#2 Porsche closing on race-leading #38 LMP2 ORECA in 22nd hour

The #38 LMP2 machine inherited the lead when Andre Lotterer dramatically retired with a lack of oil pressure in the previous hour but Bernhard in the LMP1-specification #2 Porsche 919 Hybrid is chasing hard.

The Porsche unlapped itself from Thomas Laurent in the ORECA towards the end of the last hour having earlier gained further time when the LMP2 machine needed a lengthy pitstop to change its rear light.

The lead gap now stands at 3m04s.

With two hours remaining in the race there should be sufficient time for Bernhard to get ahead and claim the win.

There was a change for third overall after the #13 Rebellion ORECA needed a long pitstop while the rear of the car was examined, promoting Andre Negrao in the #35 Signatech ORECA.

CORVETTE AND PORSCHE IN GTE MIX

Although Daniel Serra's #97 Aston Martin Vantage was leading the class before pitting for Jonny Adam to take over at the turn of the hour, the odds remain in favour of a Porsche or Corvette victory in GTE Pro.

The Vantage and Corvette continued to spend the majority of the 22nd hour lapping independently of Frederic Makowiecki in the #91 Porsche, which pitted out of the lead 20 minutes before the turn of the hour and made what will probably be its final tyre change before the chequered flag.

Though Serra muscled his way past the #63 again, having slipped behind in the previous pitstop cycle, the likelihood is that the Aston will need to make one more pitstop than the cars it is lapping in proximity to.

That makes the fastest of the Ford GTs, currently in fourth place in the hands of Harry Tincknell, a possible candidate to snatch a podium place over the final two hours.

The Rigon/Bird/Molina #71 AF Corse Ferrari remains over a minute behind Tincknell, and made no inroads into that advantage during the hour.

The Stevens/Smith/Vanthoor #84 Ferrari retained its GTE Am class lead, still a lap ahead of the Cioci/Cameron/Scott #55 Ferrari.

POSITIONS AFTER 22 HOURS