Le Mans 24 Hours 2014 Wednesday: Practice and qualifying
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Dusk is here at the Circuit de la Sarthe, as evidence by this scenic snap AUTOSPORT grabbed on the way back from a hastily-devoured dinner.
It's the first qualifying session in 10 minutes, and we just couldn't be late for kick-off.
Twitter
The #74 Corvette will be participating in this qualifying session after stopping on track during free practice. The gearbox has been changed. @TommyMilner: "Lost drive in the last session. @CorvetteRacing crew already has it and other issues fixed. I'll be first in the car for the next session."
Twitter
The #90 AF Corse-run 8Star Motorsports Ferrari needs some repair work after an off late in the free practice session. @8starmotor: "The damage to the @8starmotor Ferrari is mostly cosmetic and the car may make an appearance before the end of the current session."
Breaking news
Hello again, we return with news of Loic Duval and the #1 Audi R18.
"Examinations in the hospital of Le Mans have confirmed that Loic Duval is unhurt apart from two grazes to the skin," tweeted Audi Sport. "Audi Sport Team Joest tries everything to have the car ready and running in Thursday’s qualifying."
"Examinations in the hospital of Le Mans have confirmed that Loic Duval is unhurt apart from two grazes to the skin," tweeted Audi Sport. "Audi Sport Team Joest tries everything to have the car ready and running in Thursday’s qualifying."
AUTOSPORT Live is going to take a short break now, please join us again in just over an hour for the two-hour evening qualifying session.
We can confirm that dusk is approaching in La Sarthe, because AUTOSPORT.com Editor GLENN FREEMAN is currently being blinded by the setting sun. See you shortly.
We can confirm that dusk is approaching in La Sarthe, because AUTOSPORT.com Editor GLENN FREEMAN is currently being blinded by the setting sun. See you shortly.
Breaking news
Here's our comprehensive report of the first practice session for the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours:
Toyota fastest as Audi's Duval crashes heavily
Checkered flag
So, at the end of the first four-hour session, these are the leading times:
LMP1:
1. #8 Toyota 3m23.652s
2. #2 Audi +0.324s
3. #7 Toyota +0.639s
4. #1 Audi +1.077s
5. #3 Audi +1.177s
LMP2:
1. #35 OAK Ligier-Nissan 3m40.611s
GTE Pro:
1. #51 AF Corse Ferrari 3m57.028ss
GTE Am:
1. #95 Aston Martin 3m57.015s
LMP1:
1. #8 Toyota 3m23.652s
2. #2 Audi +0.324s
3. #7 Toyota +0.639s
4. #1 Audi +1.077s
5. #3 Audi +1.177s
LMP2:
1. #35 OAK Ligier-Nissan 3m40.611s
GTE Pro:
1. #51 AF Corse Ferrari 3m57.028ss
GTE Am:
1. #95 Aston Martin 3m57.015s
The #24 Sebastien Loeb Racing ORECA-Nissan has just returned to the pits with some damage to the rear end.
Everyone else is filtering back to their respective garages.
Everyone else is filtering back to their respective garages.
The session will not resume.
Montecalvo's AF-run 8 Star 458 Italia is being recovered at the second chicane. Not sure if he's hit the tyres, but he's obviously got stuck.
Red flag
Another red flag. Ten minutes left on the clock.
The #90 8 Star Ferrari of Montecalvo was the cause of that, there's debris down and drivers are being told to keep left.
Yellow flag
Yellow flags already out at the second Mulsanne chicane.
Green flag
Session restarted.
Confirmed session start for 1945 local time (two minutes).
WIth 17 minutes still to run (and the red flags still out) we have cars queueing at the end of the pitlane.
Maris and Palttala, driver of the #75 Prospeed Porsche, have been called to race control.
There's a recovery vehicle on the scene dealing with the Porsche. Difficult to tell the extent of the damage. More info when we get it.
The message from race control suggests contact has played a part in that incident. Cars are now making their way back to the pitlane.
Crash
The #67 Imsa Porsche, driven by Erik Maris, has stopped at the first Mulsanne chicane.
Red flag
Session stopped.
And Klien improves again to a 3m43.725s. He is now 13th in LMP2.
