Porsche runs 1-2 at halfway mark; Ford and Aston Martin battle rages

• No.2 Porsche inherits lead after Full Course Yellow fortune favours them just before three hour mark. Neel Jani enjoys 10-second cushion over sister Porsche driven by Timo Bernhard.
• Audi lead most of third hour but Full Course Yellow works against them when No.2 Porsche pits on same lap as caution is declared.
• No.8 Audi R18 of Lucas Di Grassi is third ahead of No.7 R18 driven by Marcel Fassler but gap is just four seconds.
• Toyota TS 050 HYBRID’s fifth and sixth with No.6 now ahead after No.5 car pits for new front bodywork section.
• Close battle in LMP1 Privateer class continues as No.13 Rebellion Racing R-One-AER takes over lead after ByKolles drops back in third hour.
• Drama in LMP2 as G-Drive Racing pit with suspected gearbox problem to hand lead to Strakka Racing Gibson 015S driven by rookie Lewis Williamson.
• Title leading No.36 Signatech Alpine takes over at front after Strakka pit stop just before three hour mark.
• Manor place second with No.45 Oreca-Nissan of Matt Rao with RGR Sports Ligier third.
• Close battles for LMGTE Pro as top three covered by just 1.8 seconds.
• Stefan Mucke leads Nicki Thiim and Gianmaria Bruni in three-way multi-manufacturer fight.
• No.98 Aston Martin leads LMGTE Am category with Mathias Lauda heading KCMG Porsche and Larbre Corvette after epic third hour wheel-to-wheel battle

Race Facts from the second 90 minutes of the race:

15:55:59 Aston #98 now leads GTE Am from #78 Porsche

15:52:57 Strakka retakes lead in P2

15:50:02 Green Flag

15:49:50 FCY was caused by small piece of bodywork falling off #5 Toyota

15:48:57 Sarrazin pits - Conway in

15:46:50 Jani back out and hasn't lost the lead

15:45:51 Dumas stops Jani in Porsche #2

15:44:23 Full Course Yellow

15:43:54 Bodywork was rubbing on Toyota #5 causing smoking

15:42:10 Dumas in Porsche #2 now leads

15:41:30 Leading Audis #7 & #8 into pits

15:40:36 Slippery surface at Turn 6 due to gravel

15:39:18 Davidson pits in #5 Toyota - stays in

15:35:19 Leader #1 - Bernhard takes over

15:33:24 Liger #26 in pit garage with gearbox problem

15:32:32 WEC GTE AM Championship leader Ferrari #83 reported for speeding under FCY

15:30:15 Ligier #26 pits and loses lead of P2 to #36 after very slow lap

15:28:43 Di Grassi takes 2nd place from Lotterer

15:26:22 Webber leads by 4 seconds from Lotterer after 81 laps

15:20:03 Porsche #78 takes lead in GTE Am and #98 Aston up to 2nd

15:11:50 Ford #67 had another 11 minute stop

15:07:20 Green Flag

15:06:02 Porsche #88 back out after losing 70 seconds

15:03:48 Pit lane fire for #88 Porsche

15:03:09 All GTE Pro & Am cars pitting under FCY

14:59:24 Ford #67 back into garage

14:58:14 Full Course Yellow

14:57:50 Ferrari #83 into gravel at turn 14

14:56:20 Corvette #50 takes lead in GTE Am

14:55:12 Corvette #50 takes 2nd in GTE Am

14:54:13 Webber retakes lead in Porsche #1

14:53:49 Sarrazin into Toyota #6

14:52:48 Both Toyotas into pits - Davidson into #5

14:49:59 Toyotas now in first 2 places but due to stop

14:48:44 Dumas into Porsche #2

14:48:12 Porsche #2 into pits

14:47:12 Strakka Gibson #42 now up to 2nd in P2 with #36 Alpine 3rd

14:43:31 Lieb now leads in Porsche #2

14:42:26 Di Grassi into #8 Audi

14:41:11 Leader #8 Audi in to pits

14:40:15 Lotterer in Audi #7 stops

14:38:37 Alpine #36 takes 2nd place in P2

14:37:36 Gravel reported on track at Turn 12

14:35:45 Porsche #1 has dropped to 6th place after stop for slow puncture

14:33:41 Webber now in #1 Porsche

14:33:05 Porsche #1 into pits - had slow puncture

14:30:57 Manor #45 takes 2nd in P2 from #36 Alpine