Hour 6: Audi takes a step back
The Audi challenge has taken a step back in the last hour. A couple of problematic pitstops for the Japanese Goh Audi Team have lost them fourth place to fellow Audi runners Champion. Not only that, but both cars have gone a lap down.
Audi UK are already out of the event after running out of fuel early on. Frank Biela declared himself "devastated" by what happened, explaining that he had not deliberately tried to run one lap too far: "I intended to pit that lap before, but I found a Panoz beside me and couldn't turn across into pit lane."
The Lola-MG of Intersport Racing has moved back into the lead of the mercurial 675 class in the hands of Duncan Dayton, while the all-British trio in Ferrari number 80 are still catching their leading sister car in GTS.
The Spyker has all but retired after crawling around most of the lap with a clutch problem before stopping finally at the entrance to pit lane and be told that they could not legally push the car back in.
The sun has set at Le Mans and the drivers will no doubt be pleased that the oppressive conditions are easing. Rain has not materialized since a heavy storm three hours before the race.
Kristensen/Capello/Smith Bentley 94 laps
Brabham/Herbert/Blundell Bentley 93 laps
Pirro/Lehto/Johansson Audi 93 laps
Ara/Magnussen/Werner Audi 93 laps
Lammers/Bosch/Wallace Dome Judd 90 laps
Beretta/Jeannette/Papis Panoz 90 laps
Cochet/Gounon/Gregoire Courage-Judd 89 laps
Helary/Ayari/Minassian Courage-Peugeot 89 laps
Saelens/Maxwell/Leuenberger Panoz Elan 89 laps
Goossens/Matthews/Tinseau Riley & Scott 88 laps
Field/Dayton/Sutherland Lola MG 82 laps
Andre/Maury-Laribiere/Pillon Reynard-Lehman 81 laps
Nielsen/Shimoda/Elgaard DBA-Zytek 79 laps
Kox/Enge/Davies Ferrari 550 86 laps
Burt/Davidson/Turner Ferrari 85 laps
Fellows/O Connell/Freon Chevrolet Corvette 84 laps
Luhr/Maasen/Collard Porsche 81 laps
Yogo/Nishizawa/Iida Porsche 80 laps
Mowlem/Lewis/Leitzinger Ferrari 360 79 laps
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