Le Mans 24 Hours 2015 The 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours
Live Text
Sort by
Meanwhile, Fassler has picked up the pace in the #7 Audi that runs second during the past few laps.
Well, Fassler had done, but he has just lost over six seconds! Hulkenberg's lead is up to 90.577s now.
Bird has now pitted, as has Chandhok in the Murphy entry. No driver changes for either entry, it will put KCMG a lap ahead again.
Yellow flag
We have a slow zone for debris near Porsche Curves.
Replays show that the debris has come off the rear of the #7 Aud, driven by Fassler. He seems happy to stay out at the moment.
But, saying that, he just had a brief wide moment at Arnage.
Fassler brings the #7 Audi in. It's wheeled back into the garage.
The #13 Rebellion, driving by Imperatori, has a trip through the gravel.
Hulkenberg now leads by over three minutes from Rast, but he is due a pitstop.
And, sure enough, Hulkenberg heads into the pits for a top-up of fuel.
Here's how things stand:
1 #19 Porsche (Hulkenberg)
2 #9 Audi (Rast)
3 #17 Porsche (Webber)
4 #8 Audi (Jarvis)
5 #7 Audi (Fassler)
6 #18 Porsche (Dumas)
7 #2 Toyota (Wurz)
8 #1 Toyota (Buemi)
1 #19 Porsche (Hulkenberg)
2 #9 Audi (Rast)
3 #17 Porsche (Webber)
4 #8 Audi (Jarvis)
5 #7 Audi (Fassler)
6 #18 Porsche (Dumas)
7 #2 Toyota (Wurz)
8 #1 Toyota (Buemi)
Yellow flag
The AF Corsa GTE Am car has clashed with the Ibanez ORECA LMP2 machine, leaving debris on the track.
Green flag
But it's now clear.
Hulkenberg's lead has shaken out at 2m23.5s over Rast. Given the pace of the #19 Porsche, if it runs cleanly to the end and there are no errors, there's nothing Audi can do to catch it.
The #22 Nissan has just done its best lap in the hands of Krumm - a 3m37.944s. That's 20 seconds off the fastest overall, set by Albuquerque.
Both of the Rebellions are currently in the garage. Looks like there will be no repeat of last year's fourth place.
Rast and Hulkenberg are lapping at similar pace now. What really made the difference was that, while Hulkenberg was immediately able to lap rapidly, Rast took a few laps to settle in.
Hulkenberg is expected into the pits shortly.
This race is incredibly close. Want to know how close? The top four - Hulkenberg, Rast, Webber and Jarvis, were separated by four tenths last lap round.
A Sunday morning driver change for KCMG. Howson is out after his stint and Bradley - who set the car's time to secure pole position on Wednesday - is back in for the LMP2 leader.
Does Wednesday feel like a lifetime ago to anyone else?
Does Wednesday feel like a lifetime ago to anyone else?
The #17 Porsche pits from third place. Webber stays aboard and the car is sent out with another 68 litres of fuel.
Rast takes to the extremities of the straight to get around one of the Toyotas as he laps it. Remember, that's the same Toyota that won last year's World Endurance Championship, should have won Le Mans and yet is now miles off the pace.
Status quo in GTE with just over seven-and-a-half hours remaining, with Fisichella holding a 64-second lead over Gavin in Pro, albeit still to make its brake change.
In Am, Bertolini has just pitted in the second-placed SMP Racing Ferrari, which only helps the sizeable lead Lamy is building in his Aston Martin.
In Am, Bertolini has just pitted in the second-placed SMP Racing Ferrari, which only helps the sizeable lead Lamy is building in his Aston Martin.
A 3m18.862s last time round for Hulkenberg. That's two or three seconds faster than the pace has been in previous laps.
Dumas brings the #18 Porsche in for fuel.
Twitter
Time for a late charge from the Strakka Racing, currently seventh in LMP2 with its Dome?
@StrakkaRacing: Latest delivery to the garage worth around half a second a lap
@StrakkaRacing: Latest delivery to the garage worth around half a second a lap
Breaking news
In very related news, if anyone fancies bringing AUTOSPORT some breakfast goodies, we're in room three of the media centre, above the Krohn Racing garage.
While Hulkenberg is stealing Webber's thunder as top F1 convert in this race, he has been quick to point out how helpful the Australian has been.
"He as been very helpful, he's been giving me a lot of hints and tips" said Hulkenberg in a a recent interview with AUTOSPORT.
"I've spoken to him quite a bit. He just shares his thoughts and information. What he went through last year wasn't long ago, so we chat quite a bit."
"He as been very helpful, he's been giving me a lot of hints and tips" said Hulkenberg in a a recent interview with AUTOSPORT.
"I've spoken to him quite a bit. He just shares his thoughts and information. What he went through last year wasn't long ago, so we chat quite a bit."
If you would like to create your own weather speculation, be our guest. But, for now, AUTOSPORT can only confirm that it either will or will not rain.
Stopwatch
New fastest lap in LMP2, set by Turvey who's still pushing hard in the Jota Sport Gibson, which lost a pair of laps in the first hour yesterday, then had a puncture overnight. It's a 3m37.440s.
Lead change in GTE Pro, the Gavin-steered #64 Corvette is back in top spot, after Fisichella pitted in the #51 AF Corse Ferrari. The team installed Vilander in the car, and elected to make its brake change, which Corvette had one earlier.
There's also been a driver change in the GTE Am-leading Aston, with Lamy out and Dalla Lana in. The #98 holds a two-minute buffer over the chasing Ferrari.
Progress in the #19 Porsche remains serene, with the #9 Audi of Rast a distant second. Remember, these two cars are the third entires for the two manufacturers, rather than full-season WEC entires. Both did the Spa 6 Hours last month as a warm-up.
Jarvis brings the #8 Audi that runs fourth in for fuel.
The #7 Audi cycles into fourth place as a result. Fassler is at the wheel of that car, which was battling for the lead until shedding its engine cover and some rear bodywork in the last hour.
Some movement in LMP2. Bird has pitted to finish his stint, handing the G-Drive entry over to Canal. It remains in second place.
Murphy also pitted from third and while Chandhok is still in the car, it has been leapfrogged by Turvey. The Jota pilot has also set a new LMP2 fastest lap, 3m36.679s as his push continues.
Murphy also pitted from third and while Chandhok is still in the car, it has been leapfrogged by Turvey. The Jota pilot has also set a new LMP2 fastest lap, 3m36.679s as his push continues.
Gavin now leads GTE by 11.2 seconds over the Vilander Ferrari.
Rast brings the #9 Audi into the pits for fuel.
Yellow flag
Big shunt. It's Goethe in the #96 Aston GTE AM on the run to the final chicanes. Safety car.
With the safety car deployed, let's see how this affects the lead battle.
By: Scott Mitchell, AUTOSPORT staff, Mitchell Adam, Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Gary Watkins
Published:
Page:
