Lead Change, LMP2s Hit Problems in Hour 17

Photo: Vision Sport Agency

An eventful 17th hour to the 24 Hours of Le Mans saw several cars in the gravel trap before a three-way battle broke out for the overall lead.

After Toyota Gazoo Racing pitted both cars during a safety car intervention, the two Toyota TS050 Hybrids competed for the lead of the race, with Sebastien Buemi passing Mike Conway into the second Mulsanne Straight chicane.

Soon after, Neel Jani closed up in his No. 2 Porsche 919 Hybrid. The fourth-placed No. 8 Audi R18 is two laps down.

Signatech Alpine continues to lead the way in LMP2 with the No. 36 Alpine A460 Nissan, although that car did have a brief excursion into the garage from first place.

However, the real troubles were for three other LMP2 cars.

The hour started with Nelson Panciatici planting his No. 35 Alpine into the wall, with a suspected brake failure.

Pierre Thiriet then clipped the barrier on the entry to Mulsanne Corner, sending his No. 46 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca 05 Nissan into the gravel trap.

Ed Brown went off at Tertre Rouge in the No. 30 Ligier JS P2 Nissan of Tequila Patron ESM. The safety car came out as a result of these last two incidents.

The ByKolles CLM P1/01 AER suffered from more issues, and caught fire at Porsche Curves. It is possible that Simon Trummer’s car had spilt oil on the track, explaining the odd incidents for Thiriet and Brown.

Risi Competizione heads the GTE-Pro field, with Matteo Mallucelli at the wheel of the No. 82 Ferrari 488 GTE. Dirk Mueller is second in the No. 68 Ford GT.

An American Ferrari leads in GTE-Am as well, with the Scuderia Corsa F458 Italia out front in the hands of Bill Sweedler. David Heinemeier Hansson’s Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR is second.

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.