in the #61 Luzich Racing Ferrari qualified on pole by Come Ledogar who takes the start. Fellow Bronze Christian Reid will start the second-placed #77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche from second, so look out for the #56 Porsche of works driver Matteo Cairoli - starting third - as your potential early leader.
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Drivers are now in their cars ready for the formation lap as the grid begins to clear.
Autosport
Before we get things underway, why not have a little browse of our traditional 'things we learned at Le Mans' feature - covering the prospects of Rebellion to cause an upset in LMP1, the last iteration of the tyre war in LMP2 and much more: 
Autosport
And if you need a reminder of which car Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak (yes, it's in GTE Am) will be appearing in later, here's the full team by team run-down from GARY WATKINS: 
Green flag
And there's the green flag! Formation lap is underway.
LMP2
The two IDEC Sport cars will start from the back here, following crashes earlier in the week that meant they couldn't partake in qualifying.
Is anybody else's heart thumping? Few moments in the motorsport calendar year can match the final moments before the start at Le Mans. We've had to wait a bit longer than usual, but at long last it's finally here.
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Five-times Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro is the grand marshal this year. He's the man behind the wheel of the Porsche leading the cars slowly around to the grid to start the race.
Lights green
And we're away for the 88th Le Mans 24 Hours!
LMP1
And immediately, Senna looks to bring that #1 Rebellion into the lead, but Conway keeps the #7 ahead. Buemi then challenges in the second Toyota, but Rebellion keeps P2.
GTE PRO
Lead change in GTE Pro as Calado outbreaks Bruni into the second Mulsanne chicane, Aston Martin still holding station in third and fourth.
LMP2
The #29 Racing Team Nederland car of Giedo van der Garde clears Vergne's #26 G-Drive car too at the start, and is now going after Alburquerque in the United Autosports car.
LMP1
A nice battle between Buemi and Senna, and the Rebellion is hanging onto the second spot for the time being.
LMP2
The second United Autosports car, with Alex Brundle taking the first shift, clears Vergne too, shoving that #26 car down into fourth in the LMP2 class.
GTE PRO
Change of position for third as Lynn passes Thiim, meanwhile Estre has lost a place to Toni Vilander in the WeatherTech Ferrari and drops to seventh.
LMP2
There's Negrao in the #36 Signatech Alpine car in the pit already - problems for the team after just one lap.
LMP2
Brundle is now getting at van der Garde, while the #37 Jackie Chan DC Racing machine of Will Stevens is now in pursuit of Vergne, who's lost a few places at the start already.
GTE AM
In GTE Am, it's all change from the qualifying order as Cairoli's Porsche has moved into the lead ahead of Charlie Eastwood's TF Aston and the works-run Aston of Ross Gunn.
GTE PRO
More positional changes on lap two in GTE Pro as Bruni drops behind the two Astons to fourth, while Vilander's privateer Ferrari takes fifth from the works car of Davide Rigon. That wasn't in the script!
LMP2
Still work going on in the Signatech garage on Negrao's car. Meanwhile, the battle for second in LMP2 is very hot - van der Garde, Brundle, Vergne and Stevens all well in the mix, with Yamashita closing.
LMP2
A water leak, then, for the #36 car - hence Negrao's early stoppage.
LMP2
And Negrao's back on track, looking to finally get Signatech's challenge back on the road.
GTE AM
Gunn has moved ahead of fellow Aston factory driver Eastwood's TF Sport car in the battle for second in GTE Am - and then into the lead ahead of Cairoli's Porsche. Quick start from the High Wycombe racer.
LMP1
The front three LMP1 cars are holding position, having all set 3m19s on that previous lap. Conway's 2.5s clear of Senna.
LMP2
Brundle's #32 United Autosports car gets up ahead of van der Garde's yellow machine for second in the LMP2 class. A stern move into what appeared to be Tertre Rouge.
GTE PRO
Bruni has continued his slide backwards in the opening stint - he's now back in sixth, one place ahead of team-mate Estre, the Weissach twins ahead only of the Risi Competizione Ferrari started by home hero Sebastien Bourdais.
LMP2
Vergne's now caught up to van der Garde, and is looking to reclaim third place. Stevens in the Jackie Chan car isn't too far behind, and nor is Yamashita in the High Class Oreca.
GTE PRO
Lynn really challenging Calado now for the lead in GTE Pro, and duly gets the move done into Mulsanne Corner.
GTE AM
The interesting tactic of starting Bronze drivers has had predictable effects for the top two qualifiers in the GTE Am class, with Negri now down to ninth and Reid languishing in P16. Still, some quick drivers to come in those cars - 'tis a 24-hour race after all...
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
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