Endurance... the sports car racing blog: July 2017

Monday, July 31, 2017

post-race news after the 24 Hours of Spa

Post-race news from the 24 Hours of Spa, including an update on the condition of driver Adrian Amstutz who was involved in a big wreck during the race.

Amstutz hosptialized with Broken Rib, Burns in 24H Spa Accident

http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/amstutz-hospitalized-with-broken-rib-burns-in-24h-spa-accident/

"Bitter-Sweet" Fourth for Team75 Bernhard After Penalty Affected Race

http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/bitter-sweet-fourth-for-team75-bernhard-after-penalty-affected-race/

PHOTOS: Spa Race Gallery
http://sportscar365.com/features/photography/photos-spa-race-gallery-5/

Haase, Audi Take Over IGTC Points Lead with 24H Spa Win
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/haase-audi-takes-over-igtc-points-lead/

VIDEO: Spa Race Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/video-24h-spa-race-highlights/

Mortara: AKKA ASP "One Lap Short" from 24H Spa Upset Victory

http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/mortara-akka-asp-one-lap-short-from-upset-24h-spa-victory/

Spa Post-Race Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/spa-post-race-notebook-6/

Spa Content Recap
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/spa-content-recap-5/

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Winner & highlights of the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps

We have reached the crown jewel event of the 2017 Blancpain Endurance Series. This is the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps at the fabulous Spa Francorchamps circuit in the Ardennes forest of Belgium. This is the 67th renewal of one of the greatest GT sports car races in the world, that began as a touring car event, but is now exclusively for GT3 spec cars. This is always a highlight of the season. The 69th renewal of this race has 63 cars. The annual driver's parade sees the cars on the public roads of Spa Francorchamps. People come from all around to see the drivers and cars. Nico Muller is one of the drivers who could win this race. 65 cars are going to start this race.

Maxime Soulet is in a good spot to win his home race, and he won last time out in France at Paul Ricard for Bentley. Giancarlo Fisichella has run at Spa in Formula 1. Now he wants to win the 24 Hours of Spa driving for Ferrari. Maxime Martin won in 2016 and he wants back-to-back wins for BMW and the M6 GT3. The Am Cup will be competitive. Chris Harris and the Garage 59 squad with the McLaren 650S are ready to go. Harris is totally prepared, but knows that luck will play a major part in this race.

Chris Harris, TV presenter and all around car guy is once again on the driver's strength for the #188 Garage 59 McLaren 650S GT3 that he is sharing with fellow Brit Chris Goodwin, Sweden's Alexander West, and another Briton, Bradley Ellis. Porsche and Ferrari are set to go and Patrick Van Glabecke is one of the new rookie drivers. Van Glabecke is sharing the #488 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari 488 GT3, the team's second car. The Belgian shares with Pierre Ehret of Germany, Italy's Rino Mastronardi, and another Italian, Gabriele Lancieri. Welcome to one of the greatest races in the world, the 24 Hours of Spa.

SRO President Stephane Ratel is delighted with the competitiveness of this race. Five brands within the top six places on the grid. Struan Moore in the #22 Nissan GT-R and the #00 Goodsmile Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 will start from pit lane after having to change to new cars. So, the driving squads of Struan Moore, Matt Parry, and Matt Simmons in the Nissan, and the all Japanese lineup in the Goodsmile entry of Tatsuya Kataoka, ex-F1 turned sports car ace Kamui Kobayashi (a factory Toyota driver in the FIA World Endurance Championship of course), and Nobuteru Taniguchi, will be on the back foot as we get going in the 2017 renewal of the Spa 24.

On the front row are Ferrari and Lamborghini. Jonny Adam was penalized in qualifying. The Aston Martin driver, may have work to do, as he is sharing with Ahmad Al Harthy of Oman, Salih Yoluc of Turkey, and fellow Brit Euan Hankey in this race. A couple more team profiles before we get this race underway. There are two distinct teams running the Bentley Continental GT's. Hans Jurgen Abt, and M Sport. Two cars, as customary for M-Sport, and one car for Bentley Team Abt. Across the two M-Sport factory cars, here are the driver lineups.

In the #7 it is the all British lineup of Guy Smith, Oliver Jarvis, and Steven Kane. In car #8, it is Vincent Abril of Monaco, sharing with Belgian Maxime Soulet, and Spain's Andy Soucek. The Abt entry is carrying #9 and has Christer Jons of Germany (a veteran of the Nurburgring 24 Hours), Jordan Pepper of South Africa, and the experienced Belgian GT3 racer, Nico Verdonck, on the driver's strength.

The cars run up towards the starting line (which is not the same as the finish line here at Spa), and 63 cars are racing, now! Go! The 24 Hours of Spa is underway! They thunder into Eau Rouge. Maximilian Buhk is keen to go, but there's calamity on the uphill to Eau Rouge, as all these cars in a massive grid try to get through. Giancarlo Fisichella leads Kevin Estre. Into Eau Rouge, over Radillon, down the Kemmel straight and into Les Combes. So, it is Ferrari vs. Porsche right at the beginning. Kevin Estre is racing for KUS Team75 Bernhard. This is the team operated by experienced endurance sports car racer, Timo Bernhard.

Estre, the Frenchman, is sharing with two Porsche drivers we have been used to seeing in both the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Those pilots are the Dane, Michael Christensen, and in his home race, Laurens Vanthoor. The car is a Porsche 911 GT3 R carrying #117 for this race. Jonny Adam runs behind Maximilian Buhk down through Brussels.

The #22 Nissan GT-R is stopped for it's penalty as directed by the race stewards. But the car is stranded. Down to La Source they come and flying through Eau Rouge to end lap one.
We move now to the race's second hour and there's side-by-side tussling as Jake Dennis passes Alessandro Pier Guidi. Dennis is sharing one of the WRT run Audi R8's. That's car #17. This is an all British lineup with Jake Dennis, the lead driver, sharing with Stuart Leonard, and Audi DTM veteran Jamie Green. Pier Guidi is in the #50 Ferrari 488 GT3 sharing with Pasin Lathouras and Michele Rugolo.

Side-by-side Jake Dennis inside Alessandro Pier Guidi. But, later on, car #50 meets it fate! Pasin Lathouras has wrecked in the second hour. We have a full course yellow. Pasin Lathouras hits the tires and, crash! Wow. That was a heavy incident as we are entering the race's third hour. A sad sight to see as this was a car that was doing so well at the beginning of the race. Bentley is in the lane with Maxime Soulet ready to take over the car. So, this would be car #8. The Soulet/Soucek/Abril entry. We fast forward to three hours and 45 minutes in as Stepane Ortelli has to serve a penalty in one of the Emil Frey Racing Jaguar's. That's the #14 entry he shares with Lorenz Frey and Albert Costa. The team car has the trio of Jonathan Hirschi, Christian Klien (former Formula 1 driver), and Marco Seefried at the wheel of it.

We've got cars coming into pit lane as some will have to stay on the course. Andrea Calderelli leads James Calado as Jamie Green is missing a rear wing on his Audi out of Brussels corner or Bruxelles, the French pronunciation of the corner's name. It is obviously after Brussels, in Belgium. The Grasser Racing Lamborghini has Andrea Caldaretlli who took over for Mirko Bortolotti. The #18 Black Falcon car leads Pro Am. The driver's strength on that car is a good one including Abdulaziz Al Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Hubert Haupt of Germany, Gabriele Piana of Italy, and the experienced Dutchman Renger van der Zande who we've seen in DTM, IMSA, and in GT racing.

James Calado is also in the lane. We are now into the fourth hour as we move ahead through the coverage. The Lamborghini has to go downhhill through La Source as the Ferrari is still in pit lane. He's on the road but where's Caldarelli.? There he is. Calado has taken the lead.

Caldarelli is in second. Calado has to rag the Ferrari on his outlap. The #1 Audi is up there, too. This is the lead car for Team WRT with Antonio Garcia, Nico Muller, and Rene Rast on the driving squad. All three of these drivers are very quick. Garcia races for Corvette in IMSA and also raced the 24 Hours of Le Mans with them. Nico Muller and Rene Rast are both regulars on the Audi DTM squad and in the GT3 cars here in Blancpain Endurance. The order changes in the top three as the #48 Mercedes has a puncture midway through the lap.

Now, it could be car #84, which is the lead HTP Motorsports Mercedes entry. That's the car where Maximilian Buhk is the lead driver, and the German is team with Sweden's Jimmy Eriksson and Franck Perera of France. There are three HTP Mercedes cars entered here at Spa. The other two are the #48 of German's Patrick Assenheimer and Kenneth Heyer, sharing with Dutchman Indy Dontje, and the #85 car with Dominik Baumann of Austria, Fabian Schiller of Germany, and Sweden's Edward Sandstrom.

OK. It's the #84 that has to be tended to. That's the top runner, the Buhk/Eriksson/Perera car! Let's hope they get that puncture taken care of ASAP. It happened midway through the lap of this 4.3 mile circuit. So, this changes the running order in the top three. The #6 Audi R8 is off the road and the electronics are out on the car as we've made it to hours six and seven and darkness has blanketed Spa Francorchamps. That #6 Audi is the beleaguered WRT entry for Nathaniel Berthon of France, Monaco's Stephane Richelmi, and former Audi LMP1 racer, France's Benoit Treluyer.

