Le Mans 24 Hours, Hour 8

22:00 #83 JMB Racing Ferrari is in the gravel trap.

Lotterer and Rockenfeller over 6 seconds a lap quicker than the #7 Peugeot which is having problems.

22:05 Priaulx pits and the #56 BMW M3 GT2 is pushed into the box.

And back out after a nine minute pit stop.

Gene losing a lot of time now, half a minute behind Lotterer now and only half a minute ahead of Rockenfeller.

Jetalliance Lotus #64 slow on track.

22:13 Peugeot is having issues with its tyres at the moment; they just can't keep the heat in it. Davidson and Gene both unhappy with the performance. Is the 908 not working well in these conditions?

Audi #1 pits, although it enters the pit lane through the gravel. Still one second quicker on the in-lap than the Peugeots were. Fourth stint on the same tyres.

Jonny Kane has just passed Luis Perez-Companc for third in LMP2.

GTE drama. JMW Motorsport pushed into its box, Lotus #64 spun and returned to the pit with quite some smoke from the back. Left rear puncture on the Lotus.

22:20 Gene pits, fuel and a new catch on the door. Lost some 10-15 seconds there.  Our man on the Mulsanne though reports that thew door is still opening - Trouble brewing?

Rockenfeller is now just 10 seconds back from the #7 Peugeot - An Audi 1,2 looks likely in the near future.

Just to turn the screw the latest Audi pit stop is the fastest diesel fuel stop yet - just 50 seconds.

The #35 LMP2 car - Patrice Lafargue at the wheel, spins to a halt at the exit of the Ford Chicane - he rejoins in a rather dangerous fashion and remains 8th in class.

22:35 - Rockenfeller is through and into second place - its and Audi 1,2 - We believe that Gene has been off the track on lap 116.

22:40 - Safety Car - Big accident with a car having apparently impacted the barrier on the left and now sitting smoking on the right with a large amount of debris - From what little we can see it looks like a coiupe prototype - Rockenfeller has lost position to Gene - we believe it to be the #1 Audi.

Now confirmed - It's the #1 Audi, Rockenfeller was at the wheel and we have rescue and extraction teams are on the scene - it was after contact with a GTE Ferrari, (we believe the #