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WEC 24 Hours of Le Mans

Le Mans 24 Hours – Race

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Mechanical problem
The #44 Manor is in the garage. Not good news for the former class leaders.
Pit Stop
That was a big mistake at this juncture of the race. That was the #1 Porsche's eighth stop of the race. Bernhard rejoins on fresh tyres.
Green Flag
Slow zone cleared now.
Quote
Bernhard admits: "Yes I have some flatspots" – he pits!
Pit Stop
Bernhard dives for the pits!
Video
Those purple flashing lights you see on the Porsche's dash are to warn drivers they've locked their wheels. They were on for a good second there as Bernhard had that bizarre moment.
What it also did for Bernhard was flatspot the #1 Porsche's tyres – surely?
Yellow Flag
A second adventure for Mark Patterson in the Team AAI Corvette has caused this slow zone at the Porsche Curves.
That cost Bernhard a bit of ground to Sarrazin, back up to eight seconds between the pair.
Porsche #1 has a big moment as it slowed for the slow zone at the Porsche Curves there, almost going off track.
The Audis have been pulling 13-lap stints, but 12 was the more realistic expectation for the Ingolstadt marque.
Pit Stop
The #8 Audi is back in the pits, only 12 laps after its previous visit.
We understand that the Audi drivers have been told to keep away from the kerbs, following the issue that they had with the car in practice on Wednesday. The front-end of the R18 is delicate it seems.
Yellow Flag
Slow zone at the end of the Porsche Curves...
Bernhard has turned up the heat, and is quickly catching Sarrazin for the lead. 12 seconds has become six in a short space of time.
Mechanical problem
Quick update on the #31 ESM that we saw have a problem earlier, it was a broken suspension rocker that caused Cumming to go off.
Quote
Di Grassi reporting a vibration with the #8 Audi.
Meanwhile, Signatech-Alpine is 48 seconds adrift of the class-leading Thiriet By TDS Racing entry.
The #44 Manor ORECA-Nissan, which led much of the early stages in LMP2, now runs third.
Car #71 - that's the AF Corse Ferrari being driven by Andrea Bertolini - is under investigation for overtaking under yellows.
But the affable Brit has over a minute to make up to catch the Ferrari v Ford fight ahead.
Intriguingly, besides Ford and Ferrari, the best-placed GTE Pro marque is now Aston Martin, whose #95 car - with Darren Turner at the wheel - is fifth.
Another change in GTE Pro just now as Dixon retakes second n the #69 Ford, passing Malucelli to restore a Ford 1-2.
So here's a run-down of the LMP1 order after seven stops for the lead runners:

Sarrazin leads the race in the #6 Toyota by 12 seconds from Bernhard in the #1 Porsche.

Jani in the sister #2 is a further 43s back, then it's di Grassi in the #8 Audi and Nakajima in the #5 Toyota.
Kazuki Nakajima gets his first action of the night, and rejoins in fifth behind di Grassi.
Pit Stop
Top runners in LMP2: The #36 and #47 have just made their eighth stop of the race.
Pit Stop
Davidson brings in the #5 Toyota from third now.
Amid all that excitement, Bourdais has taken the lead in GTE Pro ahead of Malucelli. Toyota and Ford in the ascendancy.
Now that pesky slow zone has gone, but Porsche will be very unhappy about relinquishing the lead.
A glance at the timesheets says it all - Bernhard's last lap was a 4m11s, over 40 seconds off the usual pace.
It looks like that slow zone really played into the hands of Toyota, which now has a 25s buffer over the Porsche.
Stephane Sarrazin in the #6, taking over from Kobayashi, has emerged well clear of Bernhard in the #1!
GTE Pro lead battle is hotting up, Bourdais right on Malucelli's tail now and Dixon isn't far behind.
Crash
Yellow is for Pegasus, which is in trouble again, and this time, it's stuffed up into a tire barrier.
Pit Stop
Our race leader Kobayashi pits the #6 Toyota.
Yellow Flag
Slow zone down at Mulsanne corner...
Pit Stop
In comes Fassler in the #7 Audi, which is closing the gap on the #13 Rebellion for sixth overall.
Video
Earlier on, we sent James Allen trackside to get a better understanding of what really goes on during this tremendous race. Check it out:

 

 

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