The DSC live blog will be updated throughout the morning session here at La Sarthe. Keep refreshing your browser regularly and scroll to the bottom for the latest news from the circuit.
08:07 – Less than an hour to go until the start of the first Test here at La Sarthe. Forecast suggests no rain for either session, though there are a few threatening clouds on the horizon.
08:25 – Strakka Racing has told DSC it will opt to get some running early in the session as a weather front is moving in and due to arrive at 9am.
08:26 – Nissan are opting to have Lucas Ordonez, Olivier Pla and Michael Krumm in its LM NISMO’s at the start of the session.
08:38 – Fans are starting to converge on the start/finish straight to see the cars leave the pits for the first time. Despite weather concerns, it’s a healthy turnout!
08:43 – The clouds are getting darker here at pit-lane. There’s a lack of correlation between what we saw from a forecast this morning to what we are seeing now.
9:05 – Most of the cars are out on track and starting their first flyers.
09:11 – Kazuki Nakajima tops the times with a 3:40.664 in the #1 Toyota. Nathanael Berthon puts Murphy second overall and top of the LMP2 times with a 3:55.215.
09:14 – Of the eight cars to set a time so far, all five classes are represented. Nakajima heads LMP1, Berthon leads the LMP2 class, Fred Mako has set a 4:03.671 in Pro, Collard (83 AF Corse) put up a 4:25.426 in Am and Tomlinson has set a lap in the #74 LNT Ginetta Nissan LMP3 car.
09:17 – Lucas Ordonez leaves the pitlane for the first time in a GT-R LM NISMO. Meanwhile Andre Lotterer goes quickest overall with a 3:33.225.
09:20 – It’s still very early, but it’s an Audi 1-2 at the top after Marco Bonanomi put the #9 Audi second overall with a 3:33.037.
09:21 – A Nissan GT-R LM NISMO sets a competitive lap for the first time at Le Mans, and in the FIA WEC. Michael Krumm puts the #22 car 10th with a 3:53.821.
09:24 – Paul-Loup Chatin goes fastest in LMP2, a 3:46.654 from the Frenchman as the times start to tumble.
09:29 – First yellow flag of the session as the #44 Ibanez Oreca spins at Zone 11 with Pierre Perret driving.
09:31 – Quickest of the GTE runners is now Oliver Gavin in the #64 Corvette after a lap of 4:00.773, the #63 Vette with Magnussen at the wheel is second in the premier GT class.
09:39 – “It’s about getting Mitch’s (Evans) ten laps done, then it’s mine and Oliver’s (Turvey) turn. It’s going to rain at Le Mans, during the race probably, so it doesn’t matter, it’s all about experience if it rains, so we’ll plod along.” – Simon Dolan, Jota Sport.
09:39 – Porsche are now 1-2 at the top of the standings after Timo Bernahrd put up at 3:23.945. Everyone’s beginning to go quicker here. Still no rain at the circuit.
09:46 – After three quarters of an hour the class leaders are as follows: #17 Porsche LMP1 3:23.945, #36 Alpine LMP2 3:44.130, #64 Corvette GTE Pro 4:00.022, #61 AF Corse GTE Am 4:00.677.
09:57 – The #18 Porsche takes the reins at the top for the German marque, after Neel Jani managed a time of 3:21.945. Second and third now are the #9 and #7 Audis with Bonanomi and Lotterer driving respectively.
10:04 – Red flag at the circuit. A Nissan has stopped under the Dunlop Bridge, and it’s believed to be the #22 of Krumm. Now confirmed – the car resorts an comes back to the pit lane
10:13 – Green flag
10:27 – After a few changes to the setup, Jonny Kane has gone quicker in the Strakka DOME, his best time so far, with the new aero package and Dunlops is a 3:44.848 to go sixth in LMP2.
10:30 – Gavin goes even quicker in the #64 Corvette, his best time now is a 3:58.162. Meanwhile, Murphy Prototypes have had a spin on track at Zone 3.
