Le Mans 24 Hours 2015 The 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours
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Rusinov has been in and our of the pits in the lead G-Drive (OAK) entry, relinquishes third to Berthon in the Murphy ORECA, which has actually made two fewer stops to this point in the race.
And here comes the first of the leaders - Hulkenberg pits on schedule, taking fuel only. He follows Webber in switching to a quadruple stint.
Hulkenberg stretches his lead over Webber and Fassler to past 5s.
Further back, following his stop Rast is 59s adrift in the #9 Audi, so he'll be right in the mix when the other cars come in.
Further back, following his stop Rast is 59s adrift in the #9 Audi, so he'll be right in the mix when the other cars come in.
Gommendy is chipping away at KCMG's lead, he's now 2m18s behind. Not right behind, but enough to keep the pressure on.
The #34 OAK Ligier has pitted again, with Vanthoor getting out and Estre getting in.
The #34 OAK Ligier has pitted again, with Vanthoor getting out and Estre getting in.
Hulkenberg quickly builds a cushion over Webber of more than two seconds, so once again the #17 Porsche's attention turns to keeping third-placed Fassler at bay.
Twitter
@AMR_Official: "Unfortunate news. Our #97 Vantage GTE has stopped out on track and will not return. It's a bitter disappointment for the team."
Leader Hulkenberg gets stuck behind a GTE car heading into the Mulsanne Corner slow zone, meaning Webber and Fassler are back on terms with him as they pass the green flags. A three-way fight for the lead, then.
We've only had three official retirements posted so far:
#92 Porsche - engine
#88 Porsche - engine
#41 Gibson - electrical
#92 Porsche - engine
#88 Porsche - engine
#41 Gibson - electrical
Certainly seems like that's an engine failure of sizeable proportions for the #97 Aston, with oil being reported down at Mulsanne Corner.
Rast pits the #9 Audi from the lead, handing P1 to Hulkenberg. Meanwhile, Webber cannot shake the attention of Fassler.
Bonanomi Le Mans 2015
Bell pulled off down the escape road and parked the smoking Vantage safely out of harm's way.
Devastating for that car, but more importantly: two Astons out of contention, one remaining...
Are things coming up Corvette?
Devastating for that car, but more importantly: two Astons out of contention, one remaining...
Are things coming up Corvette?
Twitter
Another update from the troubled Nissan team:
@NISMO: "The front bodywork is ready to go back on. Not long now for the No.21."
@NISMO: "The front bodywork is ready to go back on. Not long now for the No.21."
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Hulkenberg is already heading off down the road, while Webber still very much has Fassler for company in a fight for third.
The #97 Aston Martin has stopped at Mulsanne Corner!
Jani pits the #18 Porsche, which after the safety car split found itself 3m15s off the lead. It's just about going to fall off of the lead lap here, in P5.
Twitter
It looks like we've got another retirement, this time from GTE Am with the #50 Larbre Chevrolet Corvette encountering car troubles:
@PaoloRuberti: "Race over..gearbox problems..!!"
@PaoloRuberti: "Race over..gearbox problems..!!"
Before the safety car, KCMG was about 2m25s ahead of Gommendy in the TDS entry, after the delay and two flying laps it's 2m29s.
Speaking of the KCMG entry, it's one of the harder to pick through our window on the front straight, with its dark blue and chrome livery.
Speaking of the KCMG entry, it's one of the harder to pick through our window on the front straight, with its dark blue and chrome livery.
Those delays for Webber have also enabled Fassler to catch the two Porsches back up.
Hulkenberg eases by Webber for second on the run to the first Mulsanne chicane. Now, can the much faster of the two leading Porsches do anything about the #9 Audi just a couple of seconds up the road?
Pitstop after the restart for Team SARD Morand, with Webb climbing aboard the Morgan, which was fifth in the LMP2 order.
Webber gets delayed by a Nissan in the final chicane, allowing Rast to ease away and putting Hulkenberg right on his tail in the battle for second.
Bell is attacking Taylor at the head of GTE Pro, while MacDowall has made way for Stanaway.
So we've gone from four at the front to two quite quickly. Also, the Ferrari appears to have gained nothing from this safety car - looks as though the #51 is actually only just ahead of the two battling for the lead on track.
So we've gone from four at the front to two quite quickly. Also, the Ferrari appears to have gained nothing from this safety car - looks as though the #51 is actually only just ahead of the two battling for the lead on track.
Trouble already at the restart, Maris in the #35 OAK Racing Ligier is around before the final chicane. He continues.
As the leaders cross the line, Rast leads Webber by 0.7s, Hulkenberg by 1.5s, and Fassler (further back in the queue) by 5.2s.
Green flag
The safety cars leave the circuit, we're racing again.
Richard Lietz drops away from the lead group as he makes the #91 Porsche's eighth stop under the safety car.
Others will follow suit, but will they get in before the caution ends?
Others will follow suit, but will they get in before the caution ends?
Yellow flag
When the safety cars pull in, slow zones are going to be enforced at Mulsanne Corner.
It's interesting to compare the two old F1 rivals in the Porsche teams. Both have been on track at similar time (Webber is in the fourth part of a quadruple stint, Hulkenberg in the third part), but looking at the first 26 complete laps of their respective runs, the German gains a minute on Webber. Massively impressive performance on his Le Mans debut.
Among the frontrunners, the next car that will need a fuel stop is the #18 Porsche that runs fifth in the hands of Jani.
Twitter
Also work going on down at Nissan
@NISMO: "Taking advantage of the safety car to replace a sensor under the bonnet on the No.22."
@NISMO: "Taking advantage of the safety car to replace a sensor under the bonnet on the No.22."
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Assuming we've not gone mental Ferrari will gain from this as well – the #51 car might not be fortunate enough to be in the lead group, but it should go from almost a lap down to about three-quarter's of a lap behind.
Twitter
Things only get worse for ByKolles:
@ByKOLLES: "We stopped again with some Engine problems, need a longer repair."
@ByKOLLES: "We stopped again with some Engine problems, need a longer repair."
The safety car has closed the first four GTE Pro cars together – so that's a pain for Corvette, a reprieve for Aston Martin and just reward for Porsche for hanging in there.
Howson pits the next time around, handing over to Bradley, as does Jota with Turvey.
Great news - the leaders in LMP1 are all in the same safety car group. They were covered by 46 seconds beforehand, but now it's just 10s (at reduced pace).
Order:
1 #9 Audi (Rast)
2 #17 Porsche (Webber)
3 #19 Porsche (Hulkenberg)
4 #7 Audi (Fassler)
Order:
1 #9 Audi (Rast)
2 #17 Porsche (Webber)
3 #19 Porsche (Hulkenberg)
4 #7 Audi (Fassler)
Gommendy, second in LMP2, is taking this opportunity to pit.
Yellow flag
This is the third safety car of the race so far.
Yellow flag
We have another safety car period.
Yellow flag
The Signatech Alpine is off at the end of Mulsanne. Chatin is behind the wheel, the car had been in third place in LMP2.
Webber brings the #17 Porsche in from the lead, meaning Rast's #9 Audi will take over at the front. No driver or tyre change, so that's Porsche's first attempt at a quadruple stint.
By: Scott Mitchell, AUTOSPORT staff, Mitchell Adam, Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Gary Watkins
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