Le Mans Series

LMS Silverstone 1000km LIVE - Chapter 4

© Planetlemans - Marcel ten Caat

Under a quarter of the race to go and the Audi R10s are still dominating. Premat leads McNish with the other LMPs way back. Van Merksteijn Motorsport is still ahead in LMP2. In the GT categories the Team Modena Aston Martin DBR9 and Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430 are class leaders. Time to get our focus back on what is happening on the track.16:01- 36 laps remaining, McNish is pushing hard. His last lap time was over three seconds quicker than Premat’s time.

16:02- Ryan Lewis has gone into the gravel trap. At a different place, coming into the complex, the #72 Luc Alphand Corvette had to slow down to avoid a spinning Oreca-Courage.

16:05- Another quick lap by McNish, another four seconds gone. The gap between McNish and Premat is now only 18 seconds.

16:07- Several cars are posting quickest lap times at the moment all through the field.

16:08- The #77 Porsche is in the pit, this car is second in the GT2 class in this race as well as the championship.

16:11- 30 laps remaining. Premat is still 12 seconds ahead.

16:13- Alexandre Premat is now in the pit for what should be his last regular pit stop.

16:14- Allan McNish has taken the lead after his team mate made his final pit stop. It is now up to him to push if he wants to win, taking into consideration he will have to make one final stop as well.

16:16- Jan Lammers brings the Horag Racing Porsche into the pit. The team is currently second in LMP2. Would be a nice farewell for Fredy Lienhard.

16:19- Premat is not giving it away to McNish. On his first laps out of the pit he is posting quicker times than the Scot.

16:22- Interesting. Alexandre Premat is back in the pit lane.

16:23- The car is up on its jacks and pushed back into the box. Smoke was seen coming from the car on the track. The Audi engineers are checking the back of the car at the moment.

16:24- Worried faces hanging over the R10…

16:26- Michael Vergers has gone off. The Barazi-Epsilon Zytek is in the gravel with the rear bodywork off.

16:27- The #1 Audi R10 has made a pit stop…as the safety car comes out!

16:29-(SC) The engine cover is going back on the #2 Audi.

16:30-(SC) Premat is back on track, just ahead of the safety car.

16:32-(SC) Wave-by in progress. The safety car is picking up Capello.

16:34-(SC) Virgo Ferrari in.

16:35-(SC) Jos Verstappen brings the VM Porsche in for another stop. The safety car is about to come back in.

16:37- Green flag with sixteen laps to go!

16:39- With the problems for the #2 Audi the Pescarolo, currently driven by Boullion, has moved into third place. But Premat is only 3 seconds behind it.

16:40- The Pescarolo and Audi have just unlapped themselves from the Charouz Lola.

16:42- Boullion feels the pressure from Premat and is pushing, setting the fastest lap done so far by the #16. Premat has however closed the gap to just a second.

16:43- Another improvement but as the two come over the finish line Premat is only 0.05s behind Boullion and quickly overtakes the Pescarolo.

16:45- Despite its fastest lap times the Pescarolo #16 is now also seeing the Van Merksteijn Porsche getting closer. The #6 Oreca is in the pit, handing over tenth overall to the WF01 of Jonny Kane.

16:46- A stop&go penalty for the #2 Audi R10. Overtaking behind the safetycar (before the #2 crossed the line).

16:49- Premat has served the stop&go and rolls down the pit lane towards the pit exit again.

16:51- A near-miss for the #2. As it passes the #5 Oreca Courage the French car turns in and only just misses the side of the Audi. Ayari probably saw Premat at the very last moment.

16:55- 190 out of 195 laps completed. Capello is still leading Mücke and Boullion. Who could have expected this top three ahead of this weekend.

16:56- And another stop&go for the #5 Oreca Courage.

16:59- Premat is flying, doing whatever he can to close the gap to the Pescarolo.

17:00- 5.5 seconds between Premat and Boullion, but only two laps remaining. Premat might just be one lap short of taking back the last podium step.

17:01- Last lap for Capello.

17:02- Capello crosses the line as he takes the first Le Mans Series win of the season for Audi!

UPDATE:
The #45 Embassy Racing WF01 left the pit lane when the light at the pit exit was still red. As a result they have been given a time-penalty and they have dropped down the order. Quifel - ASM Team has gone up into third place.

Unofficial Top Three LMP1/Overall:
1. Audi Sport Team Joest #1 - Capello/McNish - 195 laps
2. Charouz Racing System #10 - Mücke/Charouz - 193 laps
3. Audi Sport Team Joest #2 - Premat/Rockenfeller - 191 laps

LMP2:
1. Van Merksteijn Motorsport #34 - Van Merksteijn/Verstappen - 191 laps
2. Horag Racing #27 - Lammers/Lienhard/Theys - 187 laps
3. Quifel - ASM Team #40 - Amaral/Pla - 185 laps

LMGT1:
1. Team Modena #59 - Garcia/Enge - 178 laps
2. IPB Spartak Racing #55 - Kox/Rusinov - 177 laps
3. Luc Alphand Aventures #72 - Moreau/Goueslard - 174 laps

LMGT2:
1. Virgo Motorsport #96 - Bell/Melo - 172 laps
2. Felbermayr-Proton #77 - Lieb/Davison - 171 laps
3. Farnbacher Racing #90 - Beltoise/Kaffer/Ehret - 169 laps

The Team Championship goes to Audi Sport Team Joest while Mike Rockenfeller and Alexandre Premat clinch the drivers championship.

What an end to the 2008 championship!