Paul Loup Chatin has been reprimanded for a pit violation, and this has been feserting for a few hours now. The stewards looked at the situation. Also, the #71 Ferrari will get a one lap penalty for ignroing a red light in the pit lane under the safety car. Fernando Alonso's pit stop involved changing the rear tail section on the Toyota, making an adjustment. Put a new rear clip on, that has a different setup in it. We are following the Ford and Ferrari battle in GTE Pro. Pit stop time for the #17, and the #66 Ford GT of Billy Johnson is having suspension problems. Something is broken in that Ford GT.
We watch Jenson Button, making his way around Le Mans for his first stint in this motor race, and he seems to be enjoying it. Bruno Senna is driving the #1 Rebellion and his chief mechanic indicates a clutch pressure sensor problem. Billy Johnson has made it back to pit lane. The car is turned into the garage, and the toe link or control arm is broken. The rear wheel was flopping around. Abuse of track limits for Earl Bamber in the #93 Porsche 911 RSR. Antonio Giovinazzi makes a pass on Tony Kanaan on the Mulsanne straight. Ford vs. Ferrari, on the Mulsanne.
If you don't drive on the limit, you won't win this race. A three minute stop and go penalty has been assessed to Miguel Molina for that pit lane infraction of not stopping at the red light in pit lane. Three minute stop and go penalty on car #71 for leaving the pit lane with the red light on. Jose Maria Lopez will be into the pits, and he is there now, as Dominik Kraihamer has had a massive smash on at the side of the track. He has gone off the road at Porsche curves. There was contact with the Ebimotors Porsche, and... wallop! The whiplash is terrible, and thankfully, Kraihamer will be OK. The distance between the runoff and the fence, is just a few feet.
Rebellion is set to replace the clutch pressure sensor, but it isn't good to pit under the safety car at Le Mans because you will be held at the end of the lane, in the queue. Both Toyota's pit, and Fernando Alonso's car has to be rolled back. This isn't good for Toyota. Alonso is in the front of the #7 of Jose Maria Lopez, and thankfully he can go, and so can Alonso. There is now nothing in it between the two Toyota's. Ginetta #5 has made a pit stop. It is unsure as to who is in the car. Because of the length of this track, we use three safety cars. Spa Francorchamps in Belgium, because it too, is large, has two safety cars.
Alonso had a right rear tire puncture. This is the second Toyota tire puncture in this race. One safety car joins at the start/finish, another at Indianapolis, and another still, at Arnage. Now, in having to switch streams, it seems that the Rebellion is in the garage. Yes. Rebellion #1 is in the garage, being serviced. We are still under a safety car. Oliver Webb is disappointed after climbing from last in LMP1 to seventh or eighth overall, and they were lapping quicker than the DragonSpeed car. The accident happened at the Porsche curves.
There are curbs that are bolted into the surface, and those are the ones that people have hit. Sven Mueller in the #94 Porsche, is at the end of pit lane, waiting to get back on track. Trouble for a Porsche, no, the TF Sport Aston Martin, without a rear light. The safety car will come in. Charlie Eastwood is at the wheel of the Aston Martin. No overtaking before the safety car comes in. No wave-by's, and someone is off the road! Fernando Alonso had all four wheels on that Toyota, off the road, trying to go all the way around the outside. Both of these guys are off the road. Why have track limits? You can use the dotted lines. It used to be red painted tarmac.
Everyone is moving over it seems. About ten minutes to go in hour five. Alonso and Lopez have put their wheels off the road, making up time. But, will they be penalized? Let's hope not. Racer's should not be penalized for making moves with merit. That being said, if there's clag on the outside, then, these blokes could be in trouble. Scott Dixon and Harry Tincknell pit. One U.S. Ford Chip Ganassi GT, and one U.K. Ford Chip Ganassi GT. No driver change for the #92 "Pink Pig" Porsche. The #69 Ford GT pitted for fuel, and the Jackie Chan DC Racing Ligier #34 of Ricky Taylor, that cat needed a nose change.
Richard Lietz has Joey Hand right on his tail! That's got to be quite the battle, as Fernando Alonso goes around Jose Maria Lopez. The Aston Martin will go a lap down to the GTE Pro leaders. The Aston Martin just doesn't have the setup. It's a brand new car. The second, third, and fourth place GTE Pro cars are in the lane. Manthey vs. CORE Autosport. Ford and Corvette pitted, and Joey Hand gets snookered by the Corvette! Wow. Top pit work from the Corvette boys!
This is Toyota's race to lose, and their drivers should not be fighting. The Ford's are shuffling places, into the Les Hunaudieres.
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