We are now, over halfway through this race. Porsche has one bullet left, and they are now leading both Toyota's. We've got a slow zone at the moment. The #69 Ford GT is in the lane at the moment. It is now moved into the garage. Marino Franchitti is now in the #67 machine. The wheels are going onto the car. #68 is second in LM GTE Pro, and the #13 Rebellion is stopped on the circuit. Townsend Bell has just pitted the Scuderia Corsa Ferrari. Jeff Segal has taken over the car and is a lap up on Khaled al Qubaisi. We have ten hours and fifteen minutes to go, at Le Mans. Mark Patterson is in the #57 AAI Corvette currently, as there is a local yellow, and the #51 AF Corse Ferrari is having problems, tenth in LM GTE Pro.
The #2 Porsche has spun! Oh dear! #31 for ESM is now in the lane. Have both Rebellion's stopped? Hmmm. Good question. No change in position in the GTE classes. The #36 Alpine has pitted as well. Rebellion is indeed in the garage. The Porsche is now a minute behind the leading Toyota's in third spot. The #7 Audi is going slow, and it looks like he almost hit the wall. The Fox Sports TV coverage is back on now. It is plenty dark at Le Mans and we are set to keep going. Kamui Kobayashi and Anthony Davidson are driving the leading Toyota's.
Here are some highlights of what you missed. In hour ten, in the dark, more problems for the #1 Porsche, creeping around on electric power. Also, the #91 Porsche 911 RSR, the enbgine went ka-blammo. Game over, and a safety car. In hour fourteen, Mike Conway took the lead here at Le Mans. The Risi Competizione Ferrari has found a sweet spot, and they are very competitive as we are racing in the darkness, towards the daylight. Only three cars are out. Very low attrition, to this point.
The #68 Ford GT in the hands of Joey Hand, takes the LM GTE Pro lead. The sister car, was in the garage, but it was a brake change. The Toyota team pits #5 and Kazuki Nakajima, get back into the car. Benoit Treluyer, has run off the road and gotten back on. We begin the final ten hours. Stand by, for more action, here on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog. Moments ago, Nicolas Jonsson in the Krohn Racing Ligier, tangled with the #67 Ford GT, and the Ford, sailed through the gravel.
It is down to Risi Competizione, to try and catch Ford. A couple of the other Ferrari's have hit trouble. Corvette and Porsche have not been in the hunt. Being out there with no other cars, makes you feel really lonely. It's like being in space. The skies over Le Mans are surely lightening, and daylight isn't too far away, as we are shrouded in darkness through most of the United States, at this moment. You are receiving some bonus coverage, as yours truly was taking a nap, catching up on his sleep, while the Fox Sports broadcast was off air for other events.
A,J. Baime, author of "Go Like Hell", written about the Ford/Ferrari rivalry in the 1960s. A lot of us expected Corvette to be there. But, the Ford's are really going for it now. Risi is the strong Ferrari. When Ford ran in 1964 and '65, it was a disaster. By 1966, they had their ducks in a row and won the race, 50 years ago. Ford has thrown a fleet of cars at this, just like in the golden era. Ferrari has three, and Corvette, has two. Corvette has all the experience, and eight class wins. Chevrolet had an experience edge, but they, and lots of us, have been stunned.
This is so exciting. Racing is better than fiction, folks. All the rich history behind this wonderful race. But, I digress. Chip Ganassi is the new Carroll Shelby. This is wonderful, for the sport of sports car racing. The Alpine is still running well as dawn comes. Ford could still win this race. Chip Ganassi has a one team mantra, while in the 1960s, was a rivalry between the Ford teams. We've seen rivalries between Audi and Peugeot, Audi and Toyota, Audi and Porsche, Audi, Toyota, and Porsche.
Shelby beat Holman & Moody in the GT40 days. Holman & Moody, is known as a NASCAR team. Read the book "Go Like Hell" by A.J. Baime. Carroll Shelby won Le Mans racing with Roy Salvadori, in an Aston Martin, back in 1959. Corvette is making a pit stop. Oliver Gavin, is in the car. Again, the Audi's have had contrasting races. #7 has had issues, and #8 is running better. Seiji Ara, is the most recent Japanese driver, to win Le Mans, in an Audi, in 2004, with Tom Kristensen, and Rinaldo Cappello.
The top three cars are on the same lap. Toyota, Toyota, Porsche. Marc Lieb is in the Porsche, as he overtook an LMP2 car, passing halfway through a chicane. Stephane Sarrazin, he wants to win here, too. He's an amazing talent. We are readying for hour 15. Stephane Sarrazin has also done rallying and U.S. based sports car racing. Anthony Davidson has also run very, very well for Toyota. Marc Lieb, is pushing, reading the traffic. The two Toyota's are running so strongly, and the one Porsche has to push like there's no tomorrow.
It is still Toyota, leading this race. Stephane Sarrazin has run a 3:23. Toyota is back in pit lane. The fuel per lap, and fuel flow rate, was reduced, to lean these cars out. But, the cars are as fast as ever. It is mind boggling that just three cars have retired from this race. Happy Hour, is upon us. Full visibility, cool and dense air, and the engines are at full song, and still crisp. They fly towards the Porsche curves. The Corvette may have some bodywork damage.
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