The first 90 minutes of the 6 Hours of Bahrain have been action packed with drama, changes of position and closely-fought competition keeping fans and spectators following the race on the edge of their seats.
The seventh round of the FIA World Endurance Championship got underway at the magnificent Bahrain International Circuit in daylight but with the lighting already illuminated in order to provide seamless TV images around the world as the daylight fades through the setting sun into darkness.
Gimmi Bruni’s No.51 AF Corse Ferrari got the jump on the No.97 Aston Martin Vantage V8 at the start and led the first 50 minutes of the 6-hour race, holding off the British car despite strong pressure from Darren Turner. At the first round of scheduled pit stops the Aston Martin spent 24 seconds in the pits longer than the Ferrari due to a wing position adjustment as well as a change of driver to Stefan Mücke, fuel and new Michelin tyres. Toni Vilander in the No.51 Ferrari now leads the class by 11 seconds over the No.97. Third in class is the No.71 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia of Davide Rigon and James Calado, both drivers relishing the prospect of racing at a track they know well from their single-seater careers.
Making an early tactical pit stop for both its 911 RSRs was Porsche Team Manthey, taking advantage of the Full Course Yellow which came out 29 minutes after the start of the race to retrieve debris from the track. This meant that the No.91 of Richard Lietz and Jörg Bergmeister led the LMGTE Pro race for 14 laps, with the No.92 of GT title challenger Fred Makowiecki and Patrick Pilet close behind them
Nicki Thiim in the No.95 Aston Martin LMGTE Am entry has been superbly impressive since the start of the race and is now leading the category ahead of the No.61 AF Corse Ferrari of Pier Guidi, Segal and Talkanitsa. Third is the No.90 8 Star Motorsports Ferrari of Roda, Ruberti and Cressoni.
Aston Martin Racing’s second Pro entry, the No.99 of Alex MacDowall, Fernando Rees and local Saudi star, Abdulaziz Al Faisal, has been the only LMGTE car to run into any significant delays, losing 5 minutes in the pits due to an ECU change when MacDowall failed to pull away again after a pit stop.
Full results can be found HERE
Race facts:
16:29:50 Leading Porsche #20 stops- Bernhard into car
16:29:08 Porsche #20 retakes lead
16:27:33 Audi #2 into pits also leading #8 Toyota and #7 Toyota
16:23:57 Audi #1 lapped by leading Toyota #8
16:21:42 Sunset due in a few minutes
16:19:47 Ferrari #51 takes 2nd in GTE Pro from #92 Porsche
16:15:04 Stop and go penalty for #98 Aston
16:10:55 Aston #99 had ECU failure
16:10:09 2:00.427 fastest GTE Am lap for #95 Aston (also fastest overall in GTE)
16:08:47 2:00.730 fastest lap in GTE Pro for #97 Aston
16:07:17 1:52.963 fastest lap in P2 for Ligier #26
16:06:11 Aston #99 rejoins Rees in car
16:05:36 In GTE Am after 1 hour #75 Porsche leads from #95 Aston and #88 Porsche
16:04:03 After 1 hour #91 Porsche leads from #92 and #51 Ferrari in GTE Pro
16:02:31 Aston #99 stalls in pitlane and won't restart
16:01:28 Oreca #27 leads Oreca #47 and Morgan #35 in P2
16:00:38 Toyota's #8 and #7 lead after 1 hour from #20 Porsche
15:59:28 Porsche #14 rejoins in 5th place
15:57:08 Leading Porsche #14 stops - #8 Toyota retakes lead
15:56:16 Ferrari #71 takes lead in GTE Pro
15:55:32 Audi #1 drops to 5th after pit stop
15:53:21 Audi #1 into pits
15:50:17 Aston #97 into pits from 2nd in GTE Pro - Mucke gets in
15:48:59 Oreca #37 rejoins
15:45:45 Oreca #47 takes lead in P2 as #27 Oreca pits
15:44:41 1:46.388 fastest race lap for #1 Audi
15:43:24 Toyota #7 takes 3rd place from #1 Audi
15:42:31 Oreca #37 into pits for repairs
15:40:57 Oreca #37 loses front end bodywork
15:39:03 Toyota #8 takes 2nd place from #1 Audi
15:38:21 1:46.400 fastest lap for #8 Toyota
15:35:13 Dumas in #14 leads from #1 Audi
15:34:18 Audi #2 stops
15:33:31 Green Flag again
15:32:21 Leading #8 Toyota into pits and also #7 Toyota and #20 Porsche
15:31:17 Full course yellow for removal of debris
15:30:48 After 30 minutes #8 Toyota leads by 5.7 seconds from #14 Porsche
15:29:33 Ferrari #61 takes 2nd in GTE Am from #98 Aston
15:26:47 Oreca #37 takes 2nd from #47 Oreca in P2
15:25:14 Oreca #27 has contact with #90 Ferrari
15:19:55 Fastest lap for Buemi in #8 Toyota with 1:46.536
15:16:48 1:46.576 fastest lap of race for Di Grassi in #1 Audi
15:14:52 Di Grassi in #1 Audi in 5th place from #2 Audi in 6th
15:11:17 Ligier #26 had rear wishbone problem but now back out having lost 3 laps
15:10:30 Toyota #8 takes lead from #14 Porsche
15:08:22 After 4 laps #14 Porsche leads from #8 and #7 Toyota's and #20 Porsche
15:06:49 Aston #95 leads GTE Am from #98 Aston
15:06:03 Ferrari #51 leads GTE Pro from #97 Aston
15:04:58 Oreca #27 leads P2 from #47 Oreca
15:03:46 Lotus #9 has stopped at turn 5
15:03:11 Ligier #26 into pits
15:02:41 Buemi takes 2nd place but #14 still leads
15:01:50 Ligier #26 appears to have had contact
15:01:06 Porsches in 1st and 2nd on first lap
15:00:10 Race underway12:59:2824.4C Air temperature and 25.0C track temperature
14:56:53 Green Flag for formation lap
Fiona Miller
