Le Mans 2017: The race
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LMP2
Piquet in the #13 Rebellion is right on top of Negrao in the #35 Signatech ORECA. They are battling for second in class.
LMP1
The lead gap is being slashed now with it down to just two minutes. Bernhard is really pushing on.
Crash
The #13 Rebellion ORECA that runs third in LMP2 has been given a 10-second penalty for colloding with the # 49 Bratislava Ligier the Dunlop Chicane.
LMP1
We haven't updated you on Buemi's progress in the surviving Toyota for a while. But there's a reason for that: there's been very little! He remains five laps behind the #40 Graff ORECA down in ninth overall.
LMP2
The #35 United Autosports Ligier has had a decent run. It's fifth in this ORECA-dominated LMP2 class. The best Dallara is the #47 Villorba example of Sernagiotto.
LMP1
The lead is now 2m20s for Laurent in his ORECA over Bernhard's Porsche.
LMP2
Negrao has gained a bit of breathing space in the battle for second through traffic. But the gap is still only 2.5s.
LMP2
Negrao in the #35 Signatech ORECA is having to work hard to keep Piquet in the #13 Rebellion ORECA behind.
LMP1
In next to no time at all, Bernhard has cut Laurent's lead by around 30s. By 'next to no time at all' we mean a 15-minute period that also included a slow zone.
LMP2
In terms of battles within the LMP2 class, the #38 Jackie Chan DC entry of Laurent has a very comfortable two lap lead. The #35 Signatech ORECA and the #13 Rebellion ORECA are now running together in the battle for second.
Pit stop
Negrao brings the #25 Signatech ORECA that runs second in LMP2 into the pits and heads back out to resume his run.
LMP1
We're back to Bernhard taking at least 10s out of Laurent's lead per lap now. It's unlikely to be too long until we have a P1 in P1.
LMP1
Now the gaps have settled down following the slow zone, Laurent's lead is 2m57s.
Green flag
The track is now clear again with the slow zone ended.
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LMP1
So we now have two hours for the Porsche to catch the leading LMP2 car of Laurent in the #38 Jackie Chan DC Racing ORECA. But this slow zone hasn't helped thus far with the gap between the two extending to 3m46s. Although it's always difficult to read the margins during these phases.
GTE PRO
Serra is in the pits in the #97 Aston bang on the hour - that's 55 minutes since his last stop. Not looking good for getting to the end on just one more...
Driver Change
Nakajima has just pitted in the #8 Toyota and handed over to Buemi for the final stint.
Slow Zone
There's a slow zone to cover the recovery of the LIgier.
Crash
The #45 Algarve Ligier has spun into the gravel at Mulsanne corner. McMurry is at the wheel.
GTE AM
The leading trio in GTE Am now have their highest-rated drivers on board - Stevens in the #84 Ferrari, Cioci in the #55 Ferrari and T Bell in the #62 Ferrari. But the latter two will have to spend the next two hours at qualifying pace to get remotely on terms with the JMW car, which has a lap in hand.
LMP1
In the few minutes since Bernhard unlapped himself the lead gap has already reduced to 3m14s.
Pit stop
The #13 Rebellion ORECA of Piquet has paid a visit to the pits.
LMP1
The #2 Porsche gets back on the lead lap moments ago:
LMP1
Amid the lead battle drama, Nakajima is still circulating in the #8 Toyota but remains ninth and is five laps behind the next car.
LMP2
The #35 Signatech ORECA and the #13 Rebellion ORECA, second and third in class, are separated by just four seconds. Piquet Jr is pressuring Negrao.
LMP1
So that is 3m30s that Bernhard needs to find in the next two hours to take the win. Should be easy if there are no slow zones or safety cars - but there haven't been any disruptions of that ilk for a while.
GTE PRO
Serra is now 2.9s ahead of Taylor at the head of the GTE Pro field. What we still have to see is how many more stops the Aston will require - is the #67 Ford, now on roughly the same pitstop schedule as the #91 Porsche, a stealth candidate for the podium?
LMP1
The #2 Porsche has just unlapped itself from the leading #38 Jackie Chan car. The gap from Bernhard to Laurent is now 3m30s.
Perhaps the stewards will decide the #49, to paraphrase Grace Jones, is a 'slava to the rhythm.
Information
That incident between #49 and #13 is being investigated.
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Crash
The #49 Bratislava Ligier driven by Calko has spun after clashing with one the #13 Rebellion ORECA at Dunlop.
"Hello? Hello? Sorry, I must have…" Watkins fields another quizzical return call from a pocket-dial victim.
Quote
Mark Webber tells Eurosport that Porsche is aware of the danger posed by slow zones, as they would halt the #2 car's charge. "At the moment it looks like we have time to do it, so we hope..." he adds.
Pit stop
Laurent is now back out of the pits and still leads Bernhard by more than a lap.
Pit stop
Laurent has headed to the pits from the lead in the #38 Jackie Chan DC Racing ORECA.
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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DCmNiAvXYAAXaqu.jpg"/>The last time a Dunlop-shod car led @24hoursoflemans #LeMans24 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DCmNiAvXYAAXaqu.jpg
GTE PRO
Pilet brings in the #91 Porsche for what will be its last full service - those tyres should last to the end now.
By: Matt Beer
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