We are behind the safety car now. The repairs to the wall are nearly complete and the safety car picks up the whole field. The safety car is pointing the GTE cars by. We are back to the green flag. The lead quartet continues in the order they were in previously. Meanwhile., Kevin Estre has passed Niki Thiim, and Estre is reeling in Davide Rigon. Alex Lynn and Ho Pin Tung battle in LMP2. This is some confusion for the TV director. Ooh! Estre flies around the outside for second in LM GTE Pro! Sam Bird, Rigon's co-driver, does not like what he sees. David Cheng is second in LMP2, followed by Nico Prost and Nelson Piquet Jr. We have a Prost, a Piquet, and a Senna, in this race. David Cheng tries to hold his spot, but gives it up.
Toyota is going to be struggling to get life back into their tires. Neel Jani is pulling away, but Timo Bernhard can't get by the two Toyota's. He has to get on terms with the red and white cars. We're now working lap 103, 350 miles into this event. David Cheng and others are scrapping ijn LMP2, but the G-Drive machine may be losing some steam. Alex Lynn is trying to claw his way back. G-Drive has a speed deficit compared to the other LMP2 cars. Kevin Estre is being caught by James Calado at the moment. This is wild. Gustavo Menezes in one of the Alpine's is flying, but that is probably because of new tires. There are only 16 tires for the whole weekend. So you have to double stint them at some point.
Neel Jani is leading Sebastien Buemi. Ford had wheel nut issues with #67, and the sister car #66 is going slowly now, it looks like. Pit stop time for #37. David Cheng steps out and completes his drive time. Davide Rigon still leads Kevin Estre and James Calado. Porsche are doing a strong job. They were at the back and have gone to the front in LM GTE Pro. Ford has done the opposite and has gone backwards after starting on pole. Daniel Serra is in the #97 Aston Martin. Davide Rigon has gone through the pit lane for some reason.
Again, this is the final WEC race at Circuit of the Americas. Next year, the U.S. round of the FIA WEC will be at Sebring International Raceway in central Florida, a legendary track that we all know from the 12 Hours of Sebring every March. Porsche #1 has not won a race yet this year. Stay within the white lines, but don't look in your mirrors. There will be a drive through penalty for one of the GT drivers it appears. The GTE Pro battle for the lead is heating up. Rigon vs. Estre vs. Calado. Davide Rigon is going to get eaten up by the Porsche and perhaps by it's sister car.
Porsche inside for the chicane, and yes, Estre makes it stick. Calado can catch Rigon. Rigon has tires that are fading. There's a split strategy for Ferrari, but the hard tire isn't working. Calado will try to carch Estre, but Estre might be in another zip code very soon. The Porsche team has race pace they did not show in qualifying. Pit stop for Fred Makowiecki and car #91 under investigation by the stewards. Makowiecki is second in the championship, and the leader is last in the running order in class. So, the points are taking a turn.
If Rigon wins, he'll gain the lead of the championship. If he does not win, he will not gain the points lead. James Calado is all over Kevin Estre like a rash. Wow. Paul Dalla Lana is told to respect track limits and so is Andy Priaulx in the #67 Ford GT. There's been a fair spread of teams leading in LM GTE Pro, save for the Ford blokes. The temperature is rising at 93 degrees Fahrenheit. James Calado slides past Esttre and he tries to go through, but no. Make one decisive move, and don't show off, moving side to side. Paul Dalla Lana gets squeezed by the Rebellion's, Ho Pin Tung, and Matthieu Vaxiviere! Holy cow!
Signatech Alpine and Gustavo Menezes, are increasing a lead in LMP2. At any moment, all of the LMP2 cars will hit the pit lane. Drive through penalty for Makowiecki for constant track limits abuse. Niki Thiim goes ahead of Davide Rigon. The pit lane will be busy soon. Menezes and Prost stay out. Ben Hanley and others are flying. Nelson Piquet Jr. gets out of thr Rebellion. Menezes is leading Nico Prost. Toyota #8 in the lane. Sebastien Buemi is out of the car and Kazuki Nakajima takes over. They've leapfrogged Stephane Sarrazin.
Porsche needs to double stint their super hard tires. Menezes in the lane, does a very quick in lap. So, the order shuffles, due to the pit action. Fuel only for Menezes. It was tires for Menezes. Nicolas Lapierre is now in the Signatech car. G-Drive is doing a driver change and also taking the tail section off. There could be damage or downforce loss. Rebellion #31 has a burnt left rear taillight. Pierre Thiriet is in the #26 car. Aston Martin vs. Ford in LM GTE Pro. Timo Bernhard pits the #2 Porsche 919 from second. Bernhard is out of the car. Brendon Hartley takes over.
Car #2 has been running 31 lap stints. The hybrid energy can be used on this track very well to achieve performance without wasting fuel. Nico Prost has run out of gas, and has no choice but to pit. Neel Jani will bring in Porsche #1. Box this lap. Driver change. Andre Lotterer will get into Porsche #1, 32 laps on that stint, with a safety car. You've used half the fuel you'd normally use. The top runners in both LMP1 and LMP2 have completed their pit stops.
We are down to about two hours remaining in this one, ladies and gentlemen. Ferrari is in the lane. The Aston Martin flies by. Pit stop time for #71 and they are down and away. They have to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Stephane Sarrazin looks on along with Toyota Technical Director, Pascal Vasselon. Kazuki Nakajima is faster than the Porsche's running a 1:49 flat.
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