Le Mans 24 Hours - Hour 22

Oliver Jarvis has ground to a halt in the #15 Kolles Audi R10 from 7th in the run down to Indianapolis after a fine run.  The car is pulled back behind the barriers.  The second sector time was normal, so it clearly went downhill quickly.

Left rear puncture for Machiels in the sixth (yes sixth) placed GT2 car.

Wurz is taking two to five seconds a lap from Lotterer, 36.7 seconds is the gap.  Kristensen is behind Wurz, then Lapierre just 50 seconds further back in the Oreca Peugeot. 

Canal takes over the GT1 leading Saleen.

Lotterer pits so Wurz takes second.  We think that Wurz owes us one more stop for parity and he and Lotterer will then need another two stops plus a splash, especially if they are going to keep hammering out this pace.  Assuming similar consumption, Wurz will need around 10 minutes less fuel and he is quicker than Lotterer. 

Rocky makes a routine stop too from the lead and Lapierre unlaps himself from the leader.

Wurz is only 19.5 seconds from Lotterer after the Peugeot's outlap. 

Another rear left puncture, this time for Westbrook in the third-placed BMS Porsche.  No change in positions as he regains the track.

Lotterer is being careful through the traffic, not taking any risks to lap the Young Driver Aston Martin; he loses a couple of seconds as a result. 15.6 seconds next time round.  Wurz and Peugeot seems to be an irresistible force.

Kolles are clearing out the garages, #15 is shortly to be an official retirement.

15.129 next time round. 

8 leads 4 on track, 9 leads 1.  Anxious times as these aren't for position, but the passes could be significant.  Lapierre unlaps himself from Wurz but is fortunately chasing Kristensen, so he can't afford to back Wurz into the 8 car.  Wurz unlaps himself from Rockenfeller to rejoin the lead lap.  He is now only 10 seconds behind Wurz.  The next 2:16 will be intense.  This is a genuine three car fight.

The #6 Oreca is in, suspected starting problems which have plagued them recently.

Rockenfeller leads by just under a lap from Lotterer.  Wurz is only seven seconds further back.

Hancock takes over 009 from Turner.

Peugeot #1 slows just as second (at least) was guaranteed on the run to Indianapolis.  Wurz jinks the car around but then it slows and white smoke emanates.  Wurz gets it back to the pits and it is pulled back into the garage, losing oil.  Now it looks like being an Audi 1-2-3 - who would have predicted that before bedtime on Saturday?!

Peugeot's last hope for a podium is now the Oreca car, 44 seconds behind Kristensen and a little quicker.  Quesnel is seen on the TV screens in tears.  Hugues de Chaunac offers him a shoulder and a hug, but must be satisfied to see his boys carrying on where Peugeot left off.

Two hours to go and Kristensen and Lapierre move past the stricken works 908, Kristensen on track, Lapierre in the pits. Duval climbs aboard the #4 908 to take up the chase.

BMS are apparently only running on five cylinders, costing them around 15 seconds a lap.

PS/GG

Hour 22 Review

Normal abnormal may be a theme now - or in other words, we’re coming up to an interesting finish. All the key runners are now in position to make (likely) two last stops. The basic situation still applied during much of the hour. That is, Audi remained 1, 2, 4, with the works Peugeot third and the Oreca entry fifth.

The key factory was that Wurz ran some three to four seconds per lap faster than the second place No. 8 Audi of Lotterer and thus steadily closed the less than a lap gap. Rockenfeller was “only” a full lap clear in first place. Certainly catching and passing are two different things but the rate of closure gave hope to Peugeot fans.

The Peugeot was greatly aided when Lotterer went off at Arnage. There was a bit of consternation on the French side when the Oreca-AIM went into the garage after having recovered nicely. Hours earlier it had led the petrol group but then fell behind the Lola-Aston, which now leads the sub-category.

The chase was on with the Oreca Peugeot providing some interference and backup. Wurz got within seven seconds officially and perhaps another one or two seconds closer out of Tertre Rouge. Then - you guessed - Pogo pop-pop. It was not as spectacularly as before, simply a quiet slow down, but the game was over. The Audi tortoises were now rid of the Peugeot hares.

Further back the Highcroft HPD’s woes ended and continued. A long stop and a few exploratory laps was all they had. The Strakka HPD was firmly in control of LM P2. The two GT leaders were equally in control, making planned stops and driver changes.

JW