Le Mans 24 Hours 2015 The 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours
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Unfortunately for the two Nissans that are still in the race, neither of them will be classified finishers even if they are still rolling at the finish.
You have to complete 70 per cent of the winner's distance, and it's strongest car is behind that with no chance of being able to get any closer.
You have to complete 70 per cent of the winner's distance, and it's strongest car is behind that with no chance of being able to get any closer.
Bernhard was the main LMP1 runner to get hurt by the latest slow zone for that rogue LMP2 tyre - he ended up doing a 4m00s lap while everyone else was in the low 3m20s. He's 2m20s behind Bamber in the race-leading #19 Porsche.
The #92 Porsche remains in the pits for "maintenance work".
Twitter
Apparently, the rain is intensifying:
@AMR_Official: "There is rain here at Le Mans, particularly at Mulsanne corner. Could there be a late twist to the tale?"
@AMR_Official: "There is rain here at Le Mans, particularly at Mulsanne corner. Could there be a late twist to the tale?"
Lapierre ticks over onto KCMG's 302nd lap. He leads Rusinov by 1m55s, with Evans a further 32s behind. The latter's charge has slowed somewhat in recent laps.
In fourth and firth, Vanthoor and Gonzales have pitted in their OAK and G-Drive-run Ligiers. Vanthoor hands over to Estre, Gonzales to Yacaman.
In fourth and firth, Vanthoor and Gonzales have pitted in their OAK and G-Drive-run Ligiers. Vanthoor hands over to Estre, Gonzales to Yacaman.
Bernhard brings the #17 Porsche in from second, 2m31s behind the leading #19 car.
After another 12-lap stint, Lapierre pits for fuel and rejoins the race.
Having stopped a lap earlier, the #28 G-Drive entry has been handed a drive-through penalty for speeding in pitlane. And the #35 OAK entry - one we've not mentioned much - has received a stop-go.
Having stopped a lap earlier, the #28 G-Drive entry has been handed a drive-through penalty for speeding in pitlane. And the #35 OAK entry - one we've not mentioned much - has received a stop-go.
Twitter
@Scuderia_Corsa: "@townsendbell in #62 @Ferrari flying in 3:59.287 on wet @24hoursoflemans! 3Hrs30min to go, 279laps completed."
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Bernhard rejoins just ahead of Bamber, and he lets the race leader by with ease out of Arnage to fall one lap down again in second.
The #9 Audi is pushed into the garage. Could this be related to the hybrid system problem Rast said was affecting the car's pace?
Bonanomi brought the car in from third, but at this rate Lotterer is going to take that position in the #7 car. Sure enough, through he goes.
Bonanomi brought the car in from third, but at this rate Lotterer is going to take that position in the #7 car. Sure enough, through he goes.
This will further ease the pressure on Porsche, which now has two cars in an even more commanding position. As it stands, the only thing that can stop the #19 Porsche from winning is a failure or a blunder.
The #17 Porsche is passed by the #7 Audi this lap - that gets the Audi (3rd) back on the same lap as the second-placed car it has just overtaken.
#9 Audi still in the garage, with front bodywork off.
#9 Audi still in the garage, with front bodywork off.
Bonanomi rejoins the action after 3m17s in the pits, with Audi only describing it as an "unscheduled stop" for the moment.
It's dropped to 5th, behind the #8 Audi as well now.
It's dropped to 5th, behind the #8 Audi as well now.
Bonanomi Le Mans 2015
Stop-go penalty with an engine restart for the fourth-placed GTE Am Riley Viper.
Bird is back in the #26 G-Drive entry, replacing Rusinov. The team has relinquished second place to Evans in the Jota car.
More problems for the #9 - Bonanomi goes straight on at the second Mulsanne chicane on his outlap after that visit to the Audi garage.
Lietz rejoins in the #91 Porsche, which has lost over half an hour with a gearbox leak. It's now behind the #95 Aston, so fifth in GTE Pro.
Twitter
@MHowsonRacing: "Less than 4 hours to go and we still lead here at Le Mans, Nico is flying! Rain falling, it's not over yet #LeMans."