10:32 – With an hour and a half gone, the top three in LMP1 (#18, #19, #7) have all beaten last year’s fastest time at the Test Day (3:23.014 by Sebastien Buemi). The fastest time thus far from Neel Jani – 3:21.945 -(3:21.945) is less than two tenths off last year’s pole time (3:21.789 by Kazuki Nakajima)
10:34 – Kaffer splits the two Rebellions in the CLM, and is now in the top 10. All three Nissan’s are back on track now too, the fastest of the Nissans is Olivier Pla who set a 3:44.570.
10:38 – The track is now being confirmed as wet. Thus far 60 of the 64 cars at the Test have completed laps, but all four remaining cars are out of the pits and on-track.
10:41 – The #21 Nissan has completed its first flyer, a 3:51.334 at the hands of Lucas Ordonez. All three factory cars have completed competitive laps now.
10:42 – The showers continue around the circuit, and outside the Press Room window it seems to be getting slightly heavier.
10:56 – At the halfway mark in the morning session, the top ten in each class are as follows:
LMP1: #18 Porsche – 3:21.945, #9 Audi – 3:22.3, #7 Audi – 3:22.9, #17 Porsche – 3:23.9, #8 Audi – 3:24.1, #19 Porsche – 3:24.1, #2 Toyota – 3:26.9, #1 Toyota 3:27.0, #12 Rebellion – 3:30.4, #4 CLM – 3:38.9.
Fastest Nissan – 3:43.3 by the #23 with Olivier Pla behind the wheel.
LMP2: #34 Oak Ligier HPD – 3:41.919 (11th overall), #36 Alpine – 3:42.2, #47 KCMG Oreca – 3:42.4, #38 Jota Gibson – 3:42.5, #42 Strakka DOME – 3:43.8, #41 Greaves Gibson – 3:44.3, #26 G-Drive Ligier – 3:45.7, #48 Murphy Oreca – 3:46.6, #28 G-Drive Ligier – 3:47.9, #30 ESM Ligier – 3:47.9.
GTE Pro: #64 Corvette – 3:58.162 (35th overall), #51 Ferrari – 3:58.6, #92 Porsche – 3:59.0, #63 Corvette – 4:00.5, #91 Porsche – 4:00.9, #71 Ferrari – 4:01.6, #97 Aston – 4:02.7, #99 Aston – 4:03.2, #95 Aston – 4:16.9.
GTE Am: #61 AF Corse Ferrari – 4:00.677 (39th overall), #72 SMP Ferrari – 4:01.303, #83 AF Ferrari – 4:02.4, #62 Scuderia Corse Ferrari – 4:02.8, #50 Larbre Corvette – 4:03.1, #77 Dempsey Porsche – 4:03.3, #81 AF Corse Ferrari – 4:03.7, #88 Proton Porsche – 4:03.8, #98 Aston Martin – 4:05.4, #60 Formula Ferrari 4:05.9.
11:11 – Rain continues of fall ever heavier around the track. Rooster tails are out in full force now as most of the teams sit stationary in the garage waiting for conditions to improve.
11:25 – Yellows at Arnage for Ben Keating off in the #53 Viper – and at Terte Rouge, the #23 Nissan stopped- Slow zones protect both.
11:33 – The Nissan has been towed to safety behind a barrier.
11:42 – Nick Leventis (Strakka Racing): “It’s been a long journey to get here, we’re enjoying every minute. It’s a learning process, and we think we can be at the sharp end of this grid. We need dry running with the new tyres. The tyre configuration is very different with Dunlop, it’s a radical change, but a positive one. The car balance is very different and we need dry running to take a step forward.
“A dry day would be good for us.”
11:42 – The Riley Viper is back out on track after its off earlier.
11:48 – The Red Flag is out again for debris between Indianapolis and Arnage. The debris is reported to have been from a puncture on the left-rear of the #4 ByKolles CLM.
11:58 – Green flag once again, most of the LMP1 field hit the track straight away, though many teams further down the order remain reluctant to complete the laps in the tricky conditions.
12:13 – The #23 is reported to have suffered from electrical issues.
12:17 – The #67 AAI Porsche is in the gravel at Zone 3.
12:23 – Green conditions once again with 35 minutes remaining.
12:36 – The #75 LNT Ginetta of Nick McMillen is in the gravel at Zone 4, bringing out double-waved yellows.
12:59 – The rain continues to fall as the session comes to a close. No real changes at the top.