Not sure where the sister #5 Audi is either. This is another entry, with a strong driver team. Marcel Fassler, the Swiss veteran shares with Porsche LMP1 star Andre Lotterer and Belgium's Dries Vanthoor, brother of Laurens Vanthoor who is in this race for Porsche and who is a former Audi GT team driver himself. Darkness is upon us with the cars racing with their headlights on through Les Conbes. Night falls now. Will there be rain? Maybe there will be some rain at midnight. We'll see.

We've got a car off the road in the gravel, and the driver has vacated it. It's difficult to tell which car went off, as another racer has smoke emanating from it, maybe an Aston Martin. Marco Cioci is now in the Kaspersky Ferrari, as indeed we have crossed between hours six and seven in the highlights package. There's debris off the Lazarus Racing Lamborghini, and it is shedding bodywork. This is car #27. Orange 1 Team Lazarus. Fabrizio Crestani of Italy, Nicholas Pohler of Germany, and Italy's Luca Filippi share the car.

Hour six and someone is off the road in the gravel. The driver is out of the car. Yours truly could be seeing that Lamborghini again, but, this has to be a different incident. The Lazarus Lamborghini shunt from earlier has to be cleaned up by now. Smoke for one of the cars, maybe an Aston Martin. Marco Cioci is now in the Kaspersky Ferrari in hour seven. There's debris off the Lazarus Racing Lamborghini. 59 cars remain on the road as the night falls here at Spa. Andy Soucek chases Audi #2. Oh nno! Mercedes #84 has crashed! Ugh! Game over for #84. Full course yellow. Deary me! HTP Motorsport must be gutted. This was one of the cars that could have won. He slid off the road going across the track at Eau Rouge! It's game over for Franck Pererra, Maximilian Buhk, and Jimmy Eriksson.

Andy Soucek leads Marco Cioci and Soucek brings the Bentley into the pit lane. There is a driver change going on. Not sure it will be Maxime Soulet or Vincent Abril who gets into the car. We are back racing going into the seventh hour with Raffaele Maricello in the #90 Mercedes, leading the way. Marciello is sharing with Michael Meadows of England and fellow Italian Edoardo Mortara. Marciello, Meadows, & Mortara. Sounds like a law firm, an accounting firm, or an insurance agency. Let's hope there are no claims on a crashed race car. Sorry sir, if you crash your race car, the repairs are not deductible.

If you see Eau Rouge in the dark, there could be sparks. Compression on the Mercedes causes these sparks to appear. Big compression, through an ultra fast, ultra wicked corner! Frederic Vervisch is second in Audi #2. He is in the second of the three Belgian Audi Club WRT Audi R8's, sharing with Christopher Mies and American Connor De Phillippi who won at the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring earlier this year. Darkness is shrouding the track. Ooh! We have another crash, at the exit of Pouhon, another fast corner on this track. The Black Falcon Motorsports Mercedes of Hubert Haupt, has wrecked!

Now, the plot thickens as the #22 Nissan GT-R is stuck out on the course. Marshals will have to recover the #22 Motul Team RJN Motorsport Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3. Not sure who is in the car at the moment. It is either of the British pilots on that squad, Struan Moore or Matt Parry, or it could be Australia's Matt Simmons. The sister car #23 runs under the colors of Motul Team RJN Nissan, and that is basically the same team, with a stellar driving team featuring Brit Alex Buncombe, Katsumasa Chiyo of Japan, and Lucas Ordonez of Spain. We see more sparks through Eau Rouge. Ooh! More carnage. An Audi turns into the side of the #89 Mercedes! So, the Mercedes suffers a broken suspension as a result.

#89 is one of the sister AKKA ASP entries, with a Pro-Am lineup in the car, featuring Ludovic Badey of France, Swiss drivers Alex Fontana and Daniele Perfetti, and Nico Bastian of Germany. The Audi R8 turns sharp left and smashes into the Mercedes! Ker-runch! It is the #3 that has crashed. That's the Pro Am Audi for that team in the hands of Josh Caygill of England, Jonathan Venter from Australia, Richard Lyons from England, and Niklas Mayr-Melnhof from Austria. Mayr-Melnhof has been a Blancpain Endurance regular since the series began.

Now the #1 and #2 Audi's are in the lane, making a brake change at the eleven hour mark. It's not quite the witching hour yet, but it's close. Halfway through the race will be in an hour's time at 4:30 A.M. Vincent Vosse is the team boss at Audi WRT who have been changing their brakes as mentioned. Fast forward again to hour 12. Halfway, and we have rain out on track. Put traction control and ABS to the maximum settings. If the rain does not stop, drivers on wet tires are going to have trouble as their tires turn to jelly.

Giancarlo Fisichella is in the lane and it looks like they will switch to slick tires at Kaspersky Motorsport. Fuel as well. Where's the driver? Will Fisichella hand over to James Calado, or to Marco Cioci? The drivers are using the curbs, and this is a deal where you wouldn't use the curbs but these drivers are. Full course yellow now, as the Grasser Lamborghini pits. Just past halfway, and the Grasser Lamborghini leads so they'll get championship points.

Bentley #8 is now fourth in the overall with Andy Soucek at the wheel of it. Press the fast forward button on your DVR another time. Red sky at night, sailors delight. But, the weather has changed during the night as the #55 Ferrari has slid off the road as we go to yellow in hour 14. The Kaspersky Racing Ferrari has something broken. Marco Cioci is out of the car. Let's see what happened. Ah! He gets crunched by the #90 Mercedes, losing his steering as a result of the collision. We are under another full course yellow. Wow! Yellows breed yellows, and this is even true in endurance racing.

Marco Cioci is angry, understandably. Mercedes #85 leads at hour 15, changing brake pads. The car has damage on the right rear corner. Not sure who is in the #85 car as it takes the lead. That is the driving squad of Dominik Baumann, Edward Sandstrom, and Fabian Schiller. We go on board with Bentley #8 and the nose panel with the grille is damaged. Watch out, because that panel could fly off. Audi #1 is second.

The air is cool as we move ahead to the end of the 16th hour. Really strong laps could be coming. We have a full course yellow at hour 17. The #63 Lamborghini of Christian Engelhart has crashed at Fangnes! Oh dear! He's buried. He won't be able toget out of the car unless he crawls to the right side, having impacted on the left side. Open the passenger side door, Christian. That's the escape plan. The track is drying now., Nico Muller hands over the Audi to Rene Rast. Up through Radillon, it's Mercedes vs. Audi up to Les Combes. Ooh! A spin for Audi #1 and in Les Combes, the Mercedes is also off the road. That's car #90.

Audi #1 will have a drive through penalty and has to go through both pit lanes. Ferrari #488 has a puncture in hour 18. That's a car we mentioned earlier. The Ferrari of Pierre Ehret, Rino Mastronardi, Patrick Van Glabeke, and Gabriele Lancieri. The Bentley is also off the road. Now, we go to Hour 20 and our race leader, the #90 Mercedes gets hit by Porsche #911 who's team manager has been summoned to the race stewards' office. Someone in that car, made unnecessary contact with the Mercedes. It is one of the two Herberth Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R's. #911 has an all German lineup with Jurgen Haring, Alfred Renauer, Robert Renauer, and Marc Lieb. It's sister car #912, who we have not seen much of during this Spa 24 is being shared by Daniel Allemann of Switzerland, Ralf Bohn of Germany, Mathieu Jaminet of France, and Sven Muller of Germany.

This race is now coming towards a dramatic conclusion. Markus Winkelhock is trying hard to make a pass through Campus corner, hounding Nico Muller. It is two Audi's (Sainteloc vs. WRT). We're into hour 21 and we are seeing a fight for position between these two cars. Winkelhock passes Muller. The Mercedes is in it's pit box for fuel, a driver change, and tires. Audi #1 is in the lane as well. Press the fast forward button on your DVR's folks, because this one is about to get intense. #90 is in the lane with two hours left to run while there issues for Audi #1 on both tires and refueling! Oh dear!

Markus Winkelhock leads the Spa 24 Hours and will pit soon as we are within the final two hours now. It's coming down to crunch time. Bentley #7 has bodywork damage as Stephen Kane is driving that car at the moment. Sainteloc Racing would love to beat WRT for bragging rights of who at Audi might win the Spa 24. One of the Bentley's is in pit lane, after they have had a fraught race thus far. Is it #7? No. It's the sister Continental GT3 #8. Andy Soucek is at the controls of #8 headed to the finish. OK. We're continuing this race, with just an hour and 47 minutes left to go. The lead battle is beginning to hot up. Christopher Haase in the Sainteloc Audi is hunting down the #90 Mercedes AMG GT3 of Raffaele Marciello.

#90 is in the lane with just an hour or so left. The car is being penalized. Bentley is also in the pits from third with Maxime Soulet. Now, we have just 37 minutes to go. 530 laps done. Bentley is behind Audi, with damage to the grille of the car. Nerves at Sainteloc. Now, we have just over a half an hour left in the 24 Hours of Spa. It's crunch time indeed as the clock counts down to zero. Fast forward the DVR again, and we come now, to the very end. One more lap left of this glorious, legendary 4.3 mile loop through the Ardennes forest. Christopher Haase will bring the leading Audi home. The Bentley is more than likely going to finish second.

