Hour 5: Status quo maintained at head of all four classes
The status quo has been maintained by the leaders in all four classes in the 6 Hours of Shanghai, the eighth and final round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Toyota still leads overall in LMP1 by a healthy margin, ahead of the two Audi R18 e-tron quattros. The FIA WEC Drivers’ title is tantalisingly close for drivers from the four-ringed marque…not long now to find out who will be crowned 2012 Champions.
JRM’s hopes of challenging for the lead in the LMP1 Privateers group were dashed when the No.22 was delayed in the pits for a change of rear end after sustaining damage. David Brabham is now at the wheel and pushing hard to retain second place behind the leading No.12 Rebellion entry, although the No.13 Lola-Toyota is only 11 seconds behind.
ADR-Delta in the shape of John Martin in the No.25 Oreca 03 Nissan has a lap in hand over the No.44 Starworks Motorsports HPD ARX 03b of Stéphane Sarrazi, the American car having pushed hard to make up lost time earlier in the race following a puncture. The No.24 OAK Racing car is now ahead of Pecom Racing.
No changes either in LMGTE Pro: will Aston Martin Racing follow up their qualifying performance with a first class win? Behind the British entry, which Darren Turner is about to take the wheel of, is the No.77 Porsche and No.71 Ferrari. LMGTE Am has also remained unchanged in terms of the leading three with Portuguese driver Pedro Lamy back at the wheel of the No.50 Larbre Competition Corvette ahead of the No.88 Porsche and No.57 Ferrari.
Track Data
Air t° :22.0°C
Track t° :23.3°C
Wind :NW at 14.5 kph
Humidity :61%
Michelin Green X Challenge Top 3 at the end of Hour 5
2-1-21
RACE FACTS – HOUR 5
15:04:09 : Aston Martin #97 makes 4th stop from GTE Pro class lead - Mucke takes over from Turner - drops to 2nd
15:08:49 : Victory now looks well within the grasp of Wurz and Lapierre in the Toyota TS030 Hybrid #7 even if they need 1 more stop than Audi
15:08:49 : Victory now looks well within the grasp of Wurz and Lapierre in the Toyota TS030 Hybrid #7 even if they need 1 more stop than Audi
15:12:43 : Marc Lieb in the #77 Felbermayr-Proton Porsche has yet to make 4th stop and leads LM GTE Pro for the moment
15:16:53 : Rear end replaced on JRM #22 during pit stop - formerly 2nd LMP1 privateer behind Rebellion #12
15:20:31 : Currently 22 second gap between 1st and 2nd overall. Audis yet to make 5th stop
15:23:22 : Audi #1 makes 5th stop on lap 138 - Fuel and tyres - Lotterer stays in
15:25:17 : Allan McNish makes regular stop in Audi #2 at lap 139 - Full service and driver change - Kristensen takes over.
15:29:42 : After 4th stop of #77 Felbermayr-Proton Porsche, Aston Martin #97 re-takes lead of LMGTE Pro class
15:31:32 : Pedro Lamy in #50 Larbre Corvette rejoins in lead of LM GTE Am after 4th stop.
15:39:07 : Closest battle on track is the one between the JRM HPD #22 and Rebellion Lola-Toyota #13 for 2nd LMP1 privateer (5th/6th overall) with a 12 second gap.
15:41:44 : Toyota #7 makes 6th stop on lap 148 - Lapierre hands over to Wurz - It rejoins in the lead.
15:45:35 : Both Audis will make 6th and possibly final stops. Toyota will need a 7th stop before the finish.
15:49:13 : Krohn Racing #57 appear to be the least thirsty of the GT field. They sit in 3rd place in class after their 4th stop at lap 130
15:52:50 : Gap between JRM #22 and Rebellion #13 is now down to 10s - (5th and 6th overall)
15:56:33 : Approaching 1 hour remaining, Toyota #7 leads from the pair of Audis #2 and #1 overall, ADR Delta #25 leads LMP2 and Aston Martin #97 leads LM GTE Pro
15:57:42 : Larbre Corvette #50 leads LM GTE Am class
Fiona Miller
Photo: SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT (SHANGHAI, CHINA), 6 HOURS OF SHANGHAI, SUNDAY 28TH OCTOBER. The No.25 ADR-Delta Oreca Nissan continues to lead in LMP2.
