Hour 9: MG podium hopes dashed
MG's hopes of a dream podium finish were dashed after the lead car of Reid/Hughes/Kane was forced out after it lost drive 129 laps into the race
After a 30-minute Safety Car period, the race had barely resumed when the number 26 car coasted to a halt at the Dunlop curve. Warren Hughes radioed back to the team to say he couldn't find a gear and although the car is yet to be officially retired, any hopes of it featuring at the front of the field are over.
Its demise elevated the Bentley to fourth, which is at the head of the best battle in the field. The number six Cadillac moved ahead of the number 15 ORECA into fifth and is lapping consistently close to the Bentley. The Dallara is still going well and is just 14s behind the American car.
The Riley & Scott has benefited from problems hitting the cars ahead of it to grab seventh, but it may struggle to hold its place from the recovering Racing for Holland Dome. After its gearbox change the second ORECA is now ninth.
MG still has a chance of a decent top 10 finish, as the number 17 car is up to 11th.
At the head of the field Audi continues to hold its one-two-three, but the number two car suffered after it was held at the end of the pitlane when it pitted during the Safety Car period and slipped back off the lead lap.
GTS honours are firmly in the hands of the Ferrari 550, which now holds a three-lap advantage over the pursuing Corvette. But the GT class is shaping up to be an epic contest, with less than a minute separating the number 80 Porsche from the number 81 version in second.
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro Audi Sport Team Joest, Audi R8, 140 laps
Capello/Herbert/Pescatori Audi Sport Team Joest, Audi R8, 139laps
Krumm/Peter/Werner Audi Sport North America, Audi R8, 139 laps
Wallace/Leitzinger/van de Poele Team Bentley, Bentley EXP Speed 8, 136 laps *
Taylor/Angelli/Tinseau Team Cadillac, Cadillac 135 laps
Beretta/Lamy/Comas Team ORECA, Dallara-Judd LMP, 135 laps
Goosens/Matthews/Theys, Riley & Scott Racing, Riley &Scott-Ford MkIIIC 133 laps
Lammers/Hillerbrand/Coronel, Racing for Holland, Dome-Judd S101, 133 laps
Sarrazin/Montagny/Minassian Team ORECA, Dallara-Judd LMP, 132 laps
Helary/Katayama/Ortelli, Pescarolo Sport, Courage-Peugeot C60 132 laps
*GTP class
**LMP675 class
Menu/Rydell/Enge Prodrive, Ferrari 550 Maranello 127 laps
Dumas/Maassen/Bergmeister Freisinger Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3-RS 119 laps
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