AKKA ASP sertved a penalty and they were dropped down to third behind the Bentley. Bentley won't win, but they will extend their championship lead going into the final race of the year. The #8 Audi goes through Bruxelles for the final time. But, Audi is going to win the 2017 24 Hours of Spa throguh Fangnes, Campus, and Courbe Paul Frere. Chris Reinke of Audi Sport can celebrate! Audi and Sainteloc Racing, win the 69th renewal of the 24 Hours of Spa! We congratulate, the winning drivers... Jules Gounon of France, Christopher Haase of Germany, and his countryman, Markus Winkelhock! Well done, boys! You've won overall at the biggest GT race in the world, the 24 Hours of Spa!

Raffaele Marciello is third with his team mates, suriving a spin through Eau Rouge. The win by Sainteloc was by an 11 second margin. Porsche #117 was very close to winning this race, but it wasn't to be. Sainteloc wins Pro. Pro Am honors are taken by Black Falcon Mercedes and their #16 Mercedes AMG GT3 shared by a quartet of drivers. Maximilian Gotz of Germany, Marvin Kirchhofer of Germany, Britain's Oliver Morley, and Miguel Toril of Spain. Honors in the Am division go to Kessel Racing and their Ferrari 488 GT3 #888 shared by Niki Cadei of Italy, Jacques Duyver of Belgium (winning his home race, so that has to be special), South Africa's David Perell, and Marco Zanuttini of Italy.

For Duyver, Perell, and Zanuttini, this is their second Am class victory in as many races, because they also took Am honors last time out in the 1,000 kilometer event at Paul Ricard in the south of France in late June. So, we have a look at our overall and class winners. Remember, the classes are based on driver rating, as all the cars are to the same GT3 specifications.

Overall/PRO: #25 Gounon/Haase/Winkelhock Audi R8

   Pro Am: #16 Gotz/Kirchhofer/Morley/Toril Mercedes AMG GT3

             Am: #888 Cadei/Duyver/Perel/Zanuttini          Ferrari 488 GT3

To win at Spa is a true honor, and something that will be in the record books for all time. A well deserved victory for the winners, and kudos to all the competitors in the Blancpain Endurance Series, who contested the biggest race in GT3 competition. One more race in the Endurance Cup for the Blancpain GT Series this year, a three hour finale in Barcelona, Spain at another legendary course, Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya, the first Sunday, and first day of October. The endurance championships will without doubt be on the line in that one.

To the winners at Spa, savor this triumph. This event is one of the crown jewels in motorsports and is one every GT3 driver wants to win. To the above winning drivers and teams, you've earned it. Join us in 2018 for another great Spa 24 Hours. Au revoir for now.

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Jacky Ickx drives the Porsche 936 & 956 at Fuji Speedway

A special feature from Porsche. Six-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Jacky Ickx tells about his racing career, and specifically, his involvement with Porsche and getting to drive two of the greatest racing cars they ever produced.

For more than 30 years, Jacky Ickx raced over international circuits and demonstrated his convincing skills in a variety of disciplines – Formula 1, rallies and endurance races. He won the overall victory at Le Mans six times, four of them for Porsche. During the Porsche Experience Day 2017 at Fuji Speedway, Jacky Ickx got behind the wheel of the iconic Porsche 936 and 956. In this video, he explains what only few of us can imagine: how it feels like to drive these iconic race cars on the race track.

pre-race news from Spa Francorchamps

The race begins, now. But here are pre-race stories to check out from Spa Francorchamps. Remember, tomorrow night, there will be a race report on the 24 Hours. So, stay tuned for that.

De Phillippi Heading into 24H Spa as "Secret Dark Horse"
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/de-phillippi-heading-into-24h-spa-as-secret-dark-horse/

Positive Views on SRO's New "Zero Tolerance" Driver Conduct Policy

http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/positive-views-on-sros-new-zero-tolerance-driver-conduct-policy/

Spa Pre-Race Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/sro/blancpain-gt/spa-pre-race-notebook-8/

Friday, July 28, 2017

24 Hours of Spa Super Pole & Qualifying

Qualifying and Super Pole, for the 24 Hours of Spa.

Super Pole

Qualifying

24 Hours of Spa Pre-Qualifying

Pre-qualifying from the 24 Hours of Spa.

Thursday and Friday news from Spa Francorchamps

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Daytona, Sebring IMSA Races Make USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice List

USA TODAY readers recently confirmed what IMSA race fans have known for quite some time: the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida belong among the world’s 10Best Motorsports events.

https://www.imsa.com/news/072017/daytona-sebring-imsa-races-make-usa-today-10best-readers-choice-list

Porsche Poised for LMP1 Exit

Well, fans, the inevitable is now true. Porsche will exit the LMP1 category in the FIA World Endurance Championship at the end of the 2017 season, leaving Toyota as the sole factory team.

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-poised-for-lmp1-exit-announcement/

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

IMSA GT racing from Lime Rock Park & this weekend's 24 Hours of Spa

Yours truly is hoping to cover last Saturday's IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship all GT round from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, soon. Will see when time permits to do so. Stay tuned for a race report, and look for more blocs of headlines in the meantime.

P.S. Yours truly is not sure there will be televised highlights of this weekend's crown jewel for the Blancpain Endurance Series, the 24 Hours of Spa. If you have a subscription to Motor Trend on Demand online, please use that to watch the race and enjoy it. More to come.

24 Hours of Spa news

6 Hours of the Nurburgring highlighted broadcast

Here is the condensed broadcast of the 6 Hours of the Nurburgring, run ten days ago. Enjoy.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

FIA World Endurance Championship headlines (continued)

Continuing to delve into headlines from the FIA World Endurance Championship, now that there is a slight break between last weekend's race at the Nurburgring, and the next round in Mexico City in September.

BMW Teases New M8 GTE as Testing Begins
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bmw-teases-new-m8-gte-as-testing-begins/

Albuquerque Enjoying Diverse LMP2 Season in Three Chassis
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/albuquerques-diverse-lmp2-season-going-well/

The July 18th edition of the Double Stint Podcast.

Double Stint: Nurburgring Recap; Olly Jarvis Interview (7-18-17)
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/double-stint-nurburgring-recap-olly-jarvis-interview-7-18-17/

Beaumesnil: LMP1 Hybrid Reliability Concerns "Clearly Not True"
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/beaumesnil-lmp1-hybrid-reliability-claims-clearly-not-true/

VIDEO: Bamber and Hartley 20 Years Later
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/video-bamber-and-hartley-20-years-later/

Pier Guidi "Back In Championship" After First WEC Win
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/pier-guidi-back-in-the-championship-after-first-wec-win/

Negrao to Replace Rao in Single-Car Signatech Alpine Entry for Mexico

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/negrao-to-replace-rao-in-single-car-signatech-alpine-entry-for-mexico/

BMW M8 GTE Revealed; Completes Initial Three-Day Test
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bmw-m8-gte-revealed/

Ujhasi: IMSA, WEC Succeeding In "Different Ways" of Achieving BoP
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/ujhasi-porsche-no-master-way-to-control-bop/

Vasselon: 2020 LMP1 Regs to Feature "Fastest" Electric Cars of Era

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/vasselon-2020-lmp1-regs-to-showcase-fastest-electric-cars-of-era/

ORECA Open to LMP1 Amid "Many Unknowns" in Class Future
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/floury-oreca-open-to-lmp1-non-hybrid-options/

Reduced 26-Car Entry Set for 6H Mexico
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/reduced-26-car-entry-set-for-6h-mexico/

Monday, July 24, 2017

news from the FIA World Endurance Championship after the 6 Hours of the Nurburgring

Post-race news after the 6 Hours of the Nurburgring.

VIDEO: Nurburgring Race Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/video-nurburgring-race-highlights-4/

PHOTOS: Nurburgring Weekend Gallery
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/photos-nurburgring-weekend-gallery-3/

VIDEO: Nurburgring Sights & Sounds
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/photos-nurburgring-weekend-gallery-3/

Hayden "Skeptical" Over Strength of LMP1 Privateer Grid for 2018
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/hayden-skeptical-over-strength-of-lmp1-grid-for-2018/

Nurburgring Post-Race Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/nurburgring-post-race-notebook-3/

Nurburgring Content Recap
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/nurburgring-content-recap-3/

Toyota: Aero Problems Denied Chance at Nurburgring Victory
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-aero-problems-denied-chance-of-nurburgring-victory/

More FIA WEC news coming very soon.

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Checkered Flag: 6 Hours of the Nurburgring: Hour 6 (the finish)

Welcome, to this special "Checkered Flag" post on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog. Today, we take you to the finish, of what was unfolding as a very dramatic 6 Hours of the Nurburgring for the FIA World Endurance Championship, last Sunday.

There was a threat of rain earlier in the race, but it has not materialized, thankfully. Porsche have faded in the LM GTE Pro class. Can they get their first win in the GT ranks this season? Ferrari has been strong with Jams Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi. Nick Tandy in the leading LMP1 Porsche has gone to the race lead. Traffic has been heavy. Nick Tandy almost got tangled up with the Ford GT with Harry Tincknell at the controls. Porsche leads LM GTE Am with Matteo Cairoli at the controls. Ho Pin Tung is leading LMP2 in the #38 Jackie Chan DC Racing LMP2 car. The #98 Aston Martin is pushing in LM GTE Am.

