Nick Tandy has now found himself in the lead of GT Le Mans. He is ahead of Michael Christensen, his team mate. Pippo Derani, (real name, Luis Felipe), is on slicks. But, rain could be coming again. There is some precipitation out there. Will there be another downpour? Will teams have to tear up their tire strategies? The #10 Corvette Prototype is back on slicks. There's bright sky on the other side. Derani has made a statement, because he's running at least eight seconds faster that the Daytona Prototype spec cars. Renger van der Zande in the #8 Starworks car in Prototype Challenge, is very talented, and he's running ahead of one of the Porsche's.
The moisture is consistent. There could be another chunk of rain coming up. No lightning and storming. But, rain, to say the least. Slicks are the way to go for now. But, tire temperature is what is needed. Get to a temperature threshold, otherwise, the grip just won't be there. Davide Rigon in the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE is going well. Robert Alon, is running pretty well along with Tom Kimber-Smith. For Starworks Motorsport, the team is Renger van der Zande, Alex Popow, and David Heinemeier-Hanson.
We watch Davide Rigon and Marcel Fassler battle in GTLM. Corvette C7R vs. Ferrari 488 GTE. Filipe Albuquerque still leads overall. Colin Braun now leads Prototype Challenge. Braun is a solid driver along with Mark Wilkins, and Jon Bennett. Braun runs a 2:16.3 lap time. Kyle Marcelli got around Robert Alon, and ran wide. Lap times have increased. They are now 2:14-2:15. It's more of a wet weather track as drivers scramble for grip. It is a more even track, depending on if drivers are on slicks or wets.
Nick Tandy still leads GT Le Mans. "Handy Tandy", or, "Quick Nick", we could call him. He's quite the driver. He lives and breathes racing. Nic Jonsson and Terry Borcheller are battling in GT Daytona. Tandy flies down the Ulmann straight, named for Alec Ulmann who had the idea to bring a race to Sebring. Renger van der Zande is going for it through Kristensen Corner. #5 and #31 pit from the top two places. They are putting on sticker wet tires.
Two spot on pit stops from Action Express. Albuquerque gave it some welly to thunder the big V8 Chevy out of the lane. Use caution on fresh wet tires. Albuquerque is tiptoeing through turns 3, 4, and 5. Pay attention to nthe weather radar. Marcel Fassler went through the runoff zone at the hairpin. More weather is coming. Pippo Derani went to slicks of course. Many people who recently pitted have reinstalled rain tires. The #22 Alex Job Racing GT Daytona Porsche 911 GT3R has gone to slick tires.
Tandy hits pit lane. What tires will he use? Both the #911 and #912 on pit road. Porsche will stay with wet weather tires for both of their cars. Madison Snow in the #48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3, pits as well. Al Carter takes over the #16 Lamborghini. He almost went off the road, and saves it! Condition transitions, mean exploration. Renger van der Zande spins in the middle of turn 17, while the #38 of Josh Norman, dirt tracks it, and almost gets collected by the Stevenson Audi and the Turner BMW in GT Daytona!
Al Carter is going to have to learn the race track. There is some debris on the #4 Corvette's front end. It's a brake marker sign. Oh dear! A problem for the #67 Ford GT! It's a cut down rear tire. Scot Dixon. Correction, it's Sebastien Bourdais in the star crossed #66 entry. Marcel Fassler is at the controls of the Corvette. No sign of #66. #3 goes off and on. It's difficult to get grip on this slick speedway right now. A little drizzle creates havoc. Fassler passes the #44 Magnus Racing Audi R8. #4 is off track, again! Jeepers!
#4 is struggling for grip. The Corvette's are still on slick tires. The wet tires absolutely went to jelly. Wet tires are actually on the wall, for the #4. He's had three off's and two pit stops. Kevin Estre and Michael Christensen are booking it. Take your medicine now, and then, get back out, and floor it. Sidebar. Back to that #16 Lamborghini that was in strife earlier, it is just a two driver lineup in that automobile. Corey Lewis and Spencer Pumpelly. We are six hours and 40 minutes into this one, folks.
This track continues to change. But, the Action Express boys are making it look easy. Rain might be coming back again. Not much difference in lap time between those on slicks and those on wets. Matteo Cressoni continues to lead GT Daytona over Lawson Aschenbach in the Stevenson Motorsports Audi R8. The #9 Stevenson Audi is shared by Aschenbach, Matt Bell, and Dion von Moltke. #6 is Robin Liddell, Connor de Phillippi, and Andrew Davis. Jens Klingman passes Lawson Aschenbach in the GTD Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT.
Pippo Derani has a spin in turn 16. He's on slicks. Derani was trying to go by Scott Pruett into Le Mans Curve. He was trying to pass Scott Pruett and he didn't have the preferred line. Thankfully he did not flat spot the tires. Many people will go for slicks soon. Kevin Estre in the #911 Porsche, is trying to keep the Michelin rain tires cool. Allan McNish is at Sebring, giving the Stevenson Audi drivers some support.
Dominik Farnbacher in the #24 Riley BMW Prototype, spins, and continues. If you are right on slick tires, time comes to you. If you are wrong, it's a disaster. The GT Daytona cars, have anti lock brakes and traction control.
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