Le Mans Series

LMS Nürburgring 1000 km LIVE - Chapter 4

© Planetlemans - Marcel ten Caat

Into the final part of the race the Peugeot team is still in command of the “ADAC 1000KM-Rennen Nürburgring”. Sixth overall is the Van Merksteijn Motorsport Porsche RS Spyder and with the Team Essex Porsche outside the top three the Dutch squad could clinch the LMP2 title here today.

16:38- Despite Team Essex only being fifth in class at the moment the Porsches are still in first and second as Horag Racing is behind the Dutch Porsche.

16:40- Just as McNish sets the fastest lap time of the #1 so far the Charouz Lola is in for a pit stop.

16:44- In a repeat of its earlier pit problem the Kruse Schiller Motorsport Lola comes to a halt at the end of the pit lane. A big flame is coming from the exhaust. The car is stopped and the fire is gone. Team members rush in to get the car back to the garage.

16:46- Gianmaria Bruni sets the fastest GT2 time. A 1:58.353…more than a second quicker than the other GT2s.

16:47- The Kruse Lola tries to get out of the pitlane…but fails. The car is being pushed back to the box again.

16:49- Casper Elgaard has caught the Embassy Racing WF01 of Darren Manning and moves up into fourth place. In the LMP2 championship standings the gap between Team Essex and Van Merksteijn Motorsport is six points…

16:50- Pierre Ragues in the third placed Saulnier Racing Pescarolo is in.

16:53- Due to the pit stop Casper Elgaard is at 1.7 seconds from third place. Can he make it a Porsche 1-2-3 again?

16:54- Richard Hein in the #4 Saulnier Racing Pescarolo briefly comes to aid of his team mate in the LMP2 Saulnier car. He is right in front of the Team Essex Porsche and Elgaard can’t pass immediately. Second placed LMP2 Horag Racing in for a pit stop.

16:56- Lammers is still in the box. The car is going backwards into the pit box.

16:58- As the Horag Racing mechanics work hard on the Porsche it has been passed by the Saulnier Racing Pescarolo, the Team Essex Porsche and the Embassy Racing WF01 #46.

17:00- Despite the huge lead of the Peugeots and only 27 laps left the two 908s are still lapping 2 to 3 seconds a lap quicker than the opposition.

17:01- Andrea Belicchi posts a 1:45.732. The fastest time for the Lola so far and only 0.04s slower than the fastest Porsche RS Spyder time.

17:03- Drama for the Horag Racing squad. The car is still being worked on and has dropped to seventh in class. Elgaard and Manning come in for a stop.

17:05- And the Horag Porsche has now gone outside the top eight as Michael Vergers and Warren Hughes pass the pit lane.

17:06- Peugeot now lapping at the same speed as the Audi’s…24 laps to go.

17:10- All LMP2 cars have completed what should be their final stop. Bleekemolen is now leading…looks like he can win in whatever Porsche they put him in.

17:14- Premat comes in to pit lane, he is currently third overall.

17:15- With Dumbreck still hoping for P4 the third placed driver, Daoudi, has upped the pace ad has just set a 1:59.953, the fastest time for that car.

17:16- McNish has passed Premat…but hasn’t made his final stop yet.

17:18- Casper Elgaard is over a minute behind Ragues. Can he catch the French driver and take second? Only if Team Essex takes second place the LMP2 championship will be decided in Silverstone.

17:21- Dumbreck is 25 seconds behind Daoudi. Can the Scot take fourth place? Rockenfeller sets a 1:42.086, the fastest time of the #2 so far.

17:22- The Horag Racing Porsche is out on the track again, 23rd overall and 12th in class. At the back of the circuit Manning is passed by the Creation and the Peugeot. The Peugeot swerves to avoid the WF01.

17:24- In comes the #8 Peugeot. Sarrazin in for his final pit stop of the day.

17:26- The #21 Epsilon is pushed back into the box…

17:28- Marc Gene is in the pit for his final stop.

17:29 McNish is also in for his sixth and final stop. All the LMP1 diesels have made their final stop and with 11 laps to go it is set to go to the finish.

17:30- Elgaard is still just over a minute behind Ragues. With ten laps remaining it seems impossible to get second place.

17:32- Garcia sets the fastest GT1 lap time. Lammers, probably still somewhat fuming after the problems, posts the fastest lap time of the Horag Racing car.

17:37- In for a splash-and-dash is the Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430 GT2. They have a 2 lap lead over the second placed Porsche and are in no hurry.

17:39- McNish is cutting through the field. LMP2 and LMP1 cars are simply put aside as the Scot tries to create a bigger lead over his team mate Rockenfeller?

17:42- Four laps remaining for Sarrazin in the #7 Peugeot. It would not be unlikely that Rockenfeller will pass McNish.

17:44- McNish in again…nice way to give the position back to Rockenfeller as the #2 car is still running for the championship and one point extra could make the difference at Silverstone.

17:45- With 2 laps to go Pierre Ragues is in for his final stop. Can Elgaard use this stop by the Saulnier Racing team?

17:46- Last lap running.

17:47- The Lavaggi has a problem. It is very slow on track with everyone flying by.

17:48- Sarrazin crosses the line to take the victory for Peugeot. Gene completes the first Peugeot 1-2 of the season. Like in 2007 the first 1-2 victory of the season comes at the Nürburgring.

17:50- As Bleekemolen crosses the line he takes the win for Van Merksteijn Motorsport. As Elgaard takes third place the LMP2 title has gone to Van Merksteijn. The four points the Dutch squad has gained on the Danish team mean the gap is 10 points with one race to go. Three Dutch victories versus one Danish mean that even if Essex wins Silverstone and Van Merksteijn won’t finish the title is theirs.

An impressive race by the Virgo Motorsport squad. After starting from the pits they took the lead quite fast and never gave it away anymore. The bad taste of Le Mans and the Friday here at the Nürburgring has been washed away.

Team Modena has won the GT1 class. The Aston Martin DBR9 was the only car to stay out of trouble, where its three opponents hit trouble.