A couple of improvements down the order in LMP2. Adderly Fong has set a 3m44.738s in the #33 OAK Racing Ligier-HPD and is 13th. Christian Klien has done a 3m44.911s in the #43 Morand Racing Morgan-Judd and is two places behind Fong.
Richard Lietz has also lowered the best time of the #92 Manthey Porsche, but not by enough to move it up from sixth in class.
Movement from Gianmaria Bruni, who thrusts the #51 AF Ferrari back to top spot in GTE Pro. He's 0.013s slower than Thiim, but shades Turner's class best by 0.058s.
Jani improves again in the #14 Porsche, setting a 3m27.374s.
No significant improvements in any of the classes as we near the proverbial klaxon to signal the final 30 minutes of the first practice session for the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours.
SCOTT MITCHELL: The GTE cars are pushing on from the Test Day two weeks ago. The best Pro time then was a 3m57.260s from the #92 Manthey Porsche, but Darren Turner's gone two-tenths quicker than that in the first practice session. His 3m57.086s is 3.5s better than the #97 Aston Martin, which had struggled with straightline speed, managed in testing...
The best of the Ams is Nicki Thiim, though to say it's a surprise does him a huge disservice, being the Porsche Supercup champion. Nonetheless, his class-topping 3m57.015s is almost 0.4s quicker than the #90 8 Star Ferrari 458 Italia's best from the Test Day.
The best of the Ams is Nicki Thiim, though to say it's a surprise does him a huge disservice, being the Porsche Supercup champion. Nonetheless, his class-topping 3m57.015s is almost 0.4s quicker than the #90 8 Star Ferrari 458 Italia's best from the Test Day.
Long goes quicker in the Proton Porsche, improving to a 3m58.167s to be precise. He's also on another personal best lap.
As Tommy Milner remains stranded on the right-hand side of the entrance to the Porsche Curves, Jordan Taylor shaves more time off the #73 Corvette's best to go third fastest.
Also improving is the #81 AF Ferrari in the hands of Michele Rugolo, third in class.
Also improving is the #81 AF Ferrari in the hands of Michele Rugolo, third in class.
The #74 Corvette, second from bottom in the GTE Pro times, has slowed to a halt on the entry to the Porsche Curves.
Of equal concern is a message suggesting the #97 Aston is losing fluid at the rear.
Of equal concern is a message suggesting the #97 Aston is losing fluid at the rear.
Long takes another tenth off the Dempsey Porsche's best lap, but it's some way off the class-leading #95 Aston...1.4s in fact.
We haven't seen many improvements in LMP2 of late. The #35 OAK Racing Ligier-Nissan is currently fastest courtesy of Jann Mardenborough. Berthon is second fastest in the Murphy Prototypes ORECA.
How quickly times change in practice. About half an hour ago, the GT classes were being dominated by Ferrari 458 Italias. Now, the Aston Martin Vantages are flexing their muscles.
The GT battles are always ferociously competitive, not just at Le Mans, but in general. All signs thus far point to a similar story this weekend.
The GT battles are always ferociously competitive, not just at Le Mans, but in general. All signs thus far point to a similar story this weekend.
Patrick Long moves the Dempsey Porsche into second in GTE-Am and in amongst the Pro cars as well with a 3m58.512s.
Davidson is fastest in the #8 Toyota, which is currently being driven by Buemi. He's very happy with the start Toyota has made today.
"It's good to start where we finished 2 weeks ago," said Davidson. "We have the same balance so I'm pretty happy how the car feels."
"It's good to start where we finished 2 weeks ago," said Davidson. "We have the same balance so I'm pretty happy how the car feels."
The Team Taisan Ferrari 458 has a moment as it skates across the gravel, but rejoins.
Kirill Ladygin spun the #37 SMP Racing-run ORECA-Nissan 03R at Indianapolis. He has rejoined.
Lots of personal bests being set among the GT fraternity. Jordan Taylor's hauled the #73 Corvette up to fourth in GTE Pro, while the #74 has improved time if not position in the hands of Tommy Milner.
Nygaard, meanwhile, jumps to second in GTE Am in the #98 Aston.
Nygaard, meanwhile, jumps to second in GTE Am in the #98 Aston.
Stopwatch
And the #14 Porsche has now improved with Jani at the wheel. He's still seventh, a couple of seconds slower than the sister car.
By: Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Scott Mitchell, Gary Watkins
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