We seem to have a yellow flag on the speedway. Phillip Eng is stopped at one of the marshal posts with the BMW. Not sure what marshal post it is. It is the second chicane on the Mulsanne straight. So, obviously, there are yellow flags around. We continue to follow the LMP2 cars. The GT cars have just 15 sets of tires. Ben Keating asnd company have done 21 pit stops, double stinting tires. He'll have new tires. Patrick Lindsey has mirrored the strategy in LM GTE Am. Phillip Eng is being wheeled out of harm's way so as to not barge themselves into the back of the BMW M8 GTE. He'll have to recycle the electrics on that car and do a Control + Alt + Delete. Eng's speed is top notch and he's a team player.
Keating Motorsports is preparing a new front end for their Ford GT. There was a double local yellow that has been removed. The #85 car is very clean compared to many others that are out there after 22 hours of racing. The LMP2 class leading car has just pitted. Andre Negrao has done a lot of work and he is still at the wheel of the Alpine. Ben Keating brings the Ford GT #85 back to the lane, tidying up the car it appears. Our friend Damien Faulkner has just left the commentary box. Patrick Lindsey brings in the Project 1 Porsche and more pit action inclduing for the #7 Toyota. Kamui Kobayashi hands the carover to one of his team mates. The #8 car repeating their 2018 Le Mans triumph, any of those ideas have been put to bed.
Jorg Bergmeister in the Project 1 art car Porsche, is running well, partnered by Patrick Lindsey, and Edgidio Perfetti. Daniel Serra is ahead of Fred Makowiecki in LM GTE Pro. He's thrown caution to the wind. Fred Makowiecki brings the second place #91 Porsche 911 RSR, second in class in LM GTE Pro with Fred Makowiecki at the wheel of it. All of the brutal retirements and changes have come after dawn and into the afternoon, at this year's Le Mans. Patrick Pilet momentarily leapfrogs Makowiecki as the #68 Ford GT is in the lane. Alonso is closing in on Jose Maria Lopez in the leading Toyota. Alonso seems to be due a pit stop, or maybe Lopez is due one. Alonso is running lightweight, attacking it before his inlap.
Mike Rockenfeller in the #63 Corvette, he sits behind all four Chip Ganassi Ford GT's as Vitaly Petrov has pitted the #11 SMP Racing BR01. They have had a great Le Mans this year any way you slice it. Toyota #8 in the lane for fuel, tires and a driver change. Kazuki Nakajima will drive it. The #1 Rebellion has stalled. Hopefully there's no heat soak. Stoffel Vandoorne has run really well in the SMP BR01. Just over an hour and a half left in this race. Driver's are sweaty and tired, and their heart rates are way up there. The #26 G-Drive car has just pitted and Jean Eric Vergne I think took over the car. No. Job van Uitert stays at the wheel.
We have a Formula 1 Grand Prix length on our hands, with better cars, and better racing, honestly. Porsche #92 in the pit lane, languishing at the bottom of the deck. #85 Ford GT under investigation by the stewards. Oh dear. Ben Keating and company could be in trouble. Julien Andlauer and company make a pit stop. This is the car that got fined at Fuji. Mike Conway has set fastest lap. Sector times, best sector times, have gone to other cars besides Toyota. Rebellion has the straightline speed down the Mulsanne straight. Toyota is all around quickest, but not in a straight line.
The pace is amazing, 22 and a half hours into the race. Rebellion #3 in the pit lane. A driver change ios ahppening. Gideo van der Garde is having issues with the Jiumbo car again, and we saw Van der Garde's earlier shunt. Porsche #93 in the pit lane. A druver change, bt it is unclear who has gotten into the car. Patrick Pilet has handed the car to one of his team mates. Ditto for Gabriel Aubry, and Stoffel Vandoorne will take the SMP car to the flag in the next hour and 28 minutes. 99% of drivers hate slow corners. They like fast sweepers. Tje ;eft rear tire on the Racing Team Nederland car is going to tear that tire apart. Matt Campbell runs fourth in LM GTE Am.
Ben Keating still leads the class. Porsche has been telling their drivers to save fuel. Giedo van der Garde gets theRacing Team Nederland car to the pit lane without the tire delaminating. The future of Le Mans will be something other than petrol. Carbon burning is too much, perhaps. Ben Keating continues to lead LM GTE Am. Jorg Bergmeister is hunting down Ben Keating, though. We have just over an hour and 15 minutes left in the race. Nobody is resting on their laurels. Signatech Alpine comes in to make their final stop for the LMP2 class. The lead Ferrari has also pitted for the final time. Alessandro Pier Guidi takes the car home.
Does Jorg Bergmeister have to stop? I would say, yes. The weather was wet early in the weekn, but it's been perfect weather for the rest of the weekend. The #7 Toyota makes their next to last stop. They will need one more before the race ends. A penalty for Ben Keating for spinning the wheels at the end of the pit lane! Oh no! This means Jorg Bergmeister and Project 1 look like they will win LM GTE Am. TDS Racing is in the pit lane. Ben Keating's penalty was self inflicted. Antonio Garcia and Olivier Pla are still battling each other. Corvette vs. Ford GT. Ben Keating cannot take his stop/go penalty and a pit stop for service at the same time.
Jorg Bergmiester is catching Ben Keating for the LM GTE Am lead, and Bergmiestier is going to fly past the Ford GT and he spun the wheels again! Good grief! These cars have race bred clutches, and it's hard to get the car off the line without spinning the wheels. A puncture for the #7 Toyota! Oh dear. They got lucky on this one. That was a big break for Toyota. Kazuki Nakajima will be the next car in. Both Toyota's have to make one more pit stop. Alessandro Pier Guidi leads LM GTE Pro. Jesse Krohn in the #82 BMW M8 GTE is last in GTE Pro.
Problems for the #7 Toyota. He has lost his nhybrid drive with an hour to go! Wow! It is all happening. He's saying nnow that everything is fine, or he's keeping nthe car in third gear. Make that second gar. Jose Maria Lopez has an electronics issue! Wow! The system and/or the tirte needs to be changed.
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