16.09.2017 - 21h00
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…..
- 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
