American Le Mans Series

Petit Le Mans LIVE- Chapter 3

© American Le Mans Series

The battle continues as we push towards mid-race point. We have had some important retirements but the main duels are still very much active: Audi vs Peugeot, Porsche vs Acura, Ferrari vs Porsche. There’s still much more to experience in a Petit Le Mans plagued by yellow flags but with plenty of emotions still unfolding….

15:15- Tough moment for the Farnbacher Loles Porsche which was going very well

15:16- Stop and go for Olivier Pla for that move, logical…

15:17- The Audi #2 is just 5 secs ahead of the Peugeot, it’s very close after 4 hours of racing.

15:19- The Ginetta-Zytek serves the penalty and is out on the track again

15:20- And now a drive-through for speeding on the pit lane! Well, that’s really demotivating fo the Ginetta-Zytek team…

15:22- Klien has eatne up those 5 decs and is now right behind Luhr’s Audi battling for the lead!!!

15:23- After the touch with the Zytek Farnbacher Loles has dropped to 3rd in GT2, Lizard 45 leads from the 71 Tafel

15:24- The Peugeot going for it now and Luhr closing the door… barely

15:25- The Audi escapes through traffic now and opens a small gap. Behind these 2 it’s 7 Penske, 1 Audi, 6 Penske, 26 AGR

15:26- After those two penalties the Ginetta-Zytek is 12th, 4 laps behind the leaders

15:27- Traffic favors Klien now as he takes the lead is a masterful move, pure momentum up the hill after turn 1, champion stuff!

15:28- Big spin by the 73 Tafel Ferrari which ends up against the wall almost collecting Luhr’s Audi…

15:29- Amazingly there’s no yellow flag as the Ferrari is able to continue and makes it to the pits

15:30-(FCY) There was a call for full course caution but it will be a very short one

15:33-(FCY) Pits open and Peugeot, Audi and Penske all in. Michel Jourdain gets on the Fernández Acura. Peugeot lost the lead again to Audi #2 during the stop…

15:36-(FCY)The 73 Tafel Ferrari is having full service to get it back to the track

15:39-(FCY)A swarm of GTs into the pits now…

15:41-(FCY) The lead will be with Andretti green at the restart. A great pit top has put the 26 Acura in the overall lead ahead of Audi #2, penskes #7 and #6 and the #07 Peugeot, not a good one for Peugeot losing 4 places on that stop

15:43-(FCY) and to make matters worse Audi #1 is behind the Peugeot and on the same lap now…

15:43- GREEN FLAG! Andretti leadsas Klien and Pirro overtake Penske #6

15:46- Luhr takes the lead and Klien goes 2nd, Andretti 3rd overall and LMP2 leader

15:47- Another great pass by Klien and Peugeot leads Petit Le Mans again! Audi #2 is 2nd, Audi #1 is 3rd now, penske #7 leads LMP2 after having overtaken the AGR Acura

15:49- And the 71 Tafel has dropped after the pit stops…to 4th! The 45 Lizard leads GT2, Farnbacher Loles is 2nd and 62 Risi is now 3rd and trying to get back in contention

15:51- Collard on Penske #6 pressuring Andretti now for 5th position (2nd in LMP2)

15:52- Lots of GT2 traffic ahead of Collard and Andretti, risky business going through that field

15:54- Soctt Dixon on the de Ferran Acura is now behind thse two trying to unlap himslef, another ingredient to that duel…

15:55-Melo on the 62 Risi car is now only 6 seconds behind the Farnbacher Loles Porsche and pushing hard… both are over 1 minute behind the leader in class, the 45 Lizard

15:57- With lmost 5 hours gone 9 cars are on the leaders lap: 07 Peugeot, 2 Audi, 1 Audi, 7 Penske, 26 AGR, 6 Penske, 15 Fernandez, 5 Penske, 20 Dyson

15:58- Melo now 3 seconds behind Hardt n the Farnbacher Loles Porsche while the Ginetta-Zytek is serving yet another penalty…

16:00- Melo now right behind Hardt… and he overtakes, Risi is in 2nd! Behind the Farnbacher Loles car it’s 71 Tafel, and 46 and 44 Lizards

16:02-Peugeot leads the Audis by 4 seconds

16:04-Left front puncture for the Farnbacher Loles Porsche, slowly coming into the pits

16:07-The 87 Porsche is back into racing, let’s see where he is now at the classification

16:09- Klien now leads the Audis by 7.5 seconds, in LMP2 it’s still 7 Penske Porsche , 26 AGR Acura, 6 Penske Porsche, 15 Fernandez Acura

