Le Mans 24 Hours 2015 The 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours
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Third-placed Jani gets baulked lapping the TDS LMP2 car at the first Mulsanne chicane, giving Bernhard a chance to regroup and try to get after new leader Lotterer.
Duval rejoins from the pits just behind the Hulkenberg/Bonanomi fight, so it's as-you-were back there.
We should see #7 Audi and #2 Toyota in this lap.
Sure enough, Lotterer pits from the lead, leaving Bernhard and Jani on track to assume a one-two for Porsche again.
Wurz brings the #2 Toyota in as well.
Wurz brings the #2 Toyota in as well.
Turvey has pitted again in the Greaves entry, a much smoother stop this time around, and he rejoins the race.
KCMG's class leader Bradley is now in as well, Gommendy was involved with the Porsches while being lapped a moment ago, we'll wait to see who emerges in the effective LMP2 lead.
The Signatech Alpine has also pitted, looks like Berthon in the Murphy entry will take the lead again, running a lap or two longer than its rivals.
KCMG's class leader Bradley is now in as well, Gommendy was involved with the Porsches while being lapped a moment ago, we'll wait to see who emerges in the effective LMP2 lead.
The Signatech Alpine has also pitted, looks like Berthon in the Murphy entry will take the lead again, running a lap or two longer than its rivals.
The #17 should pit at the end of the current lap, handing the lead to the sister #18 Porsche. The #1 Toyota is also due in.
As expected, Bernhard brings the leading #17 Porsche into the pits for what should be a fuel-only stop.
The #64 Corvette stopped a lap earlier than the others in the GTE Pro battle, at the end of its 12th tour.
With an outlap, a flying lap and four laps under the safety car, we should be halfway through the second stints.
With an outlap, a flying lap and four laps under the safety car, we should be halfway through the second stints.
That hands the lead to Jani in the #18 Porsche, but he'll only have a lap to enjoy it as he's due in for fuel next time round.
Stopwatch
New fastest lap from Bernhard in the #17 Porsche last time round.
The #1 Toyota also made a fuel-only stop, as anticipated.
Berthon has now pitted, a lap after Gommendy, but it's a moot point. The speed of KCMG's stop - and track position advantage from the safety car groupings - meant he rejoined in the lead of the race.
Gommendy, who led before these stops, is now 15 seconds behind. Russinov in the G-Drive OAK will be third, a further 25 seconds behind, ahead of Lancaster.
Gommendy, who led before these stops, is now 15 seconds behind. Russinov in the G-Drive OAK will be third, a further 25 seconds behind, ahead of Lancaster.
Here comes the #17 Porsche, which was flying again on that lap with Bernhard. Fuel only.
Krohn has spun at the first Mulsanne chicane, and ended up located precariously on the inside of the blind apex.
The rejoin was interesting, seems like he got away with it. Although the director cut away from it mid-manoeuvre to show a shot of a gentleman standing in pitlane, who was probably watching what we were watching.
The rejoin was interesting, seems like he got away with it. Although the director cut away from it mid-manoeuvre to show a shot of a gentleman standing in pitlane, who was probably watching what we were watching.
So that completed the second round of pitstops for the leading LMP1 cars. All the Porsches, Audis and Toyotas are now into their third stint on their starting set of tyres after all taking tyres only at those stops.
Lotterer spent four seconds longer in the pits than the Porsches, and that dropped him behind them both. But he made short work of Jani to reclaim second, pouncing on the #18 as it was baulked out of Tertre Rouge by an LMP2 car.
Bernhard leads by 2.1s.
Bernhard leads by 2.1s.
Gavin's edged clear of Stanaway slightly this lap in the fight for fourth. If they stick to the same pattern as the first stint, the Corvette should be in the pits at the end of this tour, with the remaining GTE Pro cars to follow suit next time round.
Here's how they stand at the front after 28 laps
1 #17 Porsche
2 #7 Audi, +1.853s
3 #18 Porsche, +5.262s
4 #19 Porsche, +18.001s
5 #9 Audi, +22.824s
6 #8 Audi, +28.748s
7 #1 Toyota, +36.028s
8 #2 Toyota, +50.992s
1 #17 Porsche
2 #7 Audi, +1.853s
3 #18 Porsche, +5.262s
4 #19 Porsche, +18.001s
5 #9 Audi, +22.824s
6 #8 Audi, +28.748s
7 #1 Toyota, +36.028s
8 #2 Toyota, +50.992s
Griffin's got the #55 Ferrari back ahead of the #77 Porsche in the fight for third in GTE Am. Good battle that, shame we missed the pass.
The #31 Extreme Speed Motorsports Ligier has spun at the end of Mulsanne. Lost the rear, ended up on the exit, and has crossed the track to park on the inside. Brown has now resumed.
Staying out longer each time has moved the Murphy Prototypes entry up to fifth, but Berthon now has Estre all over the back of the ORECA.
Staying out longer each time has moved the Murphy Prototypes entry up to fifth, but Berthon now has Estre all over the back of the ORECA.
Gavin doesn't pit, he goes on to his 14th lap. The four laps under the safety car has bought back enough fuel to extend the stint length this time.
Gavin's under pressure from Stanaway for fourth now. The New Zealander dives past into Mulsanne corner but runs wide.
Gavin cuts back underneath and forces the youngster wide, and Calado gets by both! Excellent driving.
Gavin's under pressure from Stanaway for fourth now. The New Zealander dives past into Mulsanne corner but runs wide.
Gavin cuts back underneath and forces the youngster wide, and Calado gets by both! Excellent driving.
Stanaway got ahead of Gavin as well, although Calado's immediately gapped both drivers.
Gavin stays out again.