Richard Lietz leads Kevin Estre between second and third in LM GTE Pro. Ferrari could win this race. We've got less than an hour to go. 40 minutes to be precise. Alessandro Pier Guidi is at the wheel of the AF Corse Ferrari. The #51 car needs a result to get their championship charge back on track. They scored nil points at Le Mans which was a double points event. The #31 Vaillante Rebellion Oreca is in pit lane with the rubber being cleared out of the front end. Tire rubber is pliable and can stick to the front end. Two LMP2 cars get into some argy bargy. Alex Brundle scraps with Vitaly Petrov.

Kevin Estre is third in LM GTE Pro. He was told to manage the pace and not attack his Porsche GT team mate Richard Lietz. The sister Porsche of Estre is now in the lane, having run 159 laps as the Manor and the G-Drive cars pit. The sun is out now, 477 miles done and dusted for the Porsche. Fuel only for the third place LM GTE Pro Porsche. Andre Lotterer extends his lead. Can he hang on over his Porsche team mate? You have to take into consideration, one more fuel stop is needed before the end of this race.

We watch the LMP2 scrap and Toyota runs third behind the two Porsche's. The Oreca carsare battling in LMP2. G-Drive is working their way out of a deep hole right now and doing a good job of it. Matthieu Vaixiviere is back after his training injury at Le Mans, and he is at the wheel of the #28 TDS Racing entry. Jota Sport/Jackie Chan DC Racing are going for it. We also watch the battle for LM GTE Pro between Johnny Adam and Harry Tincknell. Aston Martin vs. Ford. Ben Hanley wants to pass Vitaly Petrov ASAP. 1.5 seconds separates the the LMP2 battle for second through fifth in class.

Tincknell is right on Adam's gearbox. The leading Porsche is squeezed by the ByKolles CLM P1-01. Andre Lotterer leads Timo Bernhard by five seconds. Porsche does not want to risk a win, and four factory Porsche's could win. Porsche #1 didn't score at Le Mans. Porsche #2 took the sweet, juicy, delicious fruits of victory. The LMP2 battle rages for class honors and nthe lead has been given back to Manor. It's Manor vs. G-Drive. Now, we have a half hour to go. Positions are sure to change before the race is done and dusted. Nicolas Lapierre passes Mathias Beche for third in class in LMP2.

Toyota has not had the race they wanted here at the Nurburgring. Remember, at the start, Toyota #8 had a fuel pump issue. Ben Hanley and Vitaly Petrov are the two combatants in LMP2. Final pit stops yet to come. There is an ebb and flow at the front. Porsche #2 has been let through by the team. Andre Lotterer is running very well with then high downforce Porsche 919. Aero degradation on the front of the #2. The front splitter can be affected by tire buildup. Lotterer was losing rear grip and Bernhard may be losing rear grip. Toyota is fading. Kamui Kobayashi is trying his best but they have had to settle in and try for a podium after the sister car had it's issues.

Pit stop time for the #91 Porsche 911 RSR second in LM GTE Pro. The windshield is cleaned, fuel is added, and he is on his way. This is Porsche's home race. They want to win it. In another 24 minutes, Porsche could be back in the hunt for the LM GTE Pro world championship. Vitaly Petrov in the Manor has Ben Hanley in the #26 G-Drive entry all over him. Andre Lotterer leads this race by a mere six seconds after almost six hours of the race. Manor is hanging on for as many points as they can get.

The scrap continues between Ford and Aston Martin for fifth in class inj LM GTE Pro. Ferrari will lead the manufacturer's championship if they win this event. The sister AF Corse Ferrari #71 hit trouble earlier in the race. The trophies have been lined up for whoever wins. Vitaly Petrov is passed by Ben Hanley. Petrov tries to take a defensive line, but Ben Hanley completes the pass. Toyota #8 lost it's computer system on the warmup lap and hasn't been the same since. Race Director Edoardo Freitas had to give the cars another warmup lap and the Toyota was brought to the pits.

Matthias Beche is moving ahead of Nicolas Lapierre as Miguel Molina is mounting a charge on Matteo Cairoli in LM GTE Am. Dempsey Proton leads LM GTE Am. The window for the last splash and dash for the leaders will open momentarily. You have faster, more powerful, thirstier LMP1 cars that have the hybrid tech. But the LMP2 cars will be thirstier. This all adds up to a heady cocktail of action that we've seen. Porsche won at the Nordschleife and they also won the first 1,000 kilometer WEC race here at the shorter Nurburgring back in 1984.

The Johnny Adam and Harry Tincknell battle continues to sizzle, but the Ferrari is setting a cracking pace right now. Ooh! Harry Tincknell takes fifth from Johnny Adam in LM GTE Pro! A good run, and then dive in late on the brakes. Could Adam's brakes be fading? Aston Martin in the lane. It's his final stop for a splash and dash. One of the factory Ferrari's is in, the lead #51 car. We have about 15 minutes on the clock. No tires necessary. Porsche #2 has quite the lead as Andre Lotterer makes the stop, crawling down pit lane at 60 kilometers an hour (37 miles an hour).

Fuel for the Porsche. It looks like there is a shade of smoke from the rar brakes which is normal. Porsche team boss Andreas Seidl has worked the strategy out. Porsche out of the lane and back onto the track. Timo Bernhard in the sister Porsche is still your overall leader. No last throw of the drama dice. Bernhard has to pit for a splash of fuel. We've got just a tad over ten minutes to go. Porsche #2 is in. The two Toyota's also have to pit yet. Miguel Molina is still catching Matteo Cairoli in LM GTE Am, but not as quickly. 36 seconds in the lane for the Timo Bernhard stop. It was an insurance stop, for a splash of petrol.

Bernhard gained 20 seconds. This has to be a strategy call. Which Porsche will bring it home? We have ten minutes left, and we'll find out. The conclusion of the 6 Hours of the Nurburgring, is coming up. Bruno Senna is second in LMP2 as Ho Pin Tung will win in class for Jackie Chan DC Racing. This will be their third win of the season. Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado lead LM GTE Pro over Porsche. The LM GTE Pro Porsche still needs a win. Timo Bernhard has the lead over Andre Lotterer. Porsche is in line to win LM GTE Am. The #77 car of Matteo Cairoli has six seconds. But Miguel Molina is pushing and I don't have to tell you, hard!

What will the race distance be? We had 203 laps in 2015, and 194 laps last year. Timo Bernhard has run 200 laps, 600 miles. We could have a distance record here at the Nurburgring. Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley won in 2015 and 2016. The #2 Porsche could get the three-peat here. Mark Webber won with Porsche and of course, after his retirement, Earl Bamber is Porsche's new recruit in the prototype ranks. James Calado will get his second straight win at the Nurburgring in LM GTE Pro. He won last year, with new Porsche GT driver Gianmaria Bruni, who was still at Ferrari in 2016.

The #38 Jota Sport team will score full points after winning in class and nearly, nearly winning overall at Le Mans. Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley will have ten career wins. The record was previously held by the Audi trio including Andre Lotterer, Marcel Fassler, and Benoit Treluyer. WEC is a place where we expect last lap dramas in recent years in many races. Le Mans is the one where we see it most commonly. But now, Timo Bernhard is headed home to a win. This will be a first win for Alessandro Pier Guidi and a second, for James Calado. Toyota needs a splash and dash from fourth overall. It's a thimble's worth of fuel for Kamui Kobayashi, who has not had a good racer today.

It's the final laps for the two Porsche's. Timo Bernhard, Earl Bamber, and Brendon Hartley will win. Andre Lotterer, Neel Jani, and Nick Tandy, will be second. Porsche debuted in 2014, but they will now have the third win for Porsche at the Nurburgring, the 14th overall win, and the two Porsche's will give the make 31 wins in class in FIA WEC. Timo Bernhard and company does the three-peat! Timo Bernhard, Earl Bamber, and Brendon Hartley win the Nurburgring 6 Hours!

James Calado and Alesandro Pier Guidi win LM GTE Pro. Ferrari dominates in Deutschland. Jota Sport wins LMP2 again. Ho Pin Tung, Thomas Laurent, and Oliver Jarvis are unstoppable! LM GTE Am honors go to Matteo Cairoli in the #77 Dempsey Proton Porsche 911 RSR along with Christian Ried and Marvin Dienst! Porsche wins ahead of Ferrari, the one driven by Miguel Molina. Great race! What an amazing event this was! Ferrari spoils Porsche's party in GTE Pro. Porsche has now won two straight races.

Overall/LMP1: #2 Bernhard/Bamber/Hartley Porsche 919

   LMP2: #38 Tung/Jarvis/Laurent               Oreca 07 Gibson

   LM GTE Pro: #51 Calado/Pier Guidi       Ferrari 488 GTE

   LM GTE Am: #77 Ried/Cairoli/Dienst    Porsche 911 RSR

The rain stayed away. Champagne was the only thing to soak the winning drivers. Porsche wins their 15th overall race in WEC. Video of the end of the race is available at www.foxsports.com/motor if you scroll down in the headlines. The next FIA WEC race is six weeks away, at the beginning of September, in Mexico City, Mexico, at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Enjoy the summer break. We'll see you, in Mexico, amigos. Auf Wiedersehen from the Nurburgring.

