Monza 2 Hour Report: Porsche Penske leads; JOTA heads LMP2; Iron Dames ahead in LMGTE

Hypercar: Leader – No.6 Porsche Penske  

• Polesitting No.7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid Hypercar driven by Mike Conway led the early stages of the race from the No.50 Ferrari AF Corse 499 Hypercar driven by Miguel Molina 
• But Molina was overtaken by a flying Mikkel Jensen in No.93 Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 entry for second just before first hour safety car 
• Jensen then takes a sensational lead for The Lions as he drafts leader Conway in to the Retifillio as green flag is flown 
• Conway drops back to third place and is then compromised in pit stop as his car has to be trolley-jacked for space to leave pit  
• The Hypercar category effectively gets split as several cars pit under safety car to go off-strategy  
• This includes the Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963 which inherits the lead when leaders pit just after first hour 
• That leaves Antonio Felix da Costa heading a pack that comprises of No.6 Porsche Penske, No.2 Cadillac V-Series.R and No.51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P driven by Antonio Giovinazzi 
• Giovinazzi was spun around at the first corner when No.8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid Hypercar of Sebastien Buemi makes contact with Giovinazzi that triggers 10-secs penalty added to first pit stop 
• But a more dramatic incident follows shortly after as Buemi tags back of D'Station Aston Martin at entry to Ascari Chicane and in to the wall 
• This sees No.8 Toyota adjudged to have caused the incident and Buemi also has to serve a 60-second stop and go. This drops the points leader back to the rear of the Hypercar field and a lap down 
• After 2 Hours of racing Kevin Estre in the No.6 Porsche Penske takes a temporary lead ahead of the No.51 AF Corse, Hertz Team Jota Porsche and the similar Proton Competition Porsche 963 Hypercar 
• Just before two hour mark Gustavo Menezes in No. 94 Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 slows at exit of first chicane but manages to continue 

The doors to the Temple of Speed ​​are open. 6 Hours of Monza... Avanti! #WEC #6HMonza @ROLEX pic.twitter.com/CIFprodR6u

— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) July 9, 2023

LMP2: Leader – No.28 Jota  

• Frenetic opening hour sees United Autosports push to the front after early leader, the No.28 Jota Oreca-Gibson, is overtaken by both No.22 and No.23 
• Giedo van der Garde plays to his early overtaking reputation to grab the lead before handing over to Joshua Pierson at the first pit stop 
• Running second is Frederick Lubin who took over from Ben Hanley 
• Lubin holds off the No.35 Alpine ELF Team car of Memo Rojas before the second stops 
• After them United Autosports remain 1-2 as Pierson builds a healthy lead over Lubin 
• Third position is assumed by Le Mans winners Inter Europol Competition as Fabio Scherer takes over cockpit from Jakub Smiechowski 
• Jota run fourth at end of second hour as Oliver Rasmussen took over from David Heienemeier-Hansson who fended off United Autosport cars valiantly for several laps in the opening exchanges 
• But after the third stops it is Jota that emerge ahead with Rasmussen heading off the No.31 Team WRT car driven Ferdinand Habsburg  
• The No.23 United Autosports car is third with Oliver Jarvis having taken over from Pierson, while Inter Europol Competition sits fourth 
• No.63 Prema Oreca-Gibson gets early race penalty after Doriane Pin hits the back of the Gabriel Aubry driven Vector Sport car 

SAFETY CAR 🟡

Safety car is out again as the #10 Vector Sport ends up in the barrier at Turn 7 after contact with the #9 Prema Racing. #WEC #6HMonza pic.twitter.com/S1Z7tZ9c5s

— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) July 9, 2023

LMGTE Am: Leader – Iron Dames 

• Iron Dames lead from the start with Sarah Bovy completing double stint in pink Porsche 911 RSR-19 
• She opens useful gap to the No.83 Richard Mille AF Corse driven by Luis Perez Companc 
• Title leading No.33 Corvette Racing comes through field initially but drops back after safety car period  
• The ORT by TF Sport Aston Martin assumes the lead but falls back to fourth after second pit stop cycle handing the lead back to Bovy who pulls away from Lilou Wadoux driven No.83 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo 
• Third sits the No.33 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R with Keating still aboard. 
• ORT by TF Sport place fourth and No.54 AF Corse Ferrari well-placed in fifth as Thomas Flohr completes strong double stint 

Find full results  HERE