Benoit Treluyer is still trying to hold off Neel Jani. Use the lapped Gibson chassis, as a pick, and it works. Lucas di Grassi is running faster than either Treluyer or Jani. The CLM is now ahead of the Porsche, and here comes di Grassi as they fly through the Schumacher esses. Oh wow! Benoit Treluyer is pushing hard. Treluyer is fighting for his life right now. Lucas di Grassi is still looking for a way by. The Audi's in race trim, are close to the Porsche's. Here's the second Audi. Neel Jani takes a great line through the Veedol chicane. Down the inside, he tries to pass, and goes too deep. Treluyer is hanging on, and here comes di Grassi! This is a three way fight.
Knock, knock. Look behind you. di Grassi makes a pass on the Porsche. Audi has better tires it seems. Audi has to battle between themselves. One hour to go now. The Audi's seem to be ganging up on the Porsche's and beginning to pass them. It's going to be stunning! We had a brief slow zone, and it's been removed. Moments ago, Lucas di Grassi went by Benoit Treluyer. Treluyer is higher in the championship. No fight. Lucas di Grassi has better pace. Richard Bradley leads Julien Canal in LMP2.
Brendon Hartley is a lap up on the rest of the blokes battling for position. Benoit Treluyer makes a late decision to pit! This will be super close! Fuel, tires, and a driver change, for the Audi. Andre Lotterer will take car #7 to the finish of this race. The Rebellion chassis picks up some gravel. This is a battle between Stuttgart and Ingolstadt. The main objective for Audi, is to not let the Porsche pass. Porsche wants to go for two in a row, after winning Le Mans. After this race, the European section of the season, will be over, and the flyaway races will begin.
Porsche, Porsche, Audi, Audi, Toyota, Toyota. Marc Lieb is 2.3 seconds ahead of both Audi's. There are some lap times, that seem to indicate there are some concerns that the sister Porsche's and Audi's may fall back from the leaders. Uh oh. The #98 Aston Martin V8 Vantage stalls, just out of the pits. Matthias Lauda at the controls. Rui Aguas wants to take the spot away. Viktor Shaitar is up the road. In the Audi camp, right this minute, the quicker driver, has to take the lead, to try and nab the Porsche.
Marc Lieb runs a 1:39.1. Andre Lotterer is close, and Lucas di Grassi is right behind. Nick Tandy has the lead in LMP2, still, for KCMG. 45 minutes to go now. The countdown continues to the end of this motor race. Aha. The Audi move, is planned, and #8 has passed #7. Lucas di Grassi got on the phone and said, "can I make my move?" The team says, "go for it!" Just over a half an hour to go. Mark Webber continues lapping in the 1:39 range. Marc Lieb is the same way, even though he is two laps down.
Mark Webber lowers the fast lap to 1:38.5. If things stand as they are, Porsche will earn their first overall 1-2 in a six hour race in FIA WEC competition. They won, in Brazil, at Interlagos, last fall. Now, there's a touch, between the second place Porsche, and one of the LMP2 cars. Marc Lieb, taps Nelson Panciatici. What will that little "love tap" do to the handling of the Porsche? We'll see. It's been quite the race.
It's been a tough day, and a long season, for Toyota. Mark Webber runs fastest in the final sector. The gap is closing between Lucas di Grassi and Marc Lieb, with less than a half an hour remaining. This race is coming alive in it's last stages. Patrick Pilet will get a drive through penalty! It's not a stop and hold for the #92 Porsche. They are 38 seconds behind. It's been a long while since Fred Makowiecki and Davide Rigon had their little fracas.
We've got 20 minutes to go. Ten seconds cover second, third, and fourth spots. SMP Racing is running well as we come to the finish, and we cannot forget the #47 KCMG car. Richard Lietz and Michael Christensen lead the LM GTE Pro class in the #91 Porsche 911 RSR. Traffic involved, as the #8 Audi is trying to catch the sister #18 Porsche. Lucas di Grassi is trying his best. It's game on again. #17 is dominating. #18 has clawed it's way back. Audi is still going for it. Fifteen minutes remain in the Nurburgring 6 Hours.
Mark Webber is flying, at over 115 miles an hour average speed. The checkered flag beckons in Deutschland. We have eleven minutes now remaining. There's no grip, and Mark Webber had to save the car from spinning! He was almost off the road! There could have been contact with the #8 Audi and the Alpine #36. Marco Seefried is also booking it over Rui Aguas in LM GTE Am. Porsche, Porsche, Audi, for the overall win.
Audi will not be happy, with fourth spot. Only six minutes to go. Porsche is going stand atop the mountain, here at the Nurburgring. Could Andre Lotterer catch Lucas di Grassi? The engineer at Porsche tells Mark Webber there is a vibration on the left front tire. That's odd, because, usually, the driver tells the engineer. Audi seems to have ceded first and second, to Porsche. It's manufacturer's prize first, but the drivers have to get credit. Two laps to go now.
By the look of things, it will be a factory Porsche 1-2 in two classes. LMP1, and LM GTE Pro. Porsche factory drivers lead three of four classes. Nick Tandy is being a brilliant driver, but, for KCMG. KCMG could bring a second car into LMP2. That would be interesting. Anyhow, it's the final lap for Porsche and Mark Webber. Porsche will now win two in a row. Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley, and Timo Bernhard, win the 6 Hours of the Nurburgring!
Overall/LMP1: #17 Webber/Hartley/Bernhard Porsche 919 Hybrid
LMP2: #47 Tandy/Howson/Bradley Oreca 05 - Nissan
LM GTE Pro: #91 Lietz/Christensen Porsche 911 RSR
LM GTE Am: #72 Shaitar/Bertolini/Basov Ferrari 458 Italia
Next up for the FIA World Endurance Championship is in the United States, at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, in about three weeks.
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