Saturday, July 22, 2017

2016 Northeast Grand Prix

Bonus Saturday post. Check out last year's running of the Northeast Grand Prix. Stay tuned for coverage of this year's race, happening today, coming up, very soon.

pre-race news from Lime Rock Park

As we get set for this afternoon's IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship Northeast Grand Prix for the GT class cars, here's some last minute breaking news.

Bruni Snares Pole for Porsche at Lime Rock
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/bruni-snares-pole-for-porsche-at-lime-rock/

VIDEO: Lime Rock Qualifying Replay
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/video-lime-rock-qualifying-replay/

Lime Rock Friday Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/lime-rock-friday-notebook-2/

VIDEO: A Lap of Lime Rock With Andrew Davis
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/video-a-lap-of-lime-rock-with-andrew-davis/

Long: Joining Alegra for Lime Rock "An Easy Decision"
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/long-joining-alegra-for-lime-rock-an-easy-decision/

Friday, July 21, 2017

IMSA news headed to Lime Rock Park + sports car racing coverage this weekend

More headlines as we look forward to tomorrow's IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship GT race at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut. As for coverage of tomorrow's action, yours truly will get around to it. Expect pre-race news tomorrow, and then, next week, a full race report. In the meantime, also look for a report, on Sunday, of the final hour of last weekend's FIA World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of the Nurburgring.

Plus, yours truly cannot remember if he blogged last year's GT showdown here at Lime Rock. So, as a race preview, look for the video highlights of last year's event, possibly to be posted here, tomorrow.

VIDEO: Lime Rock: Short Track Showdown
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/video-lime-rock-short-track-showdown/

Continental Tire Keys to The Race: Lime Rock
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/ctscc/continental-tire-keys-to-the-race-lime-rock/

ORECA Targeting to "Jump In and Be Competitive" with Acura DPi
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/oreca-targeting-to-jump-in-and-be-competitive-with-acura-dpi/

Lime Rock Thursday Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/lime-rock-thursday-notebook-2/

Alexander Sims is very impressed with his IMSA debut season as are sports car racing fans and journalists.

Sims: "IMSA Has Lived Up to What I Thought It Would Be"
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/sims-imsa-has-lived-up-to-what-i-thought-it-would-be/

Ford CGR Goes 1-2 In Practice 1 at Lime Rock
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/ford-chip-ganassi-racing-goes-1-2-in-practice-1-at-lime-rock/

Bruni Leads Lime Rock Practice 2
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/bruni-leads-lime-rock-practice-2/

No Firm Plans for TRG Beyond Lime Rock
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/no-firm-plans-for-trg-beyond-lime-rock/

More IMSA news from Lime Rock to come tomorrow, and yours truly looks forward to finding time to cover the race. Again, stay tuned for a video of last year's action as well.

Thursday, July 20, 2017

BMW M8 GTE Out Testing In Germany

BMW is testing their new GT challenger that will race in IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship, in Germany right now. Details from dailysportscar.com.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/07/20/bmw-m8-gte-out-testing-in-germany.html

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

BREAKING NEWS: Mazda Motorsports Unveils Mazda Team Joest

Reinhold Joest, who's cars have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans on a number of occasions, is back, and is bringing Mazda back to worldwide prototype sports car racing, as they remain the only Japanese manufacturer ever to win overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Joest Racing's website has the official press release.

http://www.joest-racing.de/en/index.php/season/single-news/mazda-team-joest-debuetiert-in-2018/category/s2017

Monday, July 17, 2017

IMSA heading to Lime Rock Park for GT action this weekend

Anticipation builds for the first all GT race of the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, the Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Porsche Poised For WeatherTech Championship GT Le Mans Breakthrough at Lime Rock

http://sportscarchampionship.imsa.com/news/072017/porsche-poised-weathertech-championship-gt-le-mans-breakthrough-lime-rock

...and

Lime Rock to Host First GT Showdown of WeatherTech Championship Season

http://sportscarchampionship.imsa.com/news/072017/lime-rock-host-first-gt-showdown-weathertech-championship-season

Sunday, July 16, 2017

6 Hours of the Nurburgring: Hour 5

Tor Graves in the #24 LMP2 car spins. He loops it all by himself, but the Porsche's had to split the spinning LMP2! Wowzers! Paul Dalla Lana tries to take the lead in LM GTE Am, and he might have the line. Or does he? Yes, he does. Egad! Tor Graves has a definite issue as Fred Makowiecki passes Michael Christensen. All four factory Porsche's in the same picture. Wow. Porsche hopes their staff photographer got a shot of that one! Toyota #7 of Mike Conway remains third in the overall. Keep digging deep even if you are a lap down. This is so true for Anthony Davidson, Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima in the #8 Toyota.

Pit stop time in GTE Am. We will miss the final hour of this race. But, next weekend, you will be able to find out how things come out in the final hour of the race on Sunday. The #77 Dempsey Proton Porsche is in pit lane. The #77 car has seen a good race today. Love the 2015 spec old school sound of the Flar 6 Porsche with a rear mounted engine and also enjoy the scream of the flat 6 in the new mid-engine factory Porsche. On it like sonnet, is the #77 racer! Wow! You will see the final hour of this event if you are authenticated for Fox Sports Go, online. Ford vs. Aston Martin. On board, with the Ford. Olivier Pla, wants by Daniel Serra. Marco Sorenson is behind in the sister Aston Martin, trying to lap both of these blokes.

The forward facing camera on the Ford, is reminiscent of the camera angles from Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" film. Monster oversteer for the Aston! Can the Ford make a move? Race leader Nick Tandy moves past this battle and Tandy sensibly waits for his chance to pass, going on his merry way. Toyota #8 is next in LMP1. Well, check that, it's #7. The two Toyota's are still going for it. Was there a wide line for one of these GTE cars? Maybe it was a trick of the cameras. Ford takes a wide line, as we keep seeing these marvelous pictures off the GT's nose. He's so close, looking at the onboard shot from inside the cockpit.

He's banging the car over the curbs. Olivier Pla is going for it, but this is for fifth in class, unlike being for the win, as it was at Le Mans last month that came out in Aston Martin's favor. Olivier Pla is frustrated. There is a new automated method for Balance of Performance. They have less weight and a bigger air restrictor. But the Ford's have more weight, 44 pounds added. It's achieved through computer technology and algorithms. The Aston stretches over the Ford even with an aero advantage for the lower, sleeker, mid engined GT compared to the big, brutish V8 Aston.

Where oh where, can Andy Priaulx be? Will sector times be affected by the auto BoP? We'll talk about that later, because these blokes are pressuring each other with traffic! Well done by Oliver Webb to take it easy and not create any more risks. Points are at stake for a world championship. Aston Martin, and Ford, they both want to win in a huge way. Traffic ahead. Johnny Adam will take over the car from Daniel Serra at Aston Martin for the next stint. A Manor LMP2, car #24 squeezes past Olivier Pla. Tor Graves is in that Manor.

The Aston Martin holds his line and the LMP2 leader of Thomas Laurent is wisely aware that the LM GTE Pro boys are fighting for the lead in class. These three cars are all prepared in Britain. Oh my! No dice for the right hand turn for the Frod's. The Aston Martin of Daniel Serra has the speed. Pla has his team mate right on his gearbox. Get past the Aston, and hold Andy Priaulx at bay. More defensive lines taken by the Aston. Side by side. Ford on the grass! He's ahead, Pla. But he'll need to give the spot back up to the Aston.

The marshals may just ping Olivier Pla for that little indiscretion. Pla and Serra have had their scrum, and ultimately, Pla had to give up the place. Priaulx has better tires than does Pla. Priaulx is now up to fifth in LM GTE Pro. Priaulx and Tincknell lead the points in LM GTE Pro. Serra had to make way for a Prototype, and Pla made the move, but maybe it wasn't fair and square. The intensity of this race is something else as Nick Tandy leads Earl Bamber by just two seconds for the overall victory.

Nikki Thiim in Aston Martin #95 holds fourth in LM GTE Pro as Daniel Serra dives for the lane. Just under an hour and a half to go. Johnny Adam takes over for Daniel Serra. Rebellion #31 of Filipe Albuquerque, is on the chase for the LMP2 class win. But, they have troubles with a right rear wheel that is ripped off the hub. Rebellion will now have to fight back. Bruno Senna is back on track. Porsche #1 continues to lead, and they led until late morning at Le Mans before the engine packed up. They had a 12-13 laps advantage at that time.

Tandy leads Bamber. Will Porsche do the team orders thing? We'll have to find out. "Quick" Nick Tandy is thrashing that Porsche 919 ahead of his team mate. Who will blink first for the last full service pit stop, and also, for the final splash of fuel? Andre Lotterer will take the #1 Porsche to the finish. He wants to win a race for Porsche after being with Audi and Audi Sport Team Joest before they left the WEC. Toyota #7 is still third overall.

Nicolas Lapierre is pursuing Matthias Beche in LMP2. Three cars are scrapping for LM GTE Am honors as well. Andre Lotterer will take over the #1 Porsche which has a ten and a half second cushion. Nick Tandy will hand the car over soon as he is at the top of the hill after the Michael Schumacher S. Michael Schumacher here at the Nurburgring, and Ayrton Senna at Interlagos, are the only drivers who have driven through corners named after themselves. It's like reading your own obituary or maybe, attending your own funeral. How horrid!

