Kamui Kobayashi put in another stellar stint in the wee small hours, retaking the lead from the #5 Cadillac in the #10 Konica Minolta car.
Into Hour 15 and the status quo in GTLM has Chaz Mostert’s #24 BMW M8 GTE keeping the #912 Porsche of Mathieu Jaminet pegged back at seven seconds. Though the Porsche pair still seems well-poised, the #911 car, currently in the hands of Matt Campbell, has fallen back into the sights of fourth-placed Antonio Garcia in the #3 Corvette C8.R
The pink liveried #86 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Acura NSX was wheeled into its garage for frontal repairs.
Earlier front right contact had resulted in damage to the front splitter that was becoming problematic. The car, which had been running earlier in the top six, was returned to the race ten laps down.
There were porpoising problems for both the #6 Acura and #8 ORECA, the Penske machine receiving a new nose section, the Tower Events by Starworks 07 Gibson also needing attention. Shane van Gisbergen returned the #12 Lexus to its garage again with frontal damage, front bodywork and splitter removed, the car’s continuing issues now keeping it six laps off the lead.
With the stricken #4 Corvette still getting attention in the garage, the engine entirely out of the car as the crew worked to return the car for some additional test mileage, it was left the sister #3 C8.R to provide a night-time fireworks display, the exhausts glowing cherry red with blue flames giving something of an ‘afterburner’ effect.
10 minutes before the end of the 15th hour and the top pair in GTLM pitted together, and emerged one to tail. Matthieu Jaminet in the #912 though had the better car underneath him as the cars got back to racing, courtesy it seems of the Porsche staying on its Michelins for a second stint, his warm rubber much grippier, for now at least, able to tuck underneath the newly installed Jesse Krohn in the #24 BMW as the cars moved onto the banking, the lead changing as he cars got the power down, and the BMWs cold, new rubber had less to give.
The delayed #7 Penske Acura made it back into the overall top ten as Hour 16 dawned, Ricky Taylor at the wheel.
By the 8 hours and 52 minutes to go mark the race was into its longest green flag period, exceedingly 4 hours and 45 minutes from the start.
Into the 17th hour and Andrea Calderelli was pushing on in the lead of GTD, the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini closing in on a 50 second lead in the class after a night that has seen the car gradually edge away, taking full advantage of a now close to 6-hour green flag running stretch.
The long-time GTD leaders Pfaff Motorsport were in trouble 22 minutes before the end of the 16th hour, the #9 Porsche slowly rolling, seemingly not under power, behind the wall with Dennis Olsen at the wheel where it required crew assistance to make its way to the garage where a replacement driveshaft was being prepared. It would take 90 minutes before the Porsche would rejoin the race.
Another car in trouble again was the GEAR Lamborghini, delayed early on by steering wheel woes and then later by a replacement fuel pump, it’s fuel pressure issues again, but not the same issue!
Jesse Krohn grabbed the GTLM lead as the 16th hour entered its final quarter, the #24 up the inside at the Western Horseshoe of Laurens Vanthoor in the #912 Porsche as Nick Tandy closed in on the pair in the third-placed #911.
The BMW had a (very) clear straight-line speed advantage over the Porsche, Krohn holding the class lead through to his next pit stop where the TRLL team replace brakes on the M8 GTE, Vanthoor for the lead even after his own next stop.
At lap 602 we were into the longest green flag period in Rolex 24 Hours history – 246 laps – beating the record set in 2018.
DragonSpeed moved to the lead in LMP2 as the long-time leader, the #52 PR1 Mathiasen ORECA pitted for substantial attention, potentially after contacting, the car on pit road with front and rear bodywork, Ben Keating brought the car in but the car is losing laps, Colin Braun inheriting a 4 lap lead.
The #4 Corvette was back on track after 7 hours and 50 minutes in the garage, data gathering mode engaged!
Almost at the top of the 18th hour the #31 Cadillac was in trouble, left front puncture and a slow lap back, dropping the one-time leader back to 4th and two laps off the lead. The #77 Mazda up to third behind the #10 and #5 Cadillacs.
GTLM at the top of the hour was a Porsche 1/2. #912 from #911 with the #3 Corvette third.
In GTD the top three were switching around on their various pit cycles. The #48 Paul Miller Lamborghini, the #44 Magnus/ GRT Huracan and the #88 WRT Audi all in contention.
