Le Mans Series

Spa 1000 km LIVE at Planetlemans - Chapter 2

© Planetlemans - Marcel ten Caat

One and a half hour into the race and the Peugeot team has a big lead over the Audi team. At the moment Lamy is in the lead ahead of team mate Minassian. Jos Verstappen is in the lead in LMP2, with Guillaume Moreau in the Corvette leading GT1. Gianmaria in his Ferrari 430 GT2 is still leading in GT2. It is now time to return to the action. Like the weather the race is heating up.

14:27- Both Peugeots are in the pit for their second stop.

14:28- Problems for the number 8 Peugeot. Villeneuve has taken over the wheel of the number 7 car and is long gone, but the number 8 car is still in. Both Audi’s have overtaken it.

14:30- Off goes the Embassy nr 45 at Les Combes. Yellow flags.

14:32- And on comes the safety car. The Embassy Racing WF01 is still parked at Les Combes.

14:34-(SC) The Charouz Lola has returned to the track after spending way too much time in the pit lane due to problems

14:35-(SC) Both Audi’s use the safety car to make a pit stop. Several other LMPs come in as well.

14:37-(SC) Van Merksteijn Motorsport is preparing a pit stopl. Apparently a nose change for the Porsche due to a broken headlight.

14:40-(SC) Jonny Kane has been pulled from the curbstone and is back in the pit lane. The unscheduled stop for Van Merksteijn Motorsport has led to the Horag Porsche taking over the lead in LMP2.

14:45-(SC) In the pitlane the Embassy Racing team is working hard on the back of the WF01. We are still behind the safety car, but for how long

14:46-(SC) Safety Car in this lap…and we’ve gone green again.

14:47- Villeneuve and Capello are really pushing. In one lap they have created a gap to the rest of the field. As Villeneuve crosses the finish line for the first time since the restart the gap is 2.5s to Capello.

14:50- At the end of the Kemmel straight Villeneuve hits 304 kph. The Peugeot seems to win some time over the Audi on the first part of the track, as the gap increased from 2.8 to 5.2s.

14:53- Villeneuve is pulling away from Capello, but behind Capello Wurz is setting faster lap times.

14:55- The battle in LMP2 is far from over. Didier Theys is almost ten seconds ahead of the Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola and aonther six seconds behind these two is Peter van Merksteijn. Van Merksteijn has to be careful though as the cars behind him are currently quicker.

14:57- Mike Newton has taken the RML Lola into pit lane for a 3rd stop. So far a rather disappointing race for the British squad, they are eighth.

14:58- Alexander Wurz crashes the Peugeot 8 at the Pif Paf. He must have clipped a Spyker and destroys the Peugeot.

14:59-(SC) SAFETY CAR!

15:00-(SC) On its way into the pit the nr 1 Audi loses the thread of a tyre. Capello is pushed back in the pit.

15:01-(SC) Ralf Kelleners kept the Spyker running and is returning to the pit. Damage unknown, but Kelleners complains about “front left tyre broken”.

15:04-(SC) Alexander Wurz is behind the barrier and can’t believe what has happened. This is not what Peugeot had in mind for a pre-Le Mans session.

15:05-(SC) Fernando Rees is in the pit lane.

15:06-(SC) As a result of the Audi in the pit the LMP2 leader is now fifth overall.

15:07-(SC) Capello is out on the track again. The wreck of the Peugeot is still in front of the barriers, no flatbed transporter has arrived yet. This could be a lengthy safety car period.

15:09-(SC) In the GT classes we have new leaders as well. Peter Kox in the IPB Spartak Racing Lamborghini is leading GT1 with the 72 Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette behind. In GT2 Virgo takes over the lead as the Felbermayr-Proton Porsche comes in.

15:11-(SC) The Peugeot is lifted on the flatbed and taken away from the track. Huge damage to the car.

15:13-(SC) Two LMP2 cars are in the pit for a stop. The Speedy Lola and Essex Porsche.

15:15-(SC) As a result of the incidents the race order is: #7 Peugeot - #2 Audi - #6 Team Oreca.

15:16-(SC) Safety car in this lap!

15:18- Green flag! According to Alexander Wurz the Spyker hit him on the right rear side, spinning him around and into the barrier. That same Spyker is now back in the pit box for repairs.

15:21- No changes in the LMP1 class. The other class standings are, LMP2: #27 Horag Porsche - #34 Van Merksteijn - Porsche - #33 Speedy Lola, LM GT1: #55 IPB Spartak Lamborghini - #72 Alphand Corvette - #59 Team Modena Aston, LM GT2: #96 Virgo Ferrari - #77 Felbermayr Porsche - #90 Farnbacher Ferrari.

15:22- Looks like Alexander Wurz was not completely right with his version of the accident. The Audi passed the Spyker and Wurz went for a gap that was not there. As a result Wurz hit the right rear of the Audi, causing the puncture, and hit the front of the Spyker, according to Spyker (Ralf Kelleners) and Audi (Dr. Ullrich).

15:26- Vanina Ickx spins coming out of the Bus Stop chicane. A brief yellow flag is the result. At Spyker they are changing the alternator on the #85 car that was hit by the Peugeot.

15:30- Back out comes the Spyker.

15:33- Peter Kox brings in the Lamborghini for a scheduled stop. With Goueslard already in the Bus Stop this will lead to a change in GT1.

15:34- Van Merksteijn brings the Porsche RS Spyder onto the pit lane. At turn 14 the James Watt Automotive Porsche spins and stalls.

15:35- Safety car is deployed. We have the third safety car period of the race. Team Oreca als in for a stop.

15:38-(SC) Premat in for another stop, also in for a stop is the third placed GT1 car of Team Modena.

15:40-(SC) Several cars are waved by the safety car in an attempt to pick up the leader.

15:42-(SC) Goueslard dives into the pit. The GT1 leader is in, what can Peter Kox do? Also in is the number 16 Pescarolo.

15:43-(SC) And in comes the race leader. Villeneuve makes a good stop and is in. Gene takes over and is out without a problem. Peter Kox is back in the GT1 lead.

15:44-(SC) Didier Theys, leading LMP2, also in for a pitstop. With Steve Zacchia only 20 seconds behind Theys the Swiss driver should be able to take the LMP2 lead.

15:47-(SC) Capello just finished his pit stop. As he leaves the pit he comes out just ahead of the safety car, but he slows down and moves in just behind the WF01, fourth in line.

15:50-(SC) Safety car in this lap…GREEN FLAG!

15:51- At the restart Gene pulls away while the rest of the cars is stuck behind a Pescarolo and a WF01.

15:52- Vanina Ickx went wide at La Source at the restart, after making contact with another LMP car. Gene has created an eight second gap in 1 lap.

15:53- The Team Essex Porsche is given a three minute stop and go penalty (engine off).

15:55- Marc Gene sets the fastest lap of the race so far, a 1:59.883.