Porsche in the lane. Scheduled stop, going to plan. Andre Lotterer is into the car. Fuel only. Wait. Tires will be changed, too. Oh dear! Trouble on the left rear tire. That slows the stop down quite a bit. It'll be mighty close. Porsche #2 is into the lane, too. Timo Bernhard is going to take car #2 to the finish. An hour and ten minutes left. This will be crucial before a final splash and dash. Don't upset the apple cart. Everything is fine. Andre Lotterer stays ahead of Timo Bernhard. The lead has been halved, but is unchanged.

Toyota now in the lane, with #7. Kamui Kobayashi takes over from Mike Conway. They are a full pit stop behind the Porsche 919 of Timo Bernhard. Despite being eight seconds faster in the lane, Bernhard is still second. It's still a Porsche 1-2. The battle will go down to the wire. Lotterer vs. Bernhard. 1:41.8 for Lotterer. 1:41.5 for Bernhard. Three cars separated by twelve seconds. Still a ton to play for as we head for the final hour. Car #35 has been in the lane with a gearbox problem. Manor #24 is in the overall LMP2 order, but is laps behind, ninth overall.

Ben Hanley is eighth in one of the other LMP2 machines. The Porsche's are getting closer. Lotterer wants his first victory as a Porsche driver. He'll join a rare breed of drivers who have won for two factory teams in WEC competition. The finish is going to be a barn burner. Kamui Kobayashi is matching the pace of the Porsche's. The Porsche's seem to be falling into the clutches of the Toyota's. More traffic as Mathias Beche fends off Nicolas Lapierre.

Alessandro Pier Guidi is still leading LM GTE Pro in his Ferrari. Bernhard has cut the lead down.

*Special notice. We are at the end of hour five at the Nurburgring. But, next weekend, there will be highlights of the drama filled final hour, here at the Nurburgring, in a special "Checkered Flag" blog entry for the Nurburgring 6 Hours. Stay tuned for that as yours truly, will take you to the end of this race, and see who will be the winners of the Nurburgring 6 Hours. We'll be here at 10:30 A.M. Central Time, next Sunday, to finish this one. After that, we will see these cars in Mexico City, Mexico, at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, coming up in September.

6 Hours of the Nurburgring: Hour 4

There is a gearbox compressor issue for the #71 Ferrari. The gear changes happen electronically. Davide Rigon and Toni Vilander share the car. Harry Tincknell is out of sync on the LM GTE Pro pit stops. Gustavo Menezes gets out of the Signatech Alpine. Matt Rao gets in. This is car #36. Nicolas Lapierre is the third driver. Porsche continues to run 1-2. Porsche leads in three classes they are a part of. But, Ferrari is applying the blowtorch to them in LM GTE Pro. The Calado/Christensen battle rages on. Porsche wants their first win both in the WEC and stateside in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship.

Andy Priaulx says tires will be key in the final stints in the final hours of this race. Sixtten to eighteen tires are all that's allocated to LM GTE Pro teams. You have to use scrubbed, older tires. Tire conservation is big, big stuff in one of these races as David Cheng, Filipe Albuquerque, and others, battle for LMP2 as Ferrari goes around the Porsche in LM GTE Pro. Chjeng, Matt Rao, and poh wow! Filipe Albuquerque takes second from both of them in class! Leave the door open, and step right on through, thank you very much. Fuel for the Porsche. Michael Christensen takes tires on his Porsche. Matthias Lauda pits the Aston Martin and Miguel Molina takes a spot away from Matteo Cairoli.

109 laps completed with two hours and 46 minutes to go, just the distance of an IMSA race, left. 109 laps, 327 miles down so far. Porsche #1 is warned by the stewards about track limits. Porsche has told their drivers to go for it and unleashed them. Toyota could still be a threat. Thomas Laurent and Jackie Chan DC Racing, continue to lead in the LMP2 class. This has been an action packed event all around today. David Cheng got caught off guard after being passed by a Toyota and put another lap down. Pippo Derani in the #13 Rebellion Oreca Gibson is coming, fast. Porsche #91 is in the lane for fuel, and Fred Makowiecki will stay in the car. Tires also are changed.

David Cheng continues to fall into the clutches of Pippo Derani. He was with Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, but only for the opening three races of the 2017 FIA WEC season. It's been close into turn onje at the Nurburgring always, and we can see that through the amazing slow motion replay pictures brought to us on the world feed. Plenty of clsoe racing and some argy bargy, but not much. Porsche #2 leads it's sister car by two seconds. Nick Tandy is ahead of Earl Bamber as Daniel Serra brings the #97 Aston Martin to the lane. Fuel goes into the car. The Ford GT had a fire last year, when a tie wrap flowed out and got jammed into the breather valve of the fuel tank.

At the halfway mark, 29 cars completed 2,000 laps total, 14,874 kilometers raced. 1,512 total overtakes, and Jose Maria Lopez has passed 106 cars, equivalent. Yikes! Earl Bamber stretches his lead and so do both Porsche's who are gapping the Ferrari in LM GTE Pro. Nick Tandy is closing on Porsche team mate Earl Bamber. These two were team mates at Porsche last year before being split between the team's two cars. These cars basically have four wheel drive, the Porsche LMP1 cars. Ooh! Ford #67 of Harry Tincknell, spins! Was there a touch? Did the Ford tap the Porsche? Not sure.

Not the best camera angle Mr. Director. But there was definite contact. Harry Tincknell is rallycrossing the Ford GT through the gravel trap. Tincknell needs Ken Block as a co-driver in the GT for this one. Now, he's back on the road. Could Tincknell's tires be completely knackered? Maybe. There's no damage to the car. We look again. The Ford washed out at the apex of the corner as the Porsche sweeps around. Tincknell was off line into the clag on the outside of the road. It was a racing incident. The Porsche did not dropkick the Ford off the road. Bamber and Tandy still run 1-2 with Mike Conway third in the Toyota, 52 seconds back. Porsche remains in the race lead.

Mike Conway is leading the Toyota charge as the sister #8 car is still five laps down. Harry Tincknell has now dropped a few spots after his off course excursion. We have two hours and 20 minutes to go in this race. It's getting close to crunch time. Anthony Davidson still has the controls of the second Toyota. Andre Negrao continues to hold on just behind Filipe Albuquerque. The top three cars in LM GTE Pro, neither the two Porsche's or the first of the AF Corse Ferrari's, has won in class yet in 2017.

The LMP2 cars with the Gibson 4.2 liter V8 motors, have become a whole lot faster than they used to be. Rebellion is in pit lane. Sam Bird won the first Formula E race in New York City yesterday. There is another Formula E race today, coming up soon. Yours truly has another blog where those races will be written about. BMW will bring their M8 GT to the FIA WEC with MTEK next year. What will BMW bring to the table? They will be a welcome addition to compete with Porsche, Ferrari, Ford, and Aston Martin. Pit stop time for Signatech Alpine. Who will drive for BMW? They have top drivers in their squad such as Tom Blomqvist, Alexander Sims, Augusto Farfus, and others.

They will have a factory squad globally and in North America. Pippo Derani is now up to fourth in LMP2. The #35 Signatech Alpine remains in the lane but has not officially retired from this event as of yet. 29 cars continue, just the same number that started this race. Nick Tandy brings the #2 Porsche into the lane. 130 laps done. 390 miles. Problems for the Manor and also for the leading LMP2 car of Thomas Laurent. Manor #25 in the lane, and it could have been out of petrol. Porsche #2 is also into pit lane. It needs a 57 second stop in order to not lose the lead. Rear clip change for car #38. They have issues. The rear tail has been replaced. Jackie Chan DC Racing is now 1-2 in LMP2.

Fuel only for the #2 Porsche as Toyota #7 pits from third. Mike Conway at the wheel of it. Fuel only for Toyota. No tires. Porsche looking on, and the brass of Fritz Ensinger and Andreas Seidl. The intention in 2020, is to do at least one full lap on electric power. The high downforce aerodynamic kit Porsche has developed for their home race, seems to be working. Harry Tincknell's fracas was purely a racing incident. What are the cars in GTE Pro capable of at certain points on the road? Christian Ried and Paul Dalla Lana are scrapping right now. Dalla Lana is quicker, the Canadian, compared to the German.

6 Hours of the Nurburgring: Hour 3

Radiator redesigns have been put together to keep tire rubber out of them. Just under four hours left on the clock as the battle at the front stays hot. Pit stops for LM GTE Pro. Porsche is right on strategy for a five stop race. Alessandro Pier Guidi takes the LM GTE Pro lead and Brendon Hartley tries for the lead, but Neel Jani holds him at bay. Porsche management must be glad those two boys didn't come to blows and raced cleanly. Mike Conway is now at the wheel of Toyota #7. LM GTE Am leader, in. Paul Dalla Lana hands over to Matthias Lauda. This is Aston Martin #98. Something happened to the wheel nut. Did the lollipop man kick the nut back into the garage. There are captive wheel nuts or magnetic ones. Windshields are beginning to get pitted because of al;l the tire debris on the road.

