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WEC 24 Hours of Le Mans

Le Mans 2017: Thursday

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Codling returns, with a fistful of Earl Grey infusions, and offers a litany of excuses that would put Edd Straw's legendary explanations for poor Ginetta race performances to shame. He was, we're told, required to replace an empty reservoir on the water dispenser; there was then a further incidence of time degradation while the extra-full kettle boiled. We're also informed that he frittered away more moments regaling Dunlop's PR team with his banter while helping himself to their Bourbon biscuits.
LMP1
So that engine change and oil supply issue for the #8 Toyota is the first major mechanical trouble we've had at this Le Mans 24 Hours among the five manufacturer cars. It's unlikely to be the last.
The latest at the scene of the accident, where some heavy duty machinery and replacement parts have arrived as the barrier repairs continue:
Information
Estimated session restart, according to race control, is 2005-2010. So that is in between four and nine minutes.
The session is due to finish in 54 minutes. So if it does get going shortly there will be plenty of running left.
Gary Watkins
Will be interesting to see how long it takes Toyota to change the engine in the #8 car. Porsche completed the same task in two and a half hours at the test on the #2 car when it encountered an oil leak.
The 'queue' at the pitlane exit resembles the shambolic shower of humanity trying to get out of the media car park at 1am-ish last night/this morning...
Information
With this lengthy delay, the session has been extended until 2130 local time. That's 30 minutes after the original scheduled finish.
Green flag
And qualifying is back under way here at Le Mans.
Driver Change
Unsurprisingly, there has been a number of driver changes during the interval. Yesterday's pacesetter Kobayashi is now back in the #7 Toyota, while the Porsches are now being handled by Jani (#1) and Bernhard (#2).
The difference between the queue at the end of the pitlane and the one last night in the media car park is that all the scanning on the track is done automatically. There's a system that reads keeps tabs the tyres on each car as it leaves the pits. The down-trodden media have to hold their passes out the window as they try to make a dash for freedom out of the circuit.
LMP2
Among the P2 drivers to have headed out are Collard (#28 TDS ORECA), Prost (#31 Rebellion ORECA), Matelli (#40 Graff ORECA), Petrov (#25 Manor ORECA), Panciatici (#35 Signatech ORECA) and Vergne (#24 Manor ORECA)
Busy in the pitlane as the cars are released back onto the track:
Sun
The sun still shines but it's starting to get low in the sky and long shadows are being cast. Track conditions should be decent for some quick laps.
LMP2
It'll be interesting to see what Manor drivers Vergne and Petrov do. Remember, they held the top two spots for a long time in yesterday's session before being shuffled back to the second row.
Driver Change
Jarvis took over the #38 Jackie Chan DC Racing ORECA during that break, after Laurent drove it before the red flag and took top spot.
Stopwatch
What a lap from Kobayashi! He is immediately on the pace and has improved the #7 Toyota's time to a 3m14.791s that's an improvement of some three seconds!
So remarkable was Kobayashi's lap time, that one distant figure in the media centre put his hands on his head, made a very French noise and then ran away!
LMP2
Vergne puts the #24 Manor ORECA second with a lap of 3m26.871s
LMP1
That was some lap from Kobayashi. He has blitzed the previous pole record of 3m16.887s!
GTE AM
Rees back in the #50 Larbre Corvette. Let's see what he can do before he hands over to his two 'Ams'.
LMP1
The revised LMP1 order. Take a bow Kamui Kobayashi:
LMP2
Various improvements in LMP2 - Heinemeier-Hansson has put the #13 Rebellion ORECA fifth, while the #32 Ligier goes 10th in the hands of Albuquerque.
LMP1
Amid all the excitement of Kobayashi's lap, the Porsches also improved. Jani has put the #1 second on a 3m17.259s (2.468s off Kobayashi), while Bernhard has put in a 3m18.162s in the #2.
LMP2
Matelli has a grassy moment in the #40 Graff ORECA. But he keeps it out of the wall
Stopwatch
Petrov takes LMP2 pole position with a 3m25.549s in the #25 ORECA. That is faster than the LMP1 ByKolles CLM!
GTE PRO
New fastest times from Adam in the #97 Aston (3m52.557s) and Mucke in the #66 Ford (3m52.558s). That puts them briefly third and fourth in class... until Dixon rattles through in 3m52.496 in the #69 Ford. That's the best GTE Pro time of tonight so far.
GTE PRO
Dixon, by the way, is having to right-foot brake again after an interregnum of well over a decade, as a consequence of his Indy shunt.
LMP2
Dumas does a 3m30.691s in the #36 Signatech ORECA. He's gone 12th.
GTE PRO
Adam now goes quickest of all in GTE Pro with a 3m51.860s in the #97 Aston. Last year's pole was 3m51.185s
Driver Change
After setting that blistering time, Kobayashi has now handed the #7 Toyota back to Conway. Can he go any faster?
LMP2
McMurry has put the #45 Algarve Ligier up to seventh with a lap of 3m30.164s. That's the lead non-ORECA.
Gary Watkins
Kobayashi's time has eclipsed the 3m14.8s with which Hans Stuck claimed pole for Le Mans in 1985 on a circuit that had yet to include four of the corners on the current circuit layout.

By: Matt Beer

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