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Estre Drops Out After Dominant Start in GTE-Pro

Engine failure forces No. 92 Porsche out of race in third hour…

The No. 92 Porsche 911 RSR has retired from the Six Hours of Shanghai following a dominant early run from Kevin Estre.

The GTE-Pro contender, which led the majority of the opening two hours in the hands of the Frenchman, was forced out with engine failure.

Estre slowed on the front/straight and came to a halt in the gravel bed in Turn 1, to bring out the race’s first Full Course Yellow at the two-hour and 40-minute mark.

The issue apparently came with no warning to the driver or team.

Porsche’s sister No. 91 entry of Fred Makowiecki now leads, courtesy of pit stops, ahead of the pair of Ford GTs, led by the No. 66 entry of Olivier Pla in second.

Up front, it’s still a Toyota 1-2 as the race nears the halfway mark.

Anthony Davidson holds a 13-second lead over the No. 7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid of Mike Conway, with the No. 2 Porsche 919 Hybrid running third, but more than 1 minute behind.

The No. 31 Vaillante Rebellion Oreca 07 Gibson continues to lead LMP2, with the No. 98 Aston Martin Vantage GTE out front in GTE-Am.

A three-car accident, involving the No. 37 Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca of Tristan Gommendy and two GTE-Am cars, ultimately resulted in retirement for the No. 54 Spirit of Race Ferrari 488 GTE.

It, along with the No. 92 Porsche, are the race’s only two retirements thus far.

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John

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