Anthony Davidson is now at the wheel of Toyota #8 that remains five laps down to the race leaders. There's some heat haze out there at the Nurburgring. Working lap 72. 216 miles have been run. Problems for Andre Negrao and the #35 SignaTech Alpine which has had a fraught race to this point. Alpine is running well with their second car, with Gustavo Menezes at the controls, in a scrum with David Heinemeier Hanson. Matthias Lauda continues to pursue other cars. He's passed Clearwater. Dempsey Proton and Spirit of Race are ahead. Thomas Flohr brings the Spirit of Race Ferrari to the lane. Porsche still leads overall and they are 1-2. Jackie Chan DC Racing continues to lead LMP2. Ferrari leads LM GTE Pro over Porsche and Ferrari. Porsche leads LM GTE Am for Dempsey Proton Racing.

Neel Jani continues to lead overall by 3.2 seconds as the #61 Clearwater Racing Ferrari drives off the road and into the gravel trap. Weng Sun Mok at the wheel of it, sharing with Keita Sawa and Matt Griffin. Potential problems for Porsche? Hmmm. Overnight rain washed the rubber off the road, but the track is starting to become grippy again. Porsche knows Brendon Hartley is struggling, but they tell him, "hang on to the end of the stint." #38 pits from the LMP2 class lead. Ho Pin Tung will do a double stint.

TDS Racing #28 is in the lane. Matthieu Vaxiviere is at the controls, and he's back on track, scrapping with Simon Trummer. Porsche #1 continues in the overall lead. Manage the pace all the way through the race. This is crucial for GT cars, when they are overtaken by LMP1. Nothing has changed at the front. 3.6 seconds is the gap between the two Porsche's. Anthony Davidson is fifth in the overall in Toyota #8. #38 still leads LMP2. Bruno Senna is now in the booth with lead commentator, Toby Moody. Toyota is playing with turbo boost settings it sounds like.

Senna is frustrated by slower cars in LMP2 that are not fighting for the championship, overtaking improperly and ignoring blue flags. Bruno Senna shares with Julien Canal. Porsche still leads with Neel Jani ahead of Brendon Hartley. The Jackie Chan DC Racing car still leads LMP2. Porsche and Michael Christensen leads James Calado and Fred Makowiecki in LM GTE Pro. Aston Martin continues to lead LM GTE Am. Stefan Mucke is suffering from understeer in the Ford GT #66. Turn the brake bias knob gradually, in coordination with the team and engineers so you don't cook the brakes.

Michael Christensen's lead in LM GTE Pro, is 12 seconds or so. LMP1 Porsche passes LM GTE Pro Porsche. The Nordschleife on the other side of this speedway, is unreal. We saw that with the production sports cars in the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring, back in May. The lap times of the open cockpit LMP2 cars and these new cars, are close, but the new Oreca is even quicker. Oreca has a sloped nose on their car. Ligier, Dallara, and Riley, are hopeful of making updates to their cars, so they can join Oreca in the FIA WEC in years to come. LMP2 and GTE cars have been a shade unstable into turn five.

Brendon Hartley is the fastest car on the road by a couple hundredths of a second. The cars are very stable, according to Bruno Senna compared to last year. The grip on these LMP2 cars is very similar to a single seater. Drivers are so focused, they keep their eyes wide open for the whole lap. Sometimes, you have to squint so your eyes don't get sore. Don't rub your eyes while you are driving a race car. Brendon Hartley is finding the balance in the car, and keeping right with his Porsche team mate, Neel Jani. A broken gearbox for the #35 Signatech Alpine. Game over for Pierre Ragues, Andre Negrao, and Nelson Panciatici.

Matthias Lauda and Matteo Cairoli scrap for position in LM GTE Am. Lauda has his mirrors filled with Cairoli. The lead battle has gone on for a good 20 minutes. Gustavo Menezes makes a move on Julien Canal. We're just ten minutes from halfway into this race. Very few incidents have happened here at the Nurburgring, but a lot of great racing has happened. The Clearwater Ferrari has passed the Dempsey Proton Porsche. Cairolli it looks like, missed the corner at the final chicane. Neel Jani is out of the #1 Porsche which pits, and now, Nick Tandy will take over. The #71 Ferrari 488 GTE for AF Corse is in the garage.

Mechanics check for little bits of rubber that may be caught in the gurney flap on the wing. Porsche #2 is now in the lane. Jose Maria Lopez was all over Nick Tandy. Brendon Hartley will give way to Earl Bamber. Jose Maria Lopez is now pitting, too. Toyota #7 is finishing it's service and goes on it's way. Three pit stops have now been completed by the leaders.

6 Hours of the Nurburgring: Hour 2

We watch LMP2 action as Alex Brundle wiggles on corner exit. LMP2 cars are in the way of the LMP1 leaders. Olivier Pla pitted Ford #66 and both left side tires were changed. Brendon Hartley has now gone to second place. Toyota continues to lead this motor race. Fuel only for the #67 Ford GT with Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell. Strategy is fascinating as we are beginning the second hour now. Some of the FIA WEC regulars have been doing well racing in Formula E in New York City this weekend.

Jackie Chan DC Racing are the meat in a Rebellion sandwich in LMP2. The #38 car won Le Mans and of course Rbeellion were disqualified. Ferrari #51 in the lane. Alessandro Pier Guidi takes over from James Calado. A lead change now in LMP2, too. Does Bruno Senna have a problem? At least it is dry here at the Nurburgring. The great, 16 mile Nordschleife was opened way back in 1927. Oliver Jarvis once again, leads Bruno Senna in LMP2. Brendon Hartley is chasing the Toyota, with Jose Maria "Pechito" Lopez, at the wheel of the leading Toyota. "Pechito" is starting to run at full strength for the first time in 2017.

The left/right series of corners before they plunge downull here at the Nurburgring is spectacular. But remember, this is the new track, that was built in the mid 1980s. These cars are not plug-in hybrids like a Tesla. But, FIA WEC brass may want to change the cars to plug-in hybrids in the not too distant future. There has been a change for the overall lead. Brendon Hartley pressures Jose Maria Loppez, and Hartley is the one to take the lead as Porsche wants a win on home soil. Brendon and Timo won last year, along with Mark Webber who is now an ambassador to Porsche.

Jose Maria Lopez is beginning to show the form and why he deserves to be racing with them. Ferrari and Ford battle for third in LM GTE Pro. Alessandro Pier Guidi vs. Olivier Pla. Richard Lietz is now in the #91 Porsche. Andy Priaulx has lost a spot. Porsche is 1-2 in LM GTE Pro as well as in LMP1. So, the home crowd will be happy right now. Kevin Estre is the leader in LM GTE Pro in the #92 Porsche. Porsche now is 1-2 in LMP1 and LM GTE Pro. Jose Maria Lopez is a bit rattled after losing his lead. He wants to go back around, and there's a Ford GT in the way as we come to the back section of the course.

Brendon Hartley is pulling a gap as Neel Jani and Jose Maria Lopez scrap with each other. The pendulum has now swung back in Porsche's favor at least at this moment. Lopez is still mightily pushing, however. He's not letting Neel Jani out of his sight. Two laps behind these chaps, is the lead battle in LMP2. Paul Dalla Lana and Pedro Lamy in the #97 Aston Martin still lead LM GTE Am over the Clearwater Racing Ferrari. Francesco Castellaci, Thomas Flohr, and Miguel Molina are the drivers in #54. In the lane now are LMP2 cars. Signatech Alpine is one, not sure who nth other is. It's Ben Hanley, actually. But, yours truly is no0t sure which driver lineup he is a part of.

Oliver Jarvis continues to lead LMP2. Porsche #2 leads the championship by 17 points. Oliver Jarvis, and then Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell, without Pippo Derani for the rest of the year. Aston Martin still leads LM GTE Am. Both Jackie Chan DC Racing cars are in the pits. Actually, it was just the #38. Romain Rusinov is now at the wheel of the #26 G-Drive entry that was of course penalized and elayed when the race began. Nicky Thiim passes Olivier Pla for fifth in class in LM GTE Pro.

One of the Rebellion entries tries to pass the LM GTE Pro battle. Ho Pin Tung is now at the wheel of the #38 car. Jarvis didn't want Tung in the seat and then having to adjust the seat belts. Darren Turner makes his way past Ford #66 and Nicky Thiim does so to Ford #67. The Aston Martin's are really pressing on well here. Ford didn't take tires. Aston Martin, did take tires. In the meantime. Neel Jani is catching Brendon Hartley and Jose Maria Lopez is still in the fight. David Heinemeier-Hanson has the wheel of the #13 Rebellion car right now in LMP2.

Rushing down the hill once again, Toyota is playing catch ip, still, to the Porsche duo at the sharp end of this motor race. The grip of these LMP1 rockets are amazing. Someone build an LMP1-LMP2 two seat racer to give the fans a chance to check it out! Andreas Seidl looking on, the Porsche team boss. Dear me! One of the Manor's has gone off the road! Who is it? It has to be Roberto Merhi in the first of the Manor's. Neel Jani closes in on Brendon Hartley for the race lead. The lead battle continues. If there was a Balance of Performance in the big LMP1 class, well, it would be underway.

Rain lights are on because it was declared a wet race evne though there is non moisture out on the road at the moment. There's mist out there in the Eiffel Mountains. Brendon Hartley is fending off the challenge of Neel Jani, as Porsche continues to try drawing away from Toyota. Jonathan Hirschi is now at the wheel of the #24 CEFC Manor LMP2 car. Through the Michael Schumacher S. The Tockwith Motorsports Ligieris having issues. There seems to be a leaking master cylinder on that car. So, brake problems are obvious. More drama in LMP2 with a three way fight between David Heinemeier Hanson, Tristan Gommendy, and another driver. Not sure who it is at the moment.

