Le Mans 24 Hours Live Commentary and Updates
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours.
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Another pit visitor is van der Linde in the #78 Lexus that had bonnet trouble earlier. It has stopped twice in two laps and seems to be suffering further strife.
"Can't see anything without the wiper blade!" Lynn in the #2 Caddy running in third is in trouble.
Having lost that place, Jakobsen promptly pits in the #37 Cool car. He has not been able to show the same sort of pace in these conditions as he did earlier in the race.
The rain is back and in a big way! It is soaking out there!
It's very close once more in the battle for the final spot on the LMP2 podium and Lomko in the Inter Europol entry has just got back ahead of Jakobsen in the #37 Cool car into the second Mulsanne Chicane. This pair have been glued together for much of the past couple of hours - and it may not be over yet!
After that rain brought many of the leading LMP2 and LMGT3 contenders into the pits at the same time, we're in a bit of a holding pattern here. Jarvis is gradually creeping further ahead of Barnicoat in LMP2 and the lead is now 26s, while Lietz in the Manthey Porsche has 13s in hand over Gelael in the WRT BMW.
The gaps between the leaders have momentarily stabilised, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath ahead of a 95-minute sprint finish.
So, Lopez in the #7 Toyota leads by 8s from the #51 Ferrari, then there's a 5s gap to the #2 Cadillac and then a further 4s gap to the #6 Porsche. The #50 Ferrari is another 9s off in fifth.
Perhaps even more frustrating for Ferrari, it is a very quick fix to the #50 Ferrari's door - a mechanic just gave it a big shove shut - and Nielsen takes on fuel and resumes in fifth place.
Nielsen attempts to shut his passenger door but it just won't click into place so he has to pit from the lead in the #50 Ferrari. That'll pass the lead to the #7 Toyota!
Richard Lietz has inched his lead out to around 9.6s over Sean Gelael in the GT3 class. It appears to be a two-horse race for the win with the third place #88 Mustang a full two minutes and 45 seconds behind. Mikkel Pedersen is safe in the position now, around 19s up on fellow Dane Michelle Gatting's Iron Dames Lambo.
Lopez sticks his Toyota's nose up the inside into the first chicane and it is a glancing blow with Pier Guidi's Ferrari! The Argentine has picked up damage but is able to sustain the attack down the Mulsanne straight and take second place.
Pier Guidi is about to engage with the other Toyota - this time he's told to "do everything you can to keep him behind". Here we go.
Race director Eduardo Freitas has been on the blower to Ferrari and told them about their loose passenger-side door. They will need to fix that or risk a possible penalty.
Amid the various dramas for Ferrari and Toyota, the early wet tyre switch for the #2 Cadillac has been a boost as Lynn is up to fourth and only 26s off the lead. The rain came at the right time as it coincided with its scheduled pitstop, while everyone else had to adjust.
Lopez in the #7 now leads the Toyota charge in third and he is closing in on the #51 Ferrari. The gap is under 7s and closing.
Nielsen is still running in the lead with a flappy door on the #50 Ferrari. So far he hasn't been called in to pit to fix it but that will be a huge concern.
Amid all that excitement at the front, there has been further good news for AF Corse as Barnicoat has also moved the #183 ORECA up to second in LMP2 ahead of de Gerus in the IDEC car that enjoyed a handy lead a while back.
Hartley and Pier Guidi collide! The Toyota driver is spun around and he drops down the order. At Mulsanne corner the #51 Ferrari dived up the inside but understeers into the Kiwi and that sends him around. Pier Guidi is second, Hartley has got going again in sixth and will be spitting feathers.
Pier Guidi gets by Hartley for second! It is a Ferrari 1-2! But the #50 Ferrari has its passenger door stuck open! It is all happening!
The slow stop for the #8 Toyota has cost Hartley about 9s to Nielsen in the #50 Ferrari - which regains the lead as the #6 Porsche pits a lap later for the wet tyres.
The two frontrunning Proton Mustangs are among the last GT3 runners to stop for wets - although the track doesn't look all that wet in some places.
The #6 Porsche hasn't pitted for wet tyres yet and is aiming to brave it out in the lead. It currently has a 51s advantage over the #50 Ferrari in second but you'd expect that gap to be slashed into.
The #8 Toyota has a sticky front-right which costs Hartley time in the switch to wets, while the #50 Ferrari exits its pit slot but into the path of an oncoming LMP2! They avoid contact but that could be trouble. Told you there would be drama in the pits!
The LMGT3 leader Lietz is also now in for wets but there are still a few of the GT3s struggling around on slicks.
Now all of the LMP2 leaders have dived into the pits to change to wets! It's one busy pitlane!
It is very wet out there now and the leaders are tip-toeing through the Porsche curves. They all pit for wet tyres.
This rain has prompted a few cars to gamble on wet tyres and this includes the #14 TF Sport machine, while the second-placed LMGT3 BMW has also been in but we're not sure if it was for wets.
The #2 Cadillac pits, on schedule, but that denies us a fight for position as the #7 Toyota is gifted fourth on the road. Lynn will be the first to shift to wet tyres as the rain is drifting in. Is this a masterstroke call or massively overcautious?
After that bonnet drama a short while ago, Hawksworth was able to get back out and is now 10th in class and not too far behind the Spirit of Race Ferrari ahead.
The #8 Toyota continues to inch towards the leading #50 Ferrari with the gap at 2s, while further back the #2 Cadillac and #7 Toyota are about to engage in a battle for fourth.
We've finally had a replay of the LMGT3 lead change a few laps ago and Lietz blasted by Gelael on the run down to Indianapolis.
Teams have been asked to put rain lights on in low mode as rain is reported in the area. It is expected to be heavier than the splatter from about an hour ago but not the safety car-causing wet stuff from the early hours of the morning.
Having grabbed the LMP2 lead a little while ago, Siegel has rocketed clear and now heads de Gerus by 10 seconds.
Hartley has moved to within five seconds of Molina in the fight for the lead, while reports of this incoming of rain are growing. Toyota expects it to arrive in seven minutes.
One battle we are seeing is the fight for third in LMP2 as Jakobsen has the familiar sight of Lomko's unmistakable Inter Europol colours directly in front of him.
A second class lead change that has not been picked up by the TV pictures in the past few minutes has taken place as Lietz has moved ahead of Gelael in LMGT3 so it's back to Porsche leading BMW.
So, Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota or Cadillac? Who are you backing for the overall win?
#50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen
Photo by: Shameem Fahath
Hawksworth has finally brought the battered Lexus back to the pits. Replays show the bonnet just suddenly sprung open on the straight leaving the Briton with a tough task on his hands.
By: Autosport Staff