Gavin stays out again.
Unseen by the cameras, Lotterer has retaken the lead in the #7 Audi.
A poor lap from Lietz in the only remaining Porsche has dropped the #91 behind the two leading Am entries, the #72 Ferrari and #77 Porsche.
The #98 Aston just pit, dalla Lana taking over from Lamy.
The #98 Aston just pit, dalla Lana taking over from Lamy.
Krohn has had an eventful race with two spins already, the latest after contact with the #30 Extreme Speed Motorsports Ligier.
Krohn Le Mans 2015
So it's Stanaway who has to yield first at the end of the second stint, bringing the #99 Aston in as Gavin remains on track in the #74 Corvette.
Lietz also pits in the #92 Porsche.
Lietz also pits in the #92 Porsche.
Lotterer is charging - he's 3.2s clear of Bernhard now at the front. Jani is 7.8s off the lead in the second Porsche, with Hulkenberg 18s behind the leader in fourth.
With all of the focus on Porsche and Audi battling up front, Toyota has slipped under the radar. Currently, #1 is 47 seconds off the lead, with #2 just over a minute down after two hours. The fastest lap we've seen by a Toyota is in the 3m24s bracket, whereas the fastest lap overall is a 3m19.
Hulkenberg is holding his own in the fight for fourth with the Audis of Bonanomi and Duval. He's got a 3s cushion over the #9 and 9s over the #8.
Yellow flag
The #30 ESM Ligier, which copped a hit from Krohn earlier, is in the gravel. Looks like the exit of Tetre Rouge. That's required a slow zone. The sister car, #31 has also been involved in an incident around the same time.
The lead Nissan LMP1 is currently running seventh in LMP2...
Tincknell is at the wheel of the #22. Both it and the #21 car have run relatively smoothly so far and are in 16th and 19th places overall (although the #21 car did have a door come open on track). The third car, the #23 of Mardenborough, is down in 52nd after its late start thanks to a clutch problem.
Tincknell is at the wheel of the #22. Both it and the #21 car have run relatively smoothly so far and are in 16th and 19th places overall (although the #21 car did have a door come open on track). The third car, the #23 of Mardenborough, is down in 52nd after its late start thanks to a clutch problem.
A few driver changes in that bout of GTE Pro pitstops:
#51 Ferrari, Fisichella in for Bruni
# 71 Ferrari, Rigon in for Calado
#63 Corvette, Milner in for Gavin
#91 Porsche, Christensen in for Lietz
#51 Ferrari, Fisichella in for Bruni
# 71 Ferrari, Rigon in for Calado
#63 Corvette, Milner in for Gavin
#91 Porsche, Christensen in for Lietz
So here's how LMP2 looks as we enter the third hour:
1 KCMG Oreca (Bradley)
2 TDS ORECA (Gommendy) +17s
3 Greaves Gibson (Lancaster) +1m11s
4 OAK Ligier (Estre) +1m40s
5 Murphy ORECA (Berthon) +1m49s
Gommendy was running about seven seconds behind Bradley before having a spin at the first Mulsanne chicane, while Rusinov was in that pack in the #26 G-Drive OAK but has now made the car's third pitstop.
1 KCMG Oreca (Bradley)
2 TDS ORECA (Gommendy) +17s
3 Greaves Gibson (Lancaster) +1m11s
4 OAK Ligier (Estre) +1m40s
5 Murphy ORECA (Berthon) +1m49s
Gommendy was running about seven seconds behind Bradley before having a spin at the first Mulsanne chicane, while Rusinov was in that pack in the #26 G-Drive OAK but has now made the car's third pitstop.
One of Fisichella's first tasks is to deal with an over-enthusiastic LMP2, which attempts to pass the Ferrari at the Ford chicane and succeeds in forcing both to run wide.
That's allowed Mucke, who has stayed in the #97 Aston, to attack for third.
That's allowed Mucke, who has stayed in the #97 Aston, to attack for third.
The reason Fisichella and Mucke are squabbling over third is simple: Stanaway's leapt back to second in the #99 Aston by virtue of not making a driver change.
This is the order after the second stops:
1. #95 Aston, Thiim
2. #99 Aston, Stanaway
3. #51 Ferrari, Fisichella
4. #97 Aston, Mucke
5. #71 Ferrari, Rigon
This is the order after the second stops:
1. #95 Aston, Thiim
2. #99 Aston, Stanaway
3. #51 Ferrari, Fisichella
4. #97 Aston, Mucke
5. #71 Ferrari, Rigon
The first of the frontrunners we're expecting in for the third round of pitstops is the #9 Audi, currently in the hands of Bonanomi and the Hulkenberg Porsche.
Lotterer's lead over Bernhard has hovered around 3-4s over the last few laps.
Jani, in third, has slipped to 15s off the lead, while Hulkenberg is +27s to Lotterer in the third Porsche.
Without Lotterer's heroics in the #7, we'd have a Porsche 1-2-3 at the moment with Bonanomi and Duval being kept at arm's length.
Jani, in third, has slipped to 15s off the lead, while Hulkenberg is +27s to Lotterer in the third Porsche.
Without Lotterer's heroics in the #7, we'd have a Porsche 1-2-3 at the moment with Bonanomi and Duval being kept at arm's length.
An issue for the #55 Ferrari, which Duncan Cameron is nursing back to the pits with a puncture. That car was running third in GTE Am.
Twitter
@sambirdracing: "First stint down. Many to go. This will be a great fight all the way to the finish I hope."
Stopwatch
Lotterer sticks the boot in to Porsche - a new fastest lap of 3m18.865s.
By: Scott Mitchell, AUTOSPORT staff, Mitchell Adam, Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Gary Watkins
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