There's nothing in it between the two Porsche's. 61 laps done and dusted here at the Nurburgring. So, we've completed around 190 miles so far. Oversteer for Jose Maria Lopez in the Toyota. Lopez is learning how to drive an LMP1 car. Pressure on from Neel Jani. Pit stops are imminent. Who will blink first? Once again, this race seems to just be flying by. We're nearly at the end of another hour. Porsche has just made another pit stop. 57 seconds duration. Fuel only. Olivier Pla is in and Stefan Mucke will take over the #66 Ford GT. Brendon Hartley and Jose Maria Lopez pit as well. No tires for the Porsche or the Toyota. Porsche #1 did not change tires either.

The order stays the same. Porsche stays second. Toyota stays third. Amazing teamwork at the top level that is LMP1. Toyota #8 is ahead of Brendon Hartley, but is four laps down. Sebastien Buemi is knocking on the door of the top ten. We'll hit the 1/3rd mark in this race very soon as the LMP2 battle continues with their Oreca cars and Gibson V8 engines. Neel Jani continues to lead this race. The nw Michel Vaillante cartoon was being drawn during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Wow! The Porsche's are beginning to pull away. Signatech Alpine goes to the garage.

6 Hours of the Nurburgring: Hour 1

The legendary Nurburgring in the Eiffel Mountains of Germany is the venue to begin the second half of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship. Porsche is coming into their home race, after winning yet another 24 Hours of Le Mans, last month. The spirit of Le Mans, has come to Germany. Round four takes place today. It is the final race in Europe, before we race the flyaway events. In qualifying, in GTE Am, Pedro Lamy and Paul Dalla Lana scored their eighth striaight pole. Porsche with Michael Christensen and Kevin Estre, have the first pole ever. Jackie Chan DC Racing is on pole in LMP2 after G-Drive was disqualified. Oliver Jarvis and Thomas Laurent are the duo driving today. Jose Maria Lopez and Kamui Kobayashi for Toyota start on pole.

The green flag, is next! The cars are on their formation lap. The #8 Toyota is slow, with Sebastien Buemi at the controls. These cars are very complex. Look for early penalties for LMP2. Nelson Panciatici will get a stop and hold, and Romain Rusinov will have a three minute stop and hold, and Jonathan Hirschi will have a major, seven minute penalty after hitting one of the Ford's. There will be an extra formation lap before we get going. Dollies are ready to get the #24 taken care of. If a car is running that slowly, you don't want to have an issue. Actually, it is the Toyota. Sebastien Buemi is trying to recycle the electronics.

The #2 Porsche was also having issues. The #8 Toyota is in trouble, down the back straightaway. Sebastien Buemi has to watch his mirrors. No combustion engine for the Toyota! This isn't good. He'll be in the lane, but we will indeed go racing. All cars assume grid formation. We have the clock running now. It's go time for everyone else. We're green at the Nurburgring! The Toyota has the inside line and here come the Porsche's! Masive lock up by the #92 Porsche! Ooh! The #35 Alpine has spun on the wet grass and he's spun around like a record. The TDS Oreca, the Tockwith Ligier, and the Jackie Chan cars is pushing. Problems for the ByKolles entry.

Toyota has an issue with the fuel pump on car #8. Porsche is at their home track. Toyota has dominated both six hour races we've had this year before Le Mans. Toyota has an advantage on the Porsche's andf the LMP2 cars. The GT cars are coming up through the field as we have greasy conditions at the moment. Car #35 is recovering after taking it's turn on the whirlygig. Three cars have to pit for penalties. Aston Martin with Marco Sorenson has taken the lead from Michael Christensen in LM GTE Pro. Don't take too much of the yellow curb.

There have been changes to Balance of Performance. Kamui Kobayashi is your leader. Grab a coffee and settle in for this one, folks. It's going to be good! Porsche has dropped back. Marco Sorenson is being hounded by Fred Makowiecki. Kamui Kobayashi has a lead over Timo Bernhard and Andre Lotterer. BMW is going to be here in LM GTE Pro next year. The #26 car has been summoned for it's penalty for three minutes as Romain Rusinov is penalized for contact with Khaled Al Qubaisi at Le Mans a month ago.

Ben Hanley has taken the penalty, into the lane immediately. The #66 Ford GT runs third in LM GTE Pro and we listen to the throaty roar of the Ford EcoBoost V6. Jonathan Hirschi has a seven minute penalty for overtaking and hitting the Ford on a red flag in qualifying. Aston Martin, Porsche, and Ford are at the top of this one in LM GTE Pro, as this is the first race for the automatic Balance of Performance in WEC. The Aston lunges past the Porsche, and here comes the Porsche through the left hand turns! Ooh! Porsche on the outside but the Aston Martin slams the door in his face.

Car #26 is back on track. Nelson Panciatici has a 30 second penalty. Fred Makowiecki is really hounding Marco Sorenson as the #24 hits the lane for a monstrous seven minute penalty. The only thing rising on a cold day at the Nurburgring, are some driver's blood pressures at the moment. Aston, Porsche, Ford, Porsche, Ferrari, Ford, Ferrari. That's your running in LM GTE Pro as Bruno Senna leads Mathias Beche in LMP2. Toyota #8 is five laps down due to it's fuel pump change. The TDS entry is loose into the chicane, as Alex Brundle in Jackie Chan entry #37 is pressing Nelson Panciatici in LMP2.

Pressure, pressure, pressure as Porsche is pushing Aston Martin. Slicing and dicing between LMP1 and LMP2 cars. Kamui Kobayashi and Andre Lotterer battle. Lotterer says it's been quite the experience driving the Porsche in the new high downforce trim. Timo Bernhard is going after it right now, too. This is intense stuff. No further action for the Nelson Panciatici incident from earlier as the #61 Clearwater Racing Ferrari is moving up in LM GTE Am as the #71 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE has been in the garage and is now back out.

Marco Sorenson has run a 1:59 flat. 1:59.029, and is 4/10ths quicker than the Porsche 911 RSR. There's nothing in it in the GTE Pro class right now, as tire buildup is becoming an issue. Electrical issues for the #71 Ferrari. That is the car of Davide Rigon. Marco Sorenson is not having it's own way. He's losing time to the Porsche. Olivier Pla is at the wheel of the Ford. The two Clearwater Ferrari's have passed the Proton Porsche in LM GTE Am. Francesco Castellaci muscles his way past Christian Ried.

Aston Martin continues to lead in the production based class. Kamui Kobayashi leads Timo Bernhard and Andre Lotterer in LMP1. Bruno Senna leads Mathias Beche and Oliver Jarvis in LMP2. Vitaly Petrov and Nicolas Lapierre are next in the order. Clearwatrer passes Spirit of Race in LM GTE Am, in a scrum of Ferrari's. Francesco Castellaci could be called in for a penalty by the stewards. This is some intense action right now. Pit stop time now, for LMP2. The hybrid powered leaders will come in soon. The GTE Pro boys will pit soon, too. Kamui Kobayashi and Timo Bernhard are in a major scrap now. This is tight action. Lotterer tucks inside. Porsche wants GT victory on both sides of the Atlantic, especially in their home race today in LM GTE Pro.

Aston Martin may introduce a new GTE car in the not too distant future. The Gulf Racing UK Porsche is being lapped. The Aston Martin is the oldest car in LM GTE Pro competition. Wow! There's a major scrasp between Porsche and Ford, and Ferrari, too! Porsche has gone through on Aston Martin, too! Turn four exit, has a warning on it from race control. Yikes! Mike Wainwright was holding up the other GTE Pro cars. The Aston Martin ran wide. Unbelievable! Sorenson made a mistake.

Makowiecki's lead is now 1.47 seconds. Ford and Ferrari hang on in LM GTE Pro. Olivier Pla wants by Marco Sorenson. But James Calado is right on Pla's rear bumper. The GTE cars have their own World Championship this year, don't forget. The #8 Toyota is moving up. Porsche has a three second lead in LM GTE Pro. The LMP2 cars are still amazingly quick here at the shorter circuit at the Nurburgirng. Roberto Merhi at the wheel of the Manor LMP2 entry. Merhi had to keep out of the way of the leaders. We're 53 minutes into this event now. The Porsche's and Toyota's should pit very soon.

Slicing and dicing in front as Kamui Kobayashi is on a mission. Porsche is harrying Toyotas as we see pit stops beginning. Can these blokes stretch their fuel and eliminate an extra stop? All three leaders hit the lane. Porsche #1 will be on fresh tires. Four sets of tires are allowed. Just 16 tires. So, you have to double stint at least once. Kobayashi out. Jose Maria Lopez into the car. Brendon Hartley takes over the Porsche. Hartley and Earl Bamber, two of the Le Mans winners, have raced together or against each other for many years. Rain could be a factor in the last couple hours so the tire allocation with rain tires won't matter.

Neel Jani clears the sister Porsche and will press the Toyota. Jani is flying right now. Can they chase the Toyota down? Toyota does continue to lead by 1.2 seconds. One hour, done and dusted.