Bird is only in third briefly. Evans pits on the very next lap and the G-Drive second, Jota third rapport we've all come to know and love in recent hours is back again. Now, though, Evans is within seven seconds of Bird.
Lapierre is a further 2m15s up the road.
Lapierre is a further 2m15s up the road.
Twitter
@Audi__Sport: "The No. 9 crew checked the steering on the car - all okay, but wanted to be sure"
Lotterer is still charging in 3rd, lapping in the 3m20s while the Porsches ahead of him are in the 3m21-23s range at the moment.
Lotterer has just gained a lap back on the leading #19 car, meaning he is just inside two laps down.
Lotterer has just gained a lap back on the leading #19 car, meaning he is just inside two laps down.
Stopwatch
The Lotterer charge continues - he sets a new fastest lap in the third-placed #7 Audi: 3m17.476s.
Bird has responded to the threat of Evans with the #26's best lap of the day, a 3m37.884s effort. He's now the best part of 10 seconds clear.
There's not been much to say on the GTE fight, but Taylor's set the #64 Corvette's best time in pursuit of Bruni.
A 3m54.823s helps get the gap to the Ferrari down to 17 seconds or so.
A 3m54.823s helps get the gap to the Ferrari down to 17 seconds or so.
We've got another Audi being wheeled into the garage - this time it's the #8 car from fourth place. Bonanomi goes through in the #9, so he's up to fourth.
There are 44 rookies in this race, and if nothing changes, two of them are going to be in the winning car - Nico Hulkenberg and Earl Bamber.
The #8 Audi returns to the track with di Grassi at the wheel, after 3m10s in the pits.
Here's how it stands:
1 #19 Porsche (Bamber)
2 #17 Porsche (Bernhard)
3 #7 Audi (Lotterer)
4 #9 Audi (Bonanomi)
5 #8 Audi (Di Grassi)
6 #18 Porsche (Dumas)
7 #2 Toyota (Sarrazin)
8 #1 Toyota (Nakajima)
1 #19 Porsche (Bamber)
2 #17 Porsche (Bernhard)
3 #7 Audi (Lotterer)
4 #9 Audi (Bonanomi)
5 #8 Audi (Di Grassi)
6 #18 Porsche (Dumas)
7 #2 Toyota (Sarrazin)
8 #1 Toyota (Nakajima)
The #19 Porsche has a lead of a lap over the #18 car, so there's no possibility of that being closed on pace without another factor intervening.
Twitter
Update from Audi after that latest lengthy stop
@Audi__Sport: "Crew of car No. 8 changed and fixed the engine cover. Lost just over 2 minutes in the pit garage."
@Audi__Sport: "Crew of car No. 8 changed and fixed the engine cover. Lost just over 2 minutes in the pit garage."
Every now and again, it's worth mentioning how the Toyotas are getting on. Last time we looked (and the time before that, and the time before that etc) its two cars were seventh and eighth and well off the pace of the Porsches and the Audis. Well, nothing has changed...
Bamber dives in for fuel in the leading #19 Porsche.
We've also got Bonanomi in for fuel in the #9 Audi.
And he's being wheeled into the garage.
Twitter
Finally some good news from Nissan:
@NISMO: "The No.22 is back in the race! No.23 still being worked on."
@NISMO: "The No.22 is back in the race! No.23 still being worked on."
The #9 Audi is still being worked on in the garage.
Lapierre's march continues into the final three hours. KCMG leads by 2m13s, and he's just set a new fastest lap for the car - 3m36.836s.
Currently, Dumas in the #18 Porsche is the fastest on the track. He did a 3m19.590s last time round. That car is in fifth and 80.6s behind the #8 Audi.
The #8 Audi has returned to the pits. It is not yet clear what has caused this unscheduled stop.
And the #8 Audi of Di Grassi returns to the track. That's closed up the battle for fourth.
By: Scott Mitchell, AUTOSPORT staff, Mitchell Adam, Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Gary Watkins
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