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WEC
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 76th Le Mans 24 Hours
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Allan Mcnish continues to lead the race after two-and-a-half hours in the No.2 Audi He is now a minute clear of the closest Peugeot.
The No.16 Pescarolo Judd with Emmanuel Collard driving has spun off after attempting to overtake one of the Euskadi machines. Collard was in seventh position at the time and has dropped down the order.
Jacques Villeneuve has spoken to Radio Le Mans and reports that the stop for the No.7 car was for a puncture, as the No.2 Audi goes into the lead of the race.
Mcnish leads at La Sarthe.
Mcnish leads at La Sarthe.
The No.9 is in for repairs to the lights as Peugeot hit trouble with another car. The entire nose section is being replaced to try and get the lights working.
The No.9 Peugeot, with Klien at the wheel, is being called back to the pits as officials unhappy that the lights are not working on the car.
The No.7 Peugeot comes into the pits. Jacques Villeneuve climbs out, and Marc Gene climbs into the car and is being strapped in.
Gene now leaves the pitlane without any problem.
Gene now leaves the pitlane without any problem.
The engine cover is off on the No.8 Peugeot as they continue to try and fix the former leader.
The No.24 Courage Japanese entry comes into the pitlane, after touring round most of a lap with a problem.
So it is the first sign of trouble for Peugeot with the No.8 car being looked over by a swarm of mechanics within the garage.
Wurz appears to be trying to change gear on the steering wheel, perhaps indicating that there is trouble with the transmission.
Wurz appears to be trying to change gear on the steering wheel, perhaps indicating that there is trouble with the transmission.
The No.8 pits for Peugeot from the lead, starting the fourth round of stops after only seven laps since the last stop.
Alex Wurz takes the wheel and the car is spun around to go into the garage ...
Alex Wurz takes the wheel and the car is spun around to go into the garage ...
Up front the Peugeots continue to lead the race with two hours already completed.
The No.8 with Stephane Sarrazin driving leads, with Christian Klien in the No.9 car in second. Klien is 46 seconds behind Sarrazin. Jacques Villeneuve runs third in the No.7 Peugeot, now 74 seconds off the lead.
The Audis continue to lap slower to the tune of three seconds per lap or more. Mcnish is fourth in the No.2 entry and within a minute of the lead, but Luhr and Pirro in fifth and sixth are now well over two minutes behind Sarrazin.
The No.8 with Stephane Sarrazin driving leads, with Christian Klien in the No.9 car in second. Klien is 46 seconds behind Sarrazin. Jacques Villeneuve runs third in the No.7 Peugeot, now 74 seconds off the lead.
The Audis continue to lap slower to the tune of three seconds per lap or more. Mcnish is fourth in the No.2 entry and within a minute of the lead, but Luhr and Pirro in fifth and sixth are now well over two minutes behind Sarrazin.
Autosport.com's team on the ground tell us that Lola predict at least half an hour will be needed to repair the No.10 car after that crash in the Dunlop chicane.
The Team Essex Porshe RS Spyder now leads in LMP2 with Casper Elgaard still at the wheel. Jos Verstappen is running second in class in the other Spyder, seven seconds behind.
The No.80 is now back in the pits with lots of work ahead of the Flying Lizard crew to get that car out again.
The No.40 Lola AER has spun at Mulsanne corner. The car was being driven by Guy Smith at the time, and replays show that he was involved in light side to side contact with the No.64 Corvette that was being driven by Olivier Beretta.
The No.40 rejoined with no visible damage.
The No.40 rejoined with no visible damage.
The No.80 Porsche is trying to make it back to the pits. The car has serious damage, with wheels pointing at awkward angles and is proving a challenge to drive back.
The No.10 Lola Aston is also on a recovery run from that earlier crash and has finally made it in to the pits.
The No.10 Lola Aston is also on a recovery run from that earlier crash and has finally made it in to the pits.
The No.80 Porsche 997 car driven by Seth Neiman has spun off into the gravel. A handful of marshals have gone to attend to the car.
The crashed No.10 Lola Aston is trying to recover back to the pits. The car has extensive damage and was losing bits and pieces on to the track before pulling up on the inside at Tetre Rouge. The car is currently in a tricky position for the marshals to recover it.
The No.12 Charouz Lola-Judd with Klaus Graf driving has spun at the exit of the Mulsanne corner. The ACO marshals do a great job in getting the car pointed the right way and Graf gets underway again.
Meanwhile, the flying Peugeots are due to stop once again. Leader Sarrazin has been in from the lead and now Klien has stopped for a tank of diesel in the No.9.
After some slower laps in the No.7 Peugeot, Jacques Villeneuve is beginning to become more comfortable, setting laptime comparable with the other two Peugeots.
The No.73 Luc Alphand Corvette has been handed a 30-second stop and go penalty.
The No.41 Zytek is now being tractored out of the gravel at the final chicane.
The leading Charouz that was in eighth position with Stefan Mucke at the wheel is in the gravel. It's the No.10 machine and there is both front and rear end damage.
The No.10 Lola Aston is off after a crash in the chicane after the first corner ...
We see the No.12 Charouz Racing Lola Judd coming into the pitlane with light damage, and the No.41 Zytek is parked in the gravel at the Ford Chicane.
The No.12 scrambles into the pits and is being attended to now by the machanics, but it would appear that the No.41 is out. Karim Ojjeh was driving at the time of this incident.
The No.12 scrambles into the pits and is being attended to now by the machanics, but it would appear that the No.41 is out. Karim Ojjeh was driving at the time of this incident.
The No.55 IBP Spartak Lamborghini remains in the pits with the mechanics looking over the rear of the car. The car has only completed eight laps with Peter Cox at the wheel.
Stephane Sarrazin has been stamping his authority on the race in recent laps. A quicker pitstop, and a searing set of recent laps have now ballooned the gap between the two leading cars to 35 seconds.
On his 25th lap Sarrazin set a blistering 3:21.872 - eight seconds faster than either of his teammates.
No.8 Sarrazin leads.
No.9 Christian Klien +35.5s
No.7 Jacques Villeneuve +43s.
On his 25th lap Sarrazin set a blistering 3:21.872 - eight seconds faster than either of his teammates.
No.8 Sarrazin leads.
No.9 Christian Klien +35.5s
No.7 Jacques Villeneuve +43s.
In LMP2, the Van Merksteijn RS Spyder has pitted from the class lead and 12th overall. Jos Verstappen has now taken the Porsche back out for his first stint.
Duval pits the Oreca from eighth, promoting the No.10 Charouz Racing Lola Aston - still driven by Stefan Mucke - into that place.
Duval rejoined after his second stop in tenth position. He will now chase down the all-Japanese Dome Judd which runs in ninth.
Duval rejoined after his second stop in tenth position. He will now chase down the all-Japanese Dome Judd which runs in ninth.
Stephane Sarrazin leads for Peugeot after 90 minutes in Le Mans. The No.7 car driven by Christian Klien is running second, from the No.9 of Jacques Villeneuve.
Allen McNish is the best Audi in fourth, almost a minute down on the leader. The other two Audis are running closely together in fifth and sixth, two minutes behind the lead.
Allen McNish is the best Audi in fourth, almost a minute down on the leader. The other two Audis are running closely together in fifth and sixth, two minutes behind the lead.
So far we have focussed mainly on the top six and the race between the diesels.
In seventh position the Pescarolo Sport No.16 car has been setting competitive laptimes in the hands of Jean-Christophe Bouillion. He is running 50 seconds behind the last of the Audis.
The No.5 Oreca Matmut entry is eighth. Loic Duval is at the wheel and on Bouillion's tail.
In seventh position the Pescarolo Sport No.16 car has been setting competitive laptimes in the hands of Jean-Christophe Bouillion. He is running 50 seconds behind the last of the Audis.
The No.5 Oreca Matmut entry is eighth. Loic Duval is at the wheel and on Bouillion's tail.
The No. 83 Risi/Krohn Ferrari has stopped out on the circuit and is struggling to get back to the pits.
Allan Mcnish comes into the pits in the No.2 Audi and he stays in the cockpit while the fuel is put in.
The No.2 leaves the pitbox and rejoins the race.
The No.2 leaves the pitbox and rejoins the race.
Allan Mcnish now takes over the lead briefly as we wait for his second stop.
The No.3 Audi pits, takes on tyres and fuel, and Lucas Luhr remains in the cockpit.
The No.3 Audi pits, takes on tyres and fuel, and Lucas Luhr remains in the cockpit.
The No.1 Audi pits and is down and away with Emanuele Pirro now at the wheel.
The No.9 also changed drivers and it's Austrian Christian Klien now at the controls.
The No.7 and No.9 Peugeots pit together for the second time.
Driver change for the No.7 and Jacques Villeneuve jumps into the car and heads out of the pits.
Driver change for the No.7 and Jacques Villeneuve jumps into the car and heads out of the pits.
All three of the Peugeots were running in the 3:24 bracket before Lamy's stop.
The Audi times are all over the place.
Mcnish - 3:27
Biela - 3:30
Luhr - 3:33.
The Audi times are all over the place.
Mcnish - 3:27
Biela - 3:30
Luhr - 3:33.
Stephane Sarrazin now takes over the No.8 as the sister car of Montagny now leads.
By: Geoff Creighton, Emlyn Hughes
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