Hour 8: Lehto Takes Over

Both Audi drivers were lapping in the low 3:42s before Kristensen pitted at 23:35 local. Only Seiji Ara in the Jim Gainer International Dome came close to their pace, lapping seconds per lap slower. The Japanese ran in fourth position due to a different pit strategy to the ORECA Audi in third.

"There were a lot of incidents, there was a car with three wheels, oil on the circuit and in the sun I was completely blind," said Kristensen after stepping out of the car. "All these things make the heart beat a bit faster. We have a great race on our hands with the other car. We are in the lead earlier than expected, if ever. We now have something very big to lose! I had yellow flags for half of the laps, so it was difficult to either gain or lose."

The Pescarolos lie in sixth and seventh positions, separated by a lap and Soheil Ayari, the leader of the two green cars, has made an extra pit stop compared to his teammate. Hiroki Kurosawa currently lies eighth overall in the Team Jota Zytek, the British team making its debut at the great race this year.

The number 59 Aston Martin again visited the penalty box, having been handed its second three-minute penalty for Darren Turner. The penalty was assessed for overtaking under a yellow flag and was taken by Stephane Sarrazin, who had taken over from his British co-driver. The Frenchman, perhaps incensed by the delay in his own progress, immediately lowered the car's fastest lap to a 3:52.2 lap, nearly three seconds faster than the ACO's recommended limit of 3:55.

Tomas Enge continues to lead the GT1 class in the lead Aston Martin, 47 seconds ahead of the Corvettes, who are all lapping conspicuously close to the ACO's limit. The Larbre Ferrari 550 Maranello of Olivier Dupard that is next up in class, is lapping in 4m11.2s!

Claude-Yves Gosselin found himself on the trolleys in the pit lane in the Gulf liveried Courage while running third in the LMP2 class, and the team has set to work undertaking repairs.

Liz Halliday continues to lead the class in the Intersport Racing Courage, lapping consistently as fast or faster than her more experienced contemporaries.

Marc Lieb and Timo Bernhard continued to lead the GT2 class in the Yokohama-shod Alex Job Racing Porsche, 18s ahead of his fellow Porsche factory driver Timo Bernhard in the White Lightning Racing entry, with Romain Dumas running third in the Raymond Narac Porsche driven by Romain Dumas.