Porsche move back to the front in tight strategic battle; Ferrari in control of LMGTE Pro
The Headlines after the first 2 hours at COTA…..
16/09/2017
Porsche run 1-2 in battle of tyre strategies at COTA
No.1 Porsche 919 Hybrid driven by Nick Tandy has 5-second lead over Earl Bamber piloted No.2 car
Kazuki Nakajima led much of second hour in No.8 Toyota TS050 HYBRID after gambling on tyre strategy. Japanese driver holds 6-second gap.
Complexion of LMP1 order changes at second scheduled stop as Porsche go back to first and second while Toyotas change rubber for first time
Epic battle between Lopez and Lotterer for second place rages throughout second stint. Lotterer eventually prevails as they go wheel-to-wheel for several laps during fantastic action
Meanwhile, Brendon Hartley catches Lopez and is able to also make it through with his fresher tyres on No.2 Porsche 919 Hybrid.
No.7 Toyota in lonely fourth position with Kamui Kobayashi at wheel
First hour saw Toyota run third and fourth after jumping Timo Bernhard-driven No.2 Porsche in early stages
Signatech Alpine led first stint but double stint on tyres sees them fall back in second hour but then returns to the front
Alex Brundle surged to the front of LMP2 in No.37 Jackie Chan DC Racing car as he takes Signatech Alpine and No.13 Vaillante Rebellion
Signatech Alpine drops back after double stint tyre gamble. Andre Negrao sits second but soon catches Brundle and snatches the lead just before the two hour mark
Nico Prost is third in No.31 Vaillante Rebellion but under huge pressure from Alex Lynn in G-Drive ORECA-Gibson
No.13 sister car driven by David Heinemeier-Hansson suffers spin and drops down order to fifth
LMGTE Pro sees Ferrari emerge with clear lead as Alessandro Pier Guidi in No.51 Ferrari heads Sam Bird in No.71 488 GTE
This order swaps around after 1hr40mins as Bird moves into lead in apparent synchronized manoeuvre
No.95 Aston Martin runs in third but now 25-seconds away from Ferraris. Nicki Thiim had led for first 45-minutes.
Porsche GT Team still in contention as No.92 911 RSR runs fourth and No.91 fifth
LMGTE Am led by Clearwater Ferrari 488 GTE of Weng Sun Mok. The Malaysian driver though is being caught by Ben Barker in the Gulf Racing Porsche
No.98 recovering from earlier spin as Mathias Lauda fights back to third place
