No fall off in pace, has been indicated for either of the Porsche's, despite tire wear. Toyota are back in for a routine stop. Intermediate slicks for the #2 car. That means, the only factory cars on wets, still, are the Porsche's. The two Porsche's will need tires on their next stops, in about five minutes time. Once more, Porsche appears to be in the catbird seat here. The #8 Audi, driven by Loic Duval, needs to clean his tires. Marcel Fassler, is losing time, to the both Porsche's right now. Working lap 114. 386 miles have now been run. Pit stop time for Porsche. Slick intermediates, off. Not sure which tires were put onto the car.
We have an hour and 45 minutes left. Sam Bird has to chase down Paul Loup Chatin and Ho Pin Tung, in LMP2. Mark Webber is going to take over the #17 Porsche. Brendon Hartley, has finished his stint. One more pit stop, will be needed. In the last part of the race, Audi has to do something special, if they want to win. Porsche, will, no doubt, clinch the manufacturers cup. Romain Dumas runs a lap at 1:56.562. Fernando Rees pits the #99 Aston Martin from fifth place in LM GTE Pro. Paul Loup Chatin is still looking for water to cool his tires, as he is on intermediate rubber.
Paul Loup Chatin, will take the LMP2 lead. Chatin is a silver rated driver, and won the German Formula 3 championship in 2010. Correction. He was elevated to gold level driver status. Sam Bird is closing the gap on Ho Pin Tung. Pit stop time for one of the Aston Martin's. That's the #98 Am class leader, with Pedro Lamy aboard. That's the leading car, #98. Mark Webber resets fast lap at 1:55.2. Webber lowers the fastest lap to a 1:54 flat. We are now into the final 90 minutes, of the penultimate race of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship season.
Mark Webber leads Romain Dumas, by seven seconds. Ho Pin Tung pits what was the leading LMP2 machine. Paul Loup Chatin is running well. Mark Webber, lowers fast lap, to the 1:53 range. Oh dear. Alex Imperatori, loses the rear end of his Rebellion prototype, and hits the #88 Porsche 911 RSR with Klaus Bachler at the controls. The marshals will investigate this latest fracas. But, I don't think much will happen. Steward asks, "what happened, boys?" One says, "this bloke, reversed into me, and there was nothing I could do."
Pit stop time for Rebellion, to effect repairs. A new rear bonnet goes on the car. Drama for car #18. Romain Dumas has spun at the turn two exit, and he can't restart the car. Don't drive into the Audi, Romain. Watch out, sunshine. He had to wait, and couldn't pull in front of the leader. He came into slight contact, with the #29 Morgan. The battle is definitely on, in the last hour and 20 minutes of this contest. Audi pits, and switches, to slick tires. They need to catch the Porsche's in the final hour and 18 minutes of this event. It is time, for slick tires. Porsche's cannot stop now. They can't go to the end, from here.
Can the Porsche's go full rich? Can they turn up the wick 100%? Fastest lap goes to a Toyota! 1:51.047. Go, Sebastien Buemi! Marcel Fassler will take fastest lap away. But, Toyota, is fastest, right now, the 2014 FIA WEC champions. How fast will Porsche go, if they do an hour and 45 minutes, on one more pit stop? Five seconds difference, between Romain Dumas, and Mark Webber. Porsche #17 is in the lane. But, he can't go to the end without a full course yellow, or, a safety car. They can't double stint the tire, either. They'll have to make a full, extra stop.
Everyone else will have to take a tire stop. Will Audi, be in the catbird seat? The gap now, is real, with no variables, except, if it starts raining again. Mark Webber continues to lead, and has made the switch to full slick tires. Audi have played their hand well, and Porsche, have also responded in an amazing way, delivering the lap times they were expected to. The Audi is quicker on an open lap. The issue, is indeed, traffic. It's incredible how the track has dried out. 45 seconds, between the top four. How close do you like it?
Patrick Dempsey will finish out his stint in the #77 Porsche, after a pit stop. Tom Dillmann is pulling away from Romain Rusinov in LMP2. Dillmann has taken over the Signatech Alpine from Paul Loup Chatin. Two or three seconds is the difference between a clean lap, and one where you might be forced slightly offline.
No comments:
Post a Comment