Le Mans 24 Hours - Hour 16

There's trouble for the #83 Krohn / Risi Ferrari - Nic Jonsson bringing the car back with smoke pouring from the rear. The bad news seems to be that it doesn't appear to be tyre related.

The #83 car is pushed into the garage just as the #11 Drayson Lola is brought out again after a three hour plus rebuild

Adrian Fernandez pops inthe fastest lap of the race so far for the #007 Aston Martin - 3:25.375 - he follows that up with a 3:24.625.

Olivier Pla goes straight on at Arnage - he's pushed back and rejoins with limited delay.

The #35 Oak Racing Pescarolo is in the garage - Erdos responds immediately and will take third in LMP2 on lap 228. He does it in style with the fastest time of the race thus far for #25 - 3:38.666 - just as Moreau rejoins

Enge sets the fastest lap of the race in GT1 - 3:53.450.

Oliver Jarvis is pressing on in the #15 Audi R10 - 3:29 last time around.

The Drayson Lola rejoins but is straight into the gravel at Indianapolis, the car snapping into a spin under Jonny Cocker - the car is being towed back out and will rejoin. He does, and pits immediately once again. The team check the car carefully and Cocker is back out again.

Fiona Miller confirms that the #83 Krohn Risi 430 is a retirement - engine.

Montagny has been dropping in the 3:21s in the #2 Peugeot - Bernhard's response is a 3:22.461.

Erdos pops in his fastest of the race - a 3:37.9 at 6:38 - to pull away from Moreau, whose pace seems somewhat stunted. It's an HPD powered 1-2-3 again.

David Brabham is charging - 3:35.844 in the #26 Highcroft HPD.

The GT2 leading #64 Vette is having a brake disc, caliper and pad change at 06:48 - the team use an aviation standard dry break, pre-bled system and the change takes no time whatsoever.   

The Lamborghini is back in the garage and this time it looks done for the day.

GG

Hour 16 Recap

Tomas Enge continues to charge, setting the fast lap in GT1 as the sun breaks the horizon. The Krohn Ferrari has come in smoking badly. Out front the No. 2 908 has reeled off a quick one here and there, just to demoralize the Audi pursuers. The Quifel-ASM Ginetta stopped and is the newest candidate for a possible retirement.

After all the work on the fuel cells, Jonathan Cocker spins the No. 11 Lola. There’s something about early mornings at 24 hour races - ah, the smell of hot brake pads and mechanic’s hands singed against them. Yep, it’s time to change the units on several cars.

The sense of things has actually changed back from an element of concern to one of stability. A few hours ago one could sense a possible advance and threat by Audi. That possibility certainly still exists but the No. 2’s fast and proud laps over the last couple of hours has demorali. . …. WHOA, WHOA WAIT—THE LEAD PEUGEOT’S MOTOR HAS JUST POGOED -- - - -WOW, WOW, WOW.

JW