Conditions: Still cloudy but no significant rain
Bernd Schneider made a clear statement of intent early on in the 21st hour by setting the fastest lap of the race so far – a 2:21.851. The HTP Mercedes was still the lion’s share of a lap ahead of the Manthey Porsche, and there was further worry for the 911 in the form of a call to the stewards’ office for team boss Olaf Manthey. The upshot was drive-through penalty for the #150 car, imposed for a pass under the most recent safety car an further frustrating its drivers’ efforts to reel in the gap to the Merc.
The Kessel Ferrari remained a fixture in third place overall this hour, while Vita4One has made hay from WRT’s difficulties: three-time Spa 24 Hours winner Michael Bartels’ team now looks quite secure in fourth ahead of the race’s highest-placed Audi, now being driven by Frank Stippler. That car is a lap ahead of another Audi – the #6 Phoenix car which was passed from Christopher Haase to Oliver Jarvis during this hour.
In Pro-Am, Ladygin initially held the advantage for SMP Ferrari at this point over the #59 AF Corse car, now being driven by Matt Griffin, who was planning to do a double and later a single stint before the chequered flag at 4:30pm local time. He got his effort off to a good start by unlapping himself from the Russian entry, then quickly carved the gap down to less than a minute and taking the lead when the SMP car pitted to hand over to Mika Salo. Griffin has no real pursuers to worry about behind, as his nearest Pro-Am class challenger is the #35 Nissan, which is three laps back.
35 of the 65 starters were still running as the three-hours-to-go mark approached – the final classified runner being the eternally troubled #62 Fortec Mercedes in the hands of Alex Brundle once more. To say the 24-hour race debutants have had a baptism of fire would be an understatement: they’re 115 laps behind the leader.
Two places (and 35 laps) ahead of them, but 76 laps down on HTP, is the #911 Prospeed Porsche. This car was removed from serious contention early in the race with a drive-through penalty for an engine change, but drivers Nick Tandy and Marco Mapelli in particular have at various times in the night and early morning been among the fastest men on track.
The leading HTP Mercedes headed for the pits for a routine driver change in the last 10 minutes of this hour. Max Buhk got in the car and emerged still in the lead of the race with 488 laps completed.
Class positions after 21 hours:
Pro:
1 – #84 HTP Mercedes
2 – #150 Manthey Porsche
3 – #44 Kessel Ferrari
Pro-Am:
1 – #59 AF Corse Ferrari
2 – #71 SMP Ferrari
3 – #35 RJN Nissan
Gentlemen:
1 – #20 SOFREV Ferrari
2 – #52 Sport Garage Ferrari
3 – #111 Kessel Ferrari
Stephen Errity
