As the clock ticked over into the final 90 minutes of the 6 Hours of Shanghai there was further drama as the No.97 Aston Martin Vantage of Stefan Mücke pulled to the side of the Shanghai International Circuit in a cloud of smoke, and into retirement.
The car had led the LMGTE Pro category away from pole position and, in the hands of both Mücke and Darren Turner, had led the first four and a half hours of the race.
A very disappointed Turner said, “It’s a huge disappointment as everything was going really well and the car felt better and better as the race was going on. I feel very sorry for the #97 crew who worked so hard this weekend, and hope we’ll be able to go for a win next time out, with a new engine. Stefan said on the radio there was a big noise from the engine and then we could see there was no way he could get the car back to pits.”
Moving into the lead of the class was the No.92 Porsche 911 RSR of Makowiecki/Pilet, followed through by the second Porsche Team Manthey entry in third place. Now in third place is the No.71 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia of Rigon/Calado.
In the LMGTE Am class, there is some consolation for Aston Martin Racing as its two entries, No.98 and 95 are holding station in first and second, the gap between them now 38 seconds. Third is the No.90 F458 of 8Star Motorsports.
Race Facts:
15:27:44 P2 fastest race lap 1:55.900 for #26 Ligier
15:17:41 Fastest lap so far for #7 Toyota 1:49.688
15:16:43 1:48.694 new fastest lap for #8 Toyota
15:15:33 Webber into #20 Porsche
15:14:05 Spin for #88 Porsche after coming together with #35 Morgan
15:12:47 Toyota #7 stops Nakajima in
15:12:06 Leader #8 Toyota into pits Buemi stays in
15:11:24 Makowiecki takes over 2nd place GTE Pro Porsche #92
15:0 7:3 43rd place Porsche #14 into pit lane Jani gets in
15:05:14 In GTE Am #98 Aston leads #95 Aston and #75 Porsche
15:04:21 In GTE Pro #97 Aston leads from #92 and #91 Porsches
15:03:22 In P2 #26 Ligier leads #27 and #37 SMP Oreca's after #30 HPD's pitstop
15:01:50 After 4 hours Toyota #8 leads Toyota #7 and Porsche #14
15:00:49 Audi #2 into pits Fassler takes over
15:00:08 Porsche #75 takes 3rd in GTE Am from #90 Ferrari
14:59:27 Wurz in #7 Toyota reports car "not running at 100%"
14:58:29 ESM HPD #30 takes 2nd in P2
14:54:15 Audi #1 into pits
14:47:36 ESM #30 HPD retakes 3rd in P2
14:43:01 Rusinov now in P2 leader #26 Ligier
14:42:13 Toyota #8 leads team mate #7 by a minute after 113 laps
14:40:58 P2 leader #26 Ligier into pits
14:37:27 KCMG #47 Oreca had fuel pressure problems on first lap leading to incident with #51 Ferrari
14:36:18 Audi #1 now only 2 seconds behind #14 Porsche in 3rd
14:31:43 Oreca #37 up to 3rd in P2
14:24:10 In GTE Am #98 Aston leads from #95 Aston and #90 Ferrari
14:23:03 100 laps completed by the leader
14:16:27 Toyota #8 retains the lead
14:15:06 Leader #8 Toyota into pits Buemi back in car
14:14:29 6th place Porsche #20 into pits Bernhard stays in
14:13:33 2nd place #7 Toyota into pits
14:12:13 Poulsen now in #95 Aston
14:09:18 Porsche #14 into pits Lieb stays in
14:07:33 In GTE Pro #97 Aston leads #92 Porsche and #91 Porsche
14:06:23 In P2 #26 Ligier leads from #27 Oreca and #30 ESM
14:05:18 After 3 Hours Toyota #8 leads by 43 seconds from Toyota #7 and Porsche #14
14:00:39 Audi #2 into pits
Fiona Miller
Photo: SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT (SHANGHAI, CHINA), 6 HOURS OF SHANGHAI, SUNDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2014. The No.92 Porsche Team Manthey car is now leading the LMGTE Pro category, with the No.98 Aston Martin Vantage in control of the Am class.
