LMP
After a delay for the #3 Rebellion in the last hour, this time around it was the turn of the #1 as Neel Jani’s came in for an unscheduled stop midway through a stint, the #1 R13 into the garage for an as yet unrevealed issue. Gustavo Menezes, now aboard the #3 retook third, Jani though would rejoin the race after a nine minute stop.
The overall lead gap meanwhile was shrinking rapidly now, the #7 slowing, tyre trouble? or team orders – the gap into single figure seconds at the top of the hour, 5am local time?
In LMP2 the #34 Jackie Chan DC Racing Ligier was confirmed as the seventh retirement, engine trouble the diagnosis for the Ricky Taylor/ Come Ledogar/ DHH combo.
And there was trouble too for the #39 Graff Racing ORECA too, a stop-go followed by a stop and 60 second hold after pitlane and then slow zone infringements.
There was a brief spell in the garage too for the #28 TDS Racing ORECA, engine cover off before Löic Duval rejoined and immediately set about posting very fast times to recover some of the three minutes lost, including the first LMP2 lap of the race in the 3:27s, the car running seventh.
Just behind and moving up the order, was the #22 United Autosports Ligier, ex F1 racer and current DTM star Paul di Resta at the wheel with the sister #32 car also moving into contention with Juan Pablo Montoya in charge.
Graham Goodwin
GTE-Pro and GTE-Am
And so it goes on.
At half-past four Andy Priaulx offered the only mildly entertaining moment for those following GTE-Pro, taking to the gravel at Mulsanne Corner. He managed to collect the partly-spinning Ford GT #67 before he’d lost much time. A quick weave as he regained the track, to loosen some of the accumulated gravel, and he was on his way again, fifth in class, 27th overall.
Ten minutes before the end of the hour, the #64 recorded the first legitimate change in position (not resulting from a pitstop) in some considerable time, Tommy Milner overtaking Jonny Adam in the #97 Aston Martin Vantage to claim 14th place in Pro for the #64 Corvette; 38th overall.
Five minutes after that the #52 AF Corse Ferrari was awarded a stop-go penalty for overtaking through a slow zone, although the duration of the stop wasn’t given.
Apart from a new fastest lap for his car, by Euan Hankey in the TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage, #90, there was nothing much to report in GTE-Am.
Marcus Potts
