Hour 15: Unstoppable Audi?
Frank Biela, Tom Kristensen and Emanuele Pirro are only nine hours away from becoming legends of the Le Mans 24 Hours. The same driver line-up has never won the race three times in a row, and the former Audi touring car stars seem fated to fulfil their destiny
The works cars have run flawlessly despite setting a searingly quick pace in the early stages of the race. Only a series of punctures, which have afflicted each car at least once have threatened the Audi dominance, and the opposition simply has no answer.
Audi closest challenger is currently the sole Bentley, running in a creditable fourth place after minor problems in the early stages. The Wallace/Leitzinger/Van de Poele crew, which claimed a podium position on Bentley's come-back last year, have shown considerable speed during the race, and look set to threaten Audi in 2003.
The ORECA Dallaras have continued to show pace and reliabilty, moving to sixth and seventh places ahead of the troubled Racing For Holland Dome and the Goh Audi.
MG remain on the fringes of the top ten, currently running 11th with Kevin McGarrity at the wheel.
Although several teams have proved they are capable of getting close to the pace of the leaders during qualifying, maintaining that level for lap after lap with bullet-proof reliabilty is another matter.
The lead in the GTS class is still held by the Chevrolet Corvette of Ron Fellows, who has recovered from an overnight bout of food poisining to set some quick times in the past half-hour.
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro Audi Sport Team Joest, Audi R8, 231 laps
Capello/Herbert/Pescatori Audi Sport Team Joest, Audi R8, 229 laps
Krumm/Peter/Werner Audi Sport North America, Audi R8, 229 laps
Wallace/Leitzinger/van de Poele Team Bentley, Bentley EXP Speed 8, 223 laps *
Taylor/Angelli/Tinseau Team Cadillac, Cadillac 223 laps
Beretta/Lamy/Comas Team ORECA, Dallara-Judd LMP, 222 laps
Sarrazin/Montagny/Minassian Team ORECA, Dallara-Judd LMP, 221 laps
Lammers/Hillerbrand/Coronel Racing for Holland, Dome-Judd S101, 219 laps
Ara/Dalmas/Katoh Team Goh Audi, Audi R8, 218 laps
Bernard/Collard/Lehto, Team Cadillac, Cadillac 212 laps
*GTP class
Fellows/O'Connell/Gavin, Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette, 207 laps
Dumas/Maassen/Bergmeister, Fresisinger Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3-RS 198 laps
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