Le Mans 24 Hours 2014 The 82nd Le Mans 24 Hours
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Wurz leads by 32s, and the next three cars are nose-to-tail. It's currently Lotterer, Lapierre, Bonanomi - covered by just one second!
Lapierre has a little look at Lotterer into the second Mulsanne chicane, but he thinks better of it.
Lapierre has a little look at Lotterer into the second Mulsanne chicane, but he thinks better of it.
Imperatori has now pulled out a lead of over 10 seconds in LMP2 in the #47 ORECA, with Mardenborough second in the #35 Ligier.
Bird pits the leading GTE Am car, and Makowiecki follows him in as well.
That means it's an Aston one-two in Am as Thiim (13 seconds clear of Lamy) assumes the lead.
That means it's an Aston one-two in Am as Thiim (13 seconds clear of Lamy) assumes the lead.
As the #14 Porsche is wheeled back out of the garage, the #20 car re-passes Kristensen. The nine-time winner is straight back past in the next braking zone though.
Action everywhere in LMP1 as Lapierre attacks Lotterer again, and Bernhard and Kristensen swap places twice on the run to Indianapolis. Kristensen emerges ahead - for now.
Action everywhere in LMP1 as Lapierre attacks Lotterer again, and Bernhard and Kristensen swap places twice on the run to Indianapolis. Kristensen emerges ahead - for now.
Kristensen has picked off Bernhard's Porsche for P5.
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@NissanZEODRC: "Amazing week. We hit 300km/h on electric, did a full electric lap but our race was short. Thanks to the fans for all their support."
Lapierre is climbing all over the back of Lotterer for second as they pick their way through some GTE traffic.
GARY WATKINS: Panctiatici has dropped out of the lead P2 gaggle in the Signatech Alpine ORECA. The pit-in to pit-out times suggest that he took tyres - unlike any of his rivals.
LMP1 after first stops:
1 Wurz (Toyota)
2 Lotterer (Audi)
3 Lapierre (Toyota)
4 Bonanomi (Audi)
5 Bernhard (Porsche)
6 Kristensen (Audi)
7 Heidfeld (Rebellion)
8 Belicchi (Rebellion)
1 Wurz (Toyota)
2 Lotterer (Audi)
3 Lapierre (Toyota)
4 Bonanomi (Audi)
5 Bernhard (Porsche)
6 Kristensen (Audi)
7 Heidfeld (Rebellion)
8 Belicchi (Rebellion)
We have the first pitstop among the GT leaders – Gavin's in at the end of the 11th lap. Turner moves up into third, so we have three different makes in the top three.
The GTE mob can eke out a good 14-lap-stint, just for reference.
The GTE mob can eke out a good 14-lap-stint, just for reference.
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The Nissan ZEOD RC has become the first car to retire officially from Le Mans after suffering a suspected gearbox problem. The car, driven by Reip, stopped on track early in the race.
@NissanZEODRC: "Request went to race control to bring the car back - we have freedom in technical regulations, but not sporting regulations"
@NissanZEODRC: "Request went to race control to bring the car back - we have freedom in technical regulations, but not sporting regulations"
Lotterer has just stayed ahead of Lapierre during the stops to hang onto second, but he's only 1.3s ahead of the second Toyota now.
Imperatori has built up a has built up a lead of five seconds in LMP2 in the #47 KCMG ORECA. Gommendy is second in the #46 TDS Ligier with Tincknell third in the #38 Zytek.
12 laps in the books and race leader Wurz is in the Toyota pit for another tank of fuel. He rejoins just as Lotterer is entering the pits, and the Audi makes a point by not backing out and nearly collecting the Toyota. If this was Formula 1, that would be classed as an 'unsafe release', surely.
Bernhard pits the #20 Porsche as well.
Bernhard pits the #20 Porsche as well.
The #27 SMP ORECA, driven by MInassian, had a lengthy pitstop earlier and did rejoin, but has just returned to the pits and been wheeled into the garage. The sister #37 car, driven by Salo, did get going again but was in the pits for almost half-an-hour.
Lapierre was closing on Lotterer in second, so perhaps Toyota is hoping to jump the Audi in this first sequence of stops.
Change for the GTE lead!
Magnussen gets alongside Bruni on the run out of Mulsanne corner and slips past the Ferrari as they sweep through the right hander before it tightens for Indianapolis.
It's been a few laps in the making, but the Corvette leads.
Magnussen gets alongside Bruni on the run out of Mulsanne corner and slips past the Ferrari as they sweep through the right hander before it tightens for Indianapolis.
It's been a few laps in the making, but the Corvette leads.
First stop for a Toyota - Lapierre brings the #8 car in after 11 laps.
Matt McMurry has become the youngest driver to take to the track in the Le Mans 24 Hours. He has taken over the #41 Greaves Zytek from Kimber-Smith. He is just 16 years, 202 days.
GARY WATKINS: The slow zone appears to have played to Toyota's strengths. Wurz increased his lead over Lotterer dramatically during that phase - a result of the TS040's superior acceleration thanks to its greater hybrid punch perhaps?
A look at the moment the field rounded the Ford chicane – that was only 40 minutes ago, and a lot's happened since!
Wurz leads Lotterer by 25s now, with Lapierre just 2s behind the Audi in third.
Magnussen almost gets alongside Bruni as they approach the Porsche Curves. He slots back in behind the #51 Ferrari for now.
Bonanomi pits in the #3 Audi from fourth place, with 10 laps in the books.
Green flag
Slow zone cleared.
Bird has dropped back from the lead quartet but the Am leader has a comfortable class lead over Thiim, who is almost 7s back.
Jani makes it back to the pits, and the #14 car is wheeled back into the garage.
Magnussen is attacking Bruni for the lead. The Corvette draws right up behind the Ferrari, but then they reach the slow zone...
...battle neutralised.
...battle neutralised.
Telemetry graphics show Jani is at full throttle but can't get above 60km/h. He's just coming out of the Porsche Curves.
The #14 Porsche is crawling on the run from Arnage! Jani has slowed dramatically, and a cockpit shot shows he is busy with the buttons on the steering wheel.
There's a lead GT group formed now, as Makowiecki has dropped back from Bird.
Bruni has Magnussen, Gavin, Turner and Bird for close company at the front. No change behind.
Bruni has Magnussen, Gavin, Turner and Bird for close company at the front. No change behind.
In LMP2, the #26 Morgan (Pla), the #48 ORECA (Berthon), the #24 ORECA (Rast) and the #42 Zytek (Kimber-Smith) are all in the pits.
Kristensen rejoins from that early stop 1m15s off the lead.
We have a change of lead in LMP2. Imperatori has gone into first place in the #47 KCMG ORECA, jumping ahead of Tincknell and Gommendy. He's gone from seventh to first in this stint.
Yellow flag
Marshals are now clearing up the gravel in the slow zone.
Kristensen pits the #1 Audi at the end of lap eight...
Yellow flag
And the slow zone is now active at the Mulsanne chicane.
Wurz is having a better run through the traffic at the moment. He was 3s quicker than Lotterer on the previous lap and now leads by 14 seconds.
Minassian has brought the #37 SMP ORECA into the pits.
Not that it's relevant now, but Magnussen had closed the gap to Bruni to just a second. He'll be primed for an attack after the slow zone, surely.
By: Geoff Creighton, Scott Mitchell, Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Gary Watkins, AUTOSPORT staff
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