Le Mans 24 Hours 2015 The 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours
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Jarvis brings the #8 Audi that runs fourth in for fuel.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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
Dumas brings the #18 Porsche in for fuel.
A 3m18.862s last time round for Hulkenberg. That's two or three seconds faster than the pace has been in previous laps.
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.
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.
The #17 Porsche pits from third place. Webber stays aboard and the car is sent out with another 68 litres of fuel.
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?
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.
Hulkenberg is expected into the pits shortly.
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.
Both of the Rebellions are currently in the garage. Looks like there will be no repeat of last year's fourth place.
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.
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.
Green flag
But it's now clear.
Yellow flag
The AF Corsa GTE Am car has clashed with the Ibanez ORECA LMP2 machine, leaving debris on the track.
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)
And, sure enough, Hulkenberg heads into the pits for a top-up of fuel.
Hulkenberg now leads by over three minutes from Rast, but he is due a pitstop.
The #13 Rebellion, driving by Imperatori, has a trip through the gravel.
Fassler brings the #7 Audi in. It's wheeled back into the garage.
But, saying that, he just had a brief wide moment at Arnage.
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.
Yellow flag
We have a slow zone for debris near Porsche Curves.
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.
Well, Fassler had done, but he has just lost over six seconds! Hulkenberg's lead is up to 90.577s now.
Meanwhile, Fassler has picked up the pace in the #7 Audi that runs second during the past few laps.
Di Grassi brings in the #8 Audi and hands over to Oliver Jarvis.
Bird has been one of the strongest drivers in LMP2 all week. He's chipping away at KCMG's lead, it's now 2m42s with just over eight hours of racing remaining. A lifetime, basically.
The car has looked good, but ultimately you'd suggest Rusinov and Canal haven't been able to get as much out of it as the 2013 GP2 runner-up.
KCMG on the other hand, has so far far enjoyed a very balanced, high-level output from its three drivers.
The car has looked good, but ultimately you'd suggest Rusinov and Canal haven't been able to get as much out of it as the 2013 GP2 runner-up.
KCMG on the other hand, has so far far enjoyed a very balanced, high-level output from its three drivers.
Hulkenberg is stretching his lead up front. It's now 82.928s.
Dumas brings the #18 Porsche into the pits and returns to the track.
Following Howson's stop, the #26 G-Drive Ligier is back on the lead lap, although Bird is still the best part of three minutes - 2m51s to be precise - behind KCMG.
Hulkenberg crosses the line with a 3m18.841s as he bids to extend his lead.
By: Scott Mitchell, AUTOSPORT staff, Mitchell Adam, Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Gary Watkins
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