16:10- The #6 penske is still close to the AGR Acura but not able to put a challenge, in the meantime Jourdain has brought the Fernandez car just 4 seconds behind the #6 Penske

16:12- The Farnbacher Loles Porsche has joined in 6th in class behind the 46 and 44 Lizards and ahead of the 61 Rsi-Krohn, 007 Drayson-Barwell Aston and 99 JMB Ferrari

16:14- The top 3 in that class are still 45 Lizard, 62 Risi, 71 Tafel

16:15- 5 hours gone and Peugeot leads LMP1, Porsche LMP2 and Porsche as well in GT2. Clearly Corvette is the only competitor in GT1

16:17- Collard in the sights of Jourdain, the Mexican doing a good job on the Acura chasing the Porsche

16:19- A bit of stability now in the race, could it be possible?

16:20- CastroNeves pushing hard on the 5 Penske Porsche, 1 second behind the Fernandez car now

16:22- Castro Neves gos through now and is 7th overall and 4th in class

16:24- Luhr only 2 seconds behind Klien’s Peugeot now, Pirro 3rd 20 seconds behind the other Audi

16:26- Lots of traffic now all over the circuit making overtaking very complex

16:28- Scott Dixon on the de Ferran Acura quickest man on the track now, trying to catch up with the Dyson Porsches. Audi #1 in the pits

16:30- Audi out and the Peugeot is now in. Audi 1 goes out while #2 overtakes the Peugeot again on pitlane!!!

16:31- Penske Porsche #5 also in the pits, Briscoe takes over from Castro Neves

16:33- Audi #1 had a bit of a long stop and Capello has rejoined in 7th. The Peugeot with Minassian is now in 5th behind Audi #2. Leaders are 7 Penske, 26 AGR and 6 Penske

16:35-The top 8 is within about a minute now

16:38-Pit stop for Andretti Green, Tony Kanaan is now on the black Acura

16:40- Melo consistently quicker than Bergmeister , the Risi car now 45 seconds behind the leader 45 Lizard Porsche

16:41- And talking about leaders, the 7 Penske car has just made a pit stop

16:42- And it’s the turn of number 6 now, Pat Long takes over from Manu Collard. Also Risi 62 in the pits now

16:43- And the 45 Lizard comes in as well.

16:45- Marco Werner still keeps Audi #2 in the lead, 11 seconds now ahead of Minassian on the Peugeot

16:47- Tony Kanaan furiously attacking Pat Long for 6th overall

16:49- FANTASTIC move by Kanaan in traffic! he overtook the Porsche and also the Peugeot on the outside!!

16:50- And now Audi #1 is on the tail of the Peugeot!

16:51- problems for the 16 Dyson porsche, the crew has removed the rear cover and is working on the car

16:53- henzler and Salo are now battling the Lizard vs Risi battle, Salo seems to be quicker but he’s still way behind

16:55- the top 5 in GT2 is still completed by the 71 Tafel Ferrari, 87 Farnbacher Loles Porsche and 46 Lizard Porsche

16:56- The top runners overall are : 2 Audi, 07 Peugeot, 1 Audi, 7 Penske, 5 Penske, 26 AGR, 6 Penske, 15 Fernandez, 20 Dyson, 66 de Ferran, 16 Dyson

16:58- One more stop for the 16 Dyson, the car had been damaged by the 3 Corvette. And actually the 16 Dyson porsche is serving a penalty…

16:59- The peugeot has dropped 26 seconds behind the #2 Audi in the meantime, is there a problem? Dindo on the #1 is close behind but not in a position to overtake

17:00- Corvette 4 with Oliver Gavin very slow now on the bck of the circuit

17:01- It was a bit risky but Gavin is now safely driving into the pits…

17:02- 29 seconds the difference Audi #2- Peugeot #07… seems Audi is effectively pulling away consistently

17:04- Salo now only 21 seconds behind Henzler, the 62 Risi Ferrari pushing really hard!

17:07- The gap at the top 27 seconds, seems to be stable now

17:09- Only 15 seconds behind the 45 Lizard and the 62 Risi, Salo continues to gain ground

17:11- Top 5 in LMP2: 7 Penske, 5 Penske, 26 AGR, 6 Penske, 15 Fernandez

17:12- In GT2 the top 5 is 45 Lizard, 62 Risi, 71 Tafel, 46 Lizard, 87 Farnbacher Loles

17:13- the Risi Ferrari just 12 seconds behind the 45 Lizard

17:14- 32 seconds now between Audi #2 and Peugeot #07

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