1133: Werner pits the #77 VDS BMW for the 17th time for a full service, Palttala steps in the car.
1145: The #18 Black Falcon Mercedes with Bracke behind the wheel has suffered a puncture on the way down to Stavelot. The limping SLS currently sits 20th overall.
1148: A full service for the #2 WRT Audi sitting third, Lotterer out, Treluyer in.
1150: DSC spoke to AF Corse’s Craig Lowndes (#52) about his race in Pro-Am: “We are having to make sure Gentlemen driver gets his hours done now, but I have had a great time with a double stint over night. Amazing place, amazing race!”
1210: There’s a BMW technician with a laptop that seems to be in animated and repeated discussion with Marc VDS – Problem looming for Palttala?
1216: There’s been a collision involving the #2 Audi and #16 Boutsen McLaren at La Source. Both have come back to the pits and are falling down the order. It is under investigation by race officials.
1218: Regarding the concern about Marc VDS involving a BMW technician, we now believe they may have suffered an engine sensor failure on the #77.
1244: The #2 Audi has dropped to 13th overall now after the earlier collision and is back on track. Meanwhile the #16 McLaren has limped out of the pits too.
1323: Rast in the #1 WRT Audi blasts past Luhr’s #77 VDS BMW going down the Kemmel straight to take the lead. The problem persists with the Z4, Luhr looked helpless.
1328: Dirk Werner (#77 VDS BMW): “I’m in the #77 next. We can’t quite match the Audi’s pace, so we have to survive the race and see where we are.”
1333: Rast has extended the lead gap to 4.6 seconds now over Luhr.
1335: Palttala (#77 VDS BMW): “We have no electronics, no ABC, no traction control etc. It’s a real handful to drive, so we have to go slower. It’s trickier to drive without all the aids and it kills the tyres quicker, so we need to nurse it home.
“I’m used to driving the car without the features because the United Sportscar Championship doesn’t permit them on GT cars. But, this car is not set up to drive without the aids. The pedal feeling isn’t the same in the car now.”
1347: An animated Bas Leinders paid the press room a visit moments ago, banging on the window searching for a certain Markus Palttala, who we believe that at the last minute was asked to jump back in the #77 VDS BMW.
1351: A skirmish between the #77 and #1 ensued once again, the #1 put a lap on the #77 when Rast got by at Les Combes. It seems to be slipping away for the VDS team.
1354: The #63 Mercedes has been given a drive-through penalty for causing a collision at La Source earlier.
1357: The VDS BMW is back on the lead lap again, as the #1 comes in for a stop, Rast out, Winkelhock in.
1401: The #80 RJN Nissan has also received a drive-throgh penalty, for not respecting the track limits.
1404: The #52 AF Corse Ferrari, which sits third in Pro-Am just had a longer stop than planned due to a jammed wheel nut.
1409: Further bad luck for the Bentley boys, the #7 is reported having a slow puncture with Steven Kane driving.
Stephen Kilbey
