Porsche take control in LMP1; Ferrari snatch lead from Porsche in LMGTE Pro
Porsche take control as both 919 Hybrids take turns in lead; Ferrari snatch lead from Porsche in LMGTE Pro. The story of hours 3 and 4 at the 6 Hours of Nürburgring.
16/07/2017
The story of Hour 3
Porsche No.1 driven by Neel Jani takes the lead from sister 919 Hybrid of Brendon Hartley
Porsche pair pull clear of Toyota TS 050 HYBRID driven by Jose-Maria Lopez. Gap extends to 25-seconds
Nick Tandy takes over from Jani just before half distance and rejoins in lead
Hartley vacates cockpit for Earl Bamber who keeps second position as Lopez gives over No.7 Toyota cockpit to Mike Conway
Recovering No.8 Toyota up in to fourth place in hands of Anthony Davidson
LMP2 sees Jackie Chan DC Racing earn a large gap over opposition as Ho-Pin Tung adds to gap started by Oliver Jarvis
Tung enjoys a 50-second gap to second Jackie Chan car of Tristan Gommendy
Gustavo Menezes in Signatech Alpine takes third from the No.31 Vaillante Rebellion of Julien Canal just before end of third hour
Porsche versus Ferrari fight in LMGTE Pro as James Calado starts to catch leading 911 RSR of Michael Christensen
Gap down to 3.5 seconds as half distance approaches
No.91 Porsche 911 RSR driven by Frederic Makowiecki places third ahead of early leader – No.95 Aston Martin
Entertaining fight for LMGTE Am lead as Mathias Lauda defends from Matteo Cairoli in Dempsey-Proton Porsche
Young Italian eventually takes the lead just before end of hour three
Spirit of Race Ferrari driven by Miguel Molina runs third in class
The story of Hour 4
Lead swaps once again as Earl Bamber catches and overtakes former Le Mans teammate Nick Tandy in to turn one
No.7 Toyota drops back and still runs third but now over as minute in arrears to the Porsches
The second of the Toyota’s which was delayed at the start and needed a fuel pump change runs fourth in hands of Kazuki Nakajima
Tandy comes back at Bamber but has brief contact with No.67 Ford GT of Harry Tincknell who spins. Tandy continues undamaged but Tincknell loses time in gravel
No.38 Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca-Gibson continues in healthy lead as Thomas Laurent consolidates lead
But the French rookie has to pit for a rear bodywork section change just before end of fourth hour
Filipe Albuquerque snatches second position after remarkably opportunistic move to take both Matt Rao (Signatech Alpine) and David Cheng (Jackie Chan DC Racing) in one manoeuvre
Pipo Derani moves the No.13 Vaillante Rebellion up to third after overtaking Rao’s Alpine
LMGTE Pro continues to be an absorbing tactical race as No.51 AF Corse Ferrari continues in lead with James Calado stretching lead
Second is No.92 Porsche of Michael Christensen who is 25-seconds behind the Ferrari 488 GTE
Porsche run 2-3 as No.91 car runs just behind with Frederic Makowiecki in the cockpit
LMGTE Am sees cat and mouse battle between Aston Martin and Porsche as Christian Ried and Paul Dalla Lana are separated by just 2-seconds in the German’s favour
