Just two LMP1 cars remained as the half-way mark in the Six Hours of Bahrain passed – Sarrazin leading in the #8 Toyota almost a full lap ahead of Fassler in the #1 Audi. Third place overall was briefly held by Alex Brundle in the #24 Oak LMP2, after the class-leading #26 G-Drive car made a scheduled stop.
Toni Vilander remained in control of GTE Pro in the #51 AF Corse Ferrari – and if things stay the way they are, with the #97 Aston Martin second in class, Vilander’s co-driver Bruni will be the GTE driver’s champion, but Aston Martin will lift both the manufacturers’ and teams’ crowns.
#76 Imsa Matmut Porsche drivers Raymond Narac and Jean-Karl Vernay will take the GTE Am drivers’ title if they retain their current third place in the class, but Stuart hall has now taken over the #96 Aston following a double stint for car owner Roald Goethe to get his minimum driving time out of the way.
3:01: The #57 Krohn Racing Ferrari grinds to a halt between turns 13 and 14. Looks like another retirement here as the marshals move it to a safe position.
3:06: Brundle stops the #24 Oak and hands over to David Heinemeier Hanssen, while Davidson takes over the sole remaining Toyota from Sarrazin.
3:10: Davidson sets the fastest lap of the race so far, a 1:44.322, as Fassler is reported for overtaking under yellows. Drivetrain failure is confirmed as the cause of the #2 Audi’s retirement.
3:15: #95 Aston pits from the GTE Am lead with Kristian Poulsen at the wheel who swaps for Nygaard, while fourth-placed in GTE Pro Fisichella also pits in the #71. The car is raised on it jacks and there seems to be a problem with the right-front tyre. He gets going again but a lot of time has been lost.
3:20: Team manager of the #1 Audi has been summoned to race control – penalty afoot for passing under yellows earlier?
3:24: Fassler is double-stinting his tyres and it’s hurting the #1 car’s pace – 33 seconds adrift of Davidson now.
3:26: Turner pits from second in class in the #97 Aston for fuel and tyres and a driver swap to Stefan Mucke. He was within 10 seconds of Vilander but unable to match the Ferrari’s lap times.
3:28: Greaves Motorsport in the pits for a scheduled stop from second in class and fourth overall – Jon Lancaster gets out after a double stint. A strong run for this car so far this evening – although prototype rookie Wolfgang Reip has just taken the wheel for the first time in the race.
3:30: Jon Lancaster reports he removed a tear-off from his visor which then became stuck over the Zytek’s air intake, which lost him some time.
3:32: Fast laps coming from the GTEs as the temperature drops – Muckein the Aston and Lieb in the Porsche both set their car’s fastest lap of the race so far.
3:34: Drive-through penalty confirmed for the #1 Audi.
3:41: “No need to push” Davidson is told over the radio by #8’s race engineer Mathieu Le Nail.
3:45: Pierre Kaffer climbs aboard the Pecom Racing Oreca after team owner Luis Perez Companc gets out.
3:46: Engine trouble reported by Mucke in the #97 Aston Martin. He’s very slow for a few corners but appears to get going again – he pits and the car is pushed into the garage for attention.
3:53: Heinemeier-Hansson pits the #24 Oreca from the class lead – Rusinov in the #26 G-Drive car soon follows suit, as does Davidson from the overall lead in the Toyota.
3:56: Stuart Hall pits for fuel in the #96 Aston from sixth in class – GTE Am drivers’ title chances slipping away from him and Jamie Campbell-Walter at the moment, but it’s not over yet. JCW is now in the car until the end probably.
3:58: Bruno Senna in the #99 Aston has had a slight coming-together with the Toyota in the first corner – another heart-in-mouth moment for the folk from Banbury, as the points scored by this car can still clinch the GTE manufacturers’ title for Aston Martin.
4:00: Senna pits – the car seems to have escaped serious damage. Pedro Lamy gets aboard for the first time in the race.
4:03: A significant development in GTE Am – the #76 Imsa Porsche has gone into the garage with a problem, which opens up an opportunity for Stuart Hall and Jamie Campbell-Walter to move back into drivers’ title contention.
4:05: A routine stop for the #51 Ferrari – Bruni is aboard now and on course to take the GTE Pro drivers’ world title.
4:07: Confirmed retirement of the #97 Aston Martin with a drive chain issue on the engine. Huge disappointment for Turner and Mucke.
4:08: Campbell-Walter is up to fifth in GTE Am. He and Hall will take the drivers’ title on countback thanks to their two victories (Sao Paulo and Austin) if things stay as they are.
4:11: Bruni sets his car’s fastest lap of the race so far – 2:00.350.
4:16: Spin for Ricardo Gonzalez in the #35 Oak – car is running fifth in class.
4:18: Markus Palttala reports broken rear suspension on the #76 Porsche – it comes out after a few laps following repairs.
4:27: Campbell-Walter sets the #96 car’s fastest lap yet – pushing hard to catch the fourth-placed Corvette of Patrick Bornhauser and grab enough points to win the GTE Am team’s championship.
4:32: A spin for the #76 Porsche, but Vernay keeps going.
4:34: A routine stop for the #24 Oak, which currently holds fourth in LMP2. Pla takes over from Heinemeier-Hansson.
4:37: Kaffer has a high-speed slide off the track at Turn 14. The runoff slows the Pecom car to some extent, but he still clouts the wall with considerable force. The car moves away under its own power but there’s clearly some damage. Greaves and Oak move up to second and third in class as Kaffer pits and the car goes into the garage. Pla is closing down Wolfgang Reip fast.
Conway continues to lead the class and hold third place overall in the #26 G-Drive car.
4:44 We believe that the LMP2 leading #26 G-Drive car will need an additional splash and dash over the chasing Oak Morgan, Mike Conway now also under investigation for a clash with the #76 Porsche.
4:48 – Kaffer rejoins after losing just under 10 minutes, the fine run to a potential win from Pecom though is over.
4:50 – Pla goes by Reip for second in LMP2, fourth overall.
As things stand it’s the #35 crew that is set for LMP2 honours, Gimmi Bruni and AF Corse for Drivers and Team titles in GTE Pro, Aston Martin in the Manufacturers Championship, GTE AM Drivers for JCW and Stuart Hall and the teams title to 8STar. BUT – There’s over an hour to go.
4:55 The #26 gets the black and white warning flag for the clash with the unfortunate IMSA Porsche, Kaffer meanwhile is in again in the Pecom Oreca
