Mark Webber still leads Marc Lieb and Sebastien Buemi. The Audi's are racing in the 1:40 bracket, and are a second quicker than the leading factory Porsche's. The cool part about FIA WEC, is the battle between the factory teams in Prototype, and in LM GTE on the Pro and Am sides of the classes. Sam Bird leads LMP2 for G Drive right now. The #88 Porsche also ran in the four hour European Le Mans Series race, yesterday. A race, you will a short report on, on this blog, soon.
These blokes are flying, at around 270 kilometers an hour. But, we've got another full course yellow, for a busted barrier. #72 is in the pits. 270 clicks is 168 miles an hour. The cars in the WEC have a new system, to slow the cars. They call it a marshal in the cockpit, and it's made by Magnetti Marelli. Paul Loup Chatin was OK, after crashing the Alpine. In 20 seconds, we're back to green. The virtual safety car, seems to be working. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Go. We're green at Silverstone. The Audi takes advantage, and Benoit Treluyer makes a pass on the Toyota. But, the Toyota TS040 is still going for it.
Pass for position. Lucas di Grassi is now up to fourth. Benoit Treluyer is quickest. Has the Toyota recharged? It's super capacitor, gets beaten, by Audi's flywheel system. Treluyer is now closing on Marc Lieb, in the Porsche. Audi is coming, and fast. The capacitor was not full on the Toyota. The diesel turbo of the Audi, has more power, than the Toyota. Nick Tandy loses a spot to Ryan Dalziel in the first ESM car. 1:44s for the Porsche's, and 1:42s for the Porsche's. It's a see saw battle, and the Audi's are in the pound seats at the moment.
Audi engineer Lena Gade says, "OK, Ben. Watch out for Lucas." No team orders. Just don't take each other out. Mark Webber still leads this race. Alexey Basov and Gianluca Roda, battle each other in LM GTE Am. Meanwhile, #51 pits and Gianmaria Bruni is relieved by Toni Vilander. Davide Rigon leads LM GTE Pro at this point. Don't let the sunshine fool you. It's chilly at Silverstone. So, the tire techs are scrambling.
Ooh! A wiggle from Paul Dalla Lana, and Marc Lieb almost gets chopped! That's a quick part of the track between Abbey and Village. Sebastien Buemi is fifth overall. The team manager for the #91 Porsche of Michael Christensen in GTE Pro, is called to the stewards office. Now, pit stop time for Porsche prototype #17. We have a lead change. Marc Lieb in the #18 leads. But the dolly's are out. The leader is in the garage. Mark Webber, has a problem. The brakes are hot. Mark Webber gets out. The car needs to be serviced.
New driver. Ooh. Lieb gets sideways. Now, between Vale and Stowe, the Audi's are flying. The Porsche doesn't like the traffic, as Treluyer passes di Grassi. They do some off roading. di Grassi is off the road, and his tires, are trashed! Treluyer goes way off, and so does the team car. How did he think he'd get around Abbey flat out? Not a chance! Treluyer had no hope in a million years of making that turn!
#17 remains in the garage as Brendon Hartley will take over as soon as the servicing is done. Marc Lieb runs a 1:47. It's slower than Audi, and the Porsche's are not as good in traffic as the Audi's are. Huge work on the rear drive line of the car. The hybrid cars are All-Wheel Drive. They have a turbocharger system. Loic Duval will change over and get into the #8 Audi. The GTE cars are in the way. Pardon me. Coming through.
Drama for Porsche. Audi is booking it, to catch up with the boys from Weissach. It's the battle of the Germans. Weissach vs. Ingolstadt. Audi #8 has hit the garage. Was there contact between the Audi team cars? #8 is now back in the race, running fifth. Loic Duval is not happy about this. Just amazing. Sebastien Buemi is now third in the #1 Toyota. Porsche, Audi, Toyota. Alex Wurz in the #2 is on a different strategy.
Marc Lieb is leading. But, Audi is coming. Onto the National straight towards Brooklands, Luffield, and Woodcote. This is incredible. Through Copse, Maggots, and Becketts. These cars have tons of grip. Amazing. The Audi is the quickest of the top three makes in this series. Treluyer can take the lead now. Through Aintree, onto te Wellington straight. This is a huge battle. #1 pits. Anthony Davidson takes over, and has been third in the overall. Porsche, Audi, Toyota.
Benoit Treluyer slices around the Porsche, into the lead, at Becketts! But, the Porsche comes back! This is incredible! The Porsche leads, and now, Audi is in the lane. Alex Wurz is now up to second. Marc Lieb pits, and now, Neel Jani, takes over the Porsche. The #17 car is still in the garage, and has lost nine laps. Neel Jani is at the controls, as mentioned. He is one of many Swiss sports car drivers. KCMG is in the box. They have a water pressure issue on the #47 car.
Danny Watts and Strakka, move up. Aston Martin and Porsche still battle in LM GTE Pro. Porsche and Audi still battle. Porsche has the straightaway speed, while Audi, has the downforce in the corners. Danny Watts continues to run well in the Strakka LMP2 car. Trying to sort out who is where in LMP2 at the moment. Some people need four stops to the end of this race. Others need five or six, as far as pit strategy. Neel Jani fends off the challenge from Marcel Fassler.
Alexander Wurz is still in the #2 Toyota, and did not do a driver or tire change. Track position. Christoffer Nygaard is still ahead of Michael Christensen. Crhsitensen wants to pass. No dice. They came into Vale, and there was no chance. Pardon me. That's through Luffield and Woodcote. The Audi comes to second. Porsche passes Audi! Push the Super Mario button! Through Village and into The Loop, is where that happened. Now, Audi does well in Becketts and Chapel.
This racing is monstrous. The straightline speed from the Porsche is bonkers, and the Audi's grip, is also off the charts. Spa Francorchamps is next. That's going to be just as good. Neel Jani continues to hold off the Audi. It's batteries vs. flywheel. Audi through Copse, wants it, and can't get it. Marcel Fassler is trying the Porsche. He got too close. Some aero understeer. In the meantime, the lead battle in GTE Pro is hot. Davide Rigon vs. Fred Makowiecki.
Davide Rigon is headed for the lane. Strakka pits. Danny Watts out. New driver in. Jonny Kane takes over. Working lap 62. Audi goes down the inside into The Loop. Porsche passes. Can Marcel Fasssler stick with the Porsche down the Wellington straight? No. Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich is on the horn to the Audi brass, saying, "guys, we need MORE power!" Toyota still leads this race overall. This is incredible racing. Fans, turn on your television's and watch this!
#2 Toyota, pits. But, the #17 Porsche is out. Game over. Audi goes for it, and is all over the sister #18 Porsche. Great pit stop for the #2 Toyota. Neel Jani leads in the second Porsche. Rear right brakes have a problem, though.
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