Porsche Lead at Half Way Point at Spa

02/05/2015

After taking 1-2-3 in qualifying the Porsche Team were still in front after three hours of the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. The no17 919 of Brendon Hartley was the early leader from pole but after 180 minutes of racing it was the no18 Porsche of Romain Dumas that held a 15 second lead over the no7 Audi of Andre Lotterer.

Hartley’s Porsche was given a stop go penalty for using a run off area near to a group of marshals after he outbraked into the last corner. The car then had to go into the garage after a problem with the rear suspension was diagnosed, losing the car a lap on the leaders.

The no19 Porsche of Nick Tandy also had to go back to the garage early in the race after a collision with the no91 Porsche 911 of Kevin Estre, causing some serious body work damage to the 919 which the team replaced in less than four minutes once the car was back in the pitlane.

The no7 and no8 Audis were able to run well up and finished the first three hours in second and third places, with the no1 Toyota of Anthony Davidson in 4th place one lap behind.

In LMP2 a jump start by the no38 JOTA Sport Gibson-Nissan of Harry Tincknell ended in a drive through penalty for the Englishman but also set up a brilliant fight back drive that everyone on the edge of their seats. The no26 G-Drive Racing Ligier-Nissan, which won the opening at Silverstone, was leading the class, while Tincknell and then Mitch Evans who took over the driver duties, moved up through the field to take the lead on the run into the final corner.

At the top of the third hour it was the no38 JOTA Sport Gibson, from the no26 g-Drive Ligier-Nissan, with the no28 G-Drive Ligier in third.

CLICK HERE for the results from the first three hours

RACE FACTS – 180 minutes

17:23:23 Porsche #88 also involved in spinning Ferrari's incident but no contact
17:21:54 Corvette #50 has been abandoned
17:20:38 Spin for #71 and #51 at pit entry but no contact
17:17:00 ESM #30 had a collapsed rear wing
17:15:52 Corvette #50 stopped again just past Blanchimont
17:13:54 Corvette #50 going again smoking from rear right
17:10:26 Corvette #50 towed away by crane
17:08:04 Gibson #38 back into lead of P2
17:04:52 Aston #98 now leads GTE Am
17:03:53 Corvette #50 into gravel at Stavelot from lead of GTE Am
17:00:27 Webber in #17 into pits and stays in
16:59:39 Davidson into pits in Toyota #1 stays in car
16:56:28 Audi #8 into pits Di Grassi now in
16:55:18 Leader #18 into pits16:53:41Audi #7 into pits Lotterer stays in
16:51:28 Ligier #26 back into the lead of P2
16:48:38 THIS WEEKEND THERE ARE 8000 MORE SPECTATORS THAN LAST YEAR
16:45:59 Debris on track at Chicane - wing mirror from #77
16:43:46 Audi #9 into garage to fix broken window Rast in
16:42:27 Seefried spins in #77 at Rivage and hits tyre wall
16:41:01 Reported that 54,000 spectators have attended this weekend
16:40:15 Toyota #1 goes wide at Pouhon
16:36:19 Corvette #50 takes lead in GTE Am
16:33:00 Spin but continues for Aston #98 at Rivage
16:31:55 Toyota #2 takes 4th from #9 Audi
16:28:49 Audi #9 has a broken side window
16:25:53 CLM #4 into pits
16:24:28 Spin for Porsche #77 of Patrick Dempsey at the Chicane
16:21:30 Lotterer is closing on Dumas for the lead now only 12.7 seconds
16:18:21 Porsche #17 had rear suspension problem
16:17:15 Evans in #38 Gibson leads P2
16:12:25 Webber now out in #17 has dropped to 7th
16:11:27 Audi's now 2nd 3rd and 4th
16:09:13 Porsche #17 into its garage from lead
16:08:34 Davidson in Toyota #1
16:07:51 Sarrazan now into Toyota #2
16:06:51 Dumas now in #18 after pitstop from the lead
16:05:52 Lotterer into Audi #7
16:04:05 Audi #7 into pits
16:02:22 Duval overtakes Bernhard for 2nd
16:00:59 Pitstop for #26 Ligier the P2 leader
15:58:46 Duval passes Fassler for 3rd
15:56:58 Porsche #17 drops to 2nd behind #18
15:55:36 Porsche #17 takes penalty
15:52:47 15 second stop and go penalty for leader #17 for incident crossing pit lane entry and causing danger to marshals
15:47:12 Rees in Aston #99 back into lead of GTE Pro
15:44:33 Hulkenberg now into #19 Porsche
15:43:23 Bonanomi in Audi #9 overtakes Toyota #2 for 6th place
15:41:47 Tandy in #19 into pits
15:41:04 Tandy spins at turn 19 and blocks pit entry
15:35:40 Ferrari #72 leads GTE Am15:32:26Aston #97 retakes lead of GTE Pro as #99 PITS
15:30:24 Sven Muller in for first stint in #91
15:24:43 ESM #30 now back out after long stop - lost 6 laps
15:21:33 Drive through penalty for #91 Porsche ignoring blue flags
15:19:43 All P1s have now pitted15:18:56Jani now in Porsche #18
15:18:14 Porsche #17 into pits Bernhard takes over
15:16:02 Pit stop for #7 and #9 new tyres
15:11:23 Rear damage to #96 but does not appear too bad
15:10:17 Aston #96 hit barriers at Radillon but continued
15:06:18 Black and White fLag for #91 abusing track limits
15:05:13 Long pit stop for #30 ESM
15:04:16 Aston #97 pits and Rees in #99 takes lead in GTE Pro
15:02:25 Spin for Fassler at the Chicane Duval takes 3rd
14:59:52 Lieb in 2nd dropping away from Hartley in 1st
14:53:42 Tandy lost just over 3 minutes with pitstop for new nose
14:51:27 Hartley leads by 5.3 secs from Lieb after 20 minutes
14:49:50 Porsche #19 back out
14:48:13 Aston #98 leads GTE Am
14:47:04 Porsche #19 has front body damage and into garage
14:46:16 Contact between Porsche #19 and #91 at Pouhon
14:44:56 Aston #97 leads GTE Pro
14:43:21 Ligier #26 leads from #43 Morgan
14:42:15 1.57.972 fastest lap for Hartley in #17
14:40:58 Drive through penalty for #38 and #96 for jumping the start
14:37:45 Fastest lap for Hartley in #17 1.58.012
14:36:03 KCMG #47 took 30 second penalty before leaving pit lane
14:34:04 Faster up to 3rd in Audi #7
14:33:26 Porsches in first three places
14:32:17 Hartley leads in #17 Porsche
14:30:39 Green Flag

6 Heures de Spa-Francorchamps WEC 2015