After three hours of the 6 Hours of Silverstone all three manufacturers have led the race with the no7 Audi R18 e-tron quattro of Andre Lotterer taking the lead from Anthony Davidson’s no1 Toyota TS040 HYBRID at the top of the hour.
The no17 Porsche of Mark Webber led the race for the first 80 minutes but a drive train issue forced the Australian into the pits and into retirement. The no18 Porsche took over the top spot but had to contend with the Audi R18s which closed up on the twisty parts of the Silverstone track. However once on the long straights the Porsche would pull away only to be caught again on the twisty stuff, keeping the fans on the edge of their seats.
However it wasn’t just the LMP1 class that provided all the thrills as the battles in LMP2, LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am were just as close. Nick Tandy in the KCMG Oreca05-Nissan got a great start to take the lead in the LMP2 category but had to fend off the attentions of the two G-Drive Racing Ligiers. Sam Bird took the lead on lap 6 but Tandy was still able to mount a challenge. However Tandy’s race came to an end when a holed radiator forced the Oreca into the pits.
The two G-Drive Ligiers continued to battle amongst themselves with Roman Rusinov holding the top sport from Gustavo Yacaman as the clock hit 3 hours remaining. The no36 Signatech Alpine of Paul Loup Chatin had a big off at Copse, hitting the tyre wall hard. The French driver was unhurt but his car was too damaged to continue.
In LMGTE Pro the trio of Aston Martin Vantage’s led the class early on, with the no95 Young Driver Vantage leading the way. However just after they three cars stopped a Full Course Yellow was declared allowing the no92 Porsche of Patrick Pilet and the no51 Ferrari of Gianmaria Bruni to pit while the rest of the field circulated slowly. The Porsche and Ferrari rejoined the track ahead of the Aston Martins.
In LMGTE Am the no88 Abu Dhabi –Proton Racing Porsche of Klaus Bachler led the way with the no83 AF Corse Ferrari of Emmanuel Collard challenging hard, with the no98 Aston martin Vantage of Pedro Lamy also in the mix. At end of the first three hours it was the no83 AF Corse Ferrari of Rui Aguas at the head of the field, 27 seconds ahead of the no98 Aston Martin.
CLICK HERE for the results after 3 Hours
Race Facts
14:59:05 Aston #98 reported losing fluid from rear
14:55:50 Lotterer takes lead from Davidson
14:51:45 Oreca #47 had a stone damage the radiator
14:51:06 Ligier #26 had incident with #42 Strakka
14:49:06 Spin for Rusinov in #26 G-Drive Ligier
14:45:11 Toyota #2 into pitlane to remove debris and fit new nose
14:41:20 1 minute stop and go for Corvette #50 for pit lane infringement
14:39:53 Lotterer in Audi #7 passes Conway for 2nd15:37:51Porsche #88 reported for speeding in pit lane
14:35:36 Lotterer overtakes Dumas for 3rd place
14:34:38 Aston #98 now leads GTE Am
14:32:32 Dumas now in Porsche #18
14:31:52 Porsche #18 into pits - Toyotas now in first two places
14:29:36 Lotterer now into Audi #7
14:26:12 Toyota #1 into pits
14:25:02 Davidson in #1 now only 4 seconds off the lead in 3rd place
14:22:09 Audi #8 into pits
14:18:50 CLM #4 has broken steering arm
14:17:25 CLM #4 has spin at Village
14:16:00 Pitstop infringement for CLM #4 under investigation
14:12:46 Aston #95 reported to be losing fluid
14:09:54 Reid in #88 Porsche now leads GTE Am
14:03:22 Porsche #17 officially retired
14:01:25 Jani now leads Fassler by 0.36 secs
13:59:08 Toyota #2 into pits - Conway takes over
13:57:06 Jani retakes 2nd from Fassler
13:55:47 Makowiecki now leads GTE Pro in #92 Porsche
13:52:16 Fassler takes 2nd from Jani but then repassed again!
13:49:22 Small piece of debris on track at Becketts
13:46:26 Wurz in #2 Toyota leads by 11 seconds from #18 Porsche
13:41:22 Oreca #47 pushed into garage
13:40:20 Leader #18 pits and Jani gets in
13:39:14 Ferrari #71 now leads GTE Pro14:38:22Audi #7 pits and Fassler takes over
13:37:42 Davidson now in Toyota #1
13:37:05 Treluyer passes Lieb for the lead but then Lieb retakes lead
13:35:56 Toyota #1 into pits14:32:28Duval into #8 and back out
13:31:56 Treluyer takes 2nd place and Buemi 3rd
13:30:46 Audi #8 pushed into garage - has rear damage
13:30:01 Di Grassi into pits
13:29:02 Aston #98 takes lead in GTE Am
13:27:17 Gearbox problem for Porsche #17
13:25:46 Lieb only leads by 2.7 seconds
13:24:03 Lieb takes the lead from Di Grassi and Treluyer
13:23:03 Webber into pits from the lead and pushed into garage
13:17:36 Di Grassi up to 3rd place having passed Treluyer
13:12:44 Treluyer and Di Grassi pass Buemi for 3rd and 4th
13:11:14 Green flag again
13:10:40 In GTE Am #88 Porsche leads #72 Ferrari and #98 Aston after an hour
13:09:24 Full Course Yellow to repair barriers at Copse damaged in #36 Alpine crash
13:08:22 In GTE Pro #92 Porsche leads #51 and #71 Ferrari's after one hour
13:06:50 In P2 #26 Ligier leads #28 Ligier with #47 Oreca in 3rd
13:05:38 After one hour Webber in #17 leads Lieb in #18 by 17 seconds with #1 in 3rd
13:00:57 Collard in #83 Ferrari takes lead in GTE Am
12:56:23 ESM HPD #31 has gearbox problem
12:54:28 Hall in #96 Aston takes lead in GTE Am
12:52:34Corvette #50 of Ruberti retakes lead of GTE Am
12:51:14 1:40.836 new fastest lap for Treluyer in Audi #7
12:50:02 CLM #4 now back on track 23 laps down
12:48:52 Lieb now in Porsche #18
12:46:44 Green Flag again
12:45:46 ESM HPD #31 has oil leak and in its pit
12:44:42 Most cars stopping at pits under Full Course Yellow
12:43:09 Chatin is out of car (#36) which crashed and lost a wheel and OK
12:41:27 Chatin in #36 Alpine off into barriers at Copse
12:40:25 Full Course Yellow
12:39:59 Yellow flag at Turn 9 Copse
12:37:36 G Drive Ligier's # 26 and #28 now 1st and 2nd in P2
12:35:01 Di Grassi in #8 overtakes Treluyer in #7 for 4th
12:30:08 Ligier #35 into pits with throttle problem
12:26:53 Porsche #77 in pits for tyre pressure change
12:26:06 Di Grassi in #8 passes Wurz in #2 for 5th
12:24:00 CLM #4 is having floor changed
12:23:20 Track temperature is 11C ,Air temperature 13C, Wind 26kph
12:16:28 Di Grassi runs wide at Village in Audi #8 now in 6th
12:15:29 Bachler in #88 Porsche takes lead in GTE Am
12:12:36 New lap record for Treluyer in Audi #7 of 1:41.747 on lap 2
12:11:24 Bird in Ligier #26 takes lead in P2
12:09:32 CLM #4 has been off track and damaged under tray
12:07:26 Corvette #50 of Ruberti leads GTE Am
12:06:22 CLM #4 of Liuzzi into its pit
12:05:53 Aston #95 of Thiim leads GTE Pro
12:04:49 Tandy in #47 Oreca leads P2
12:03:19 Webber in #17 Porsche leads at end of first lap
12:01:43 Strakka #42 straight on at Village
12:00:37 Green Flag
11:55:16 Cars leave on their formation lap
11:49:35 Cars are lined up in traditional "Le Mans" start formation at the side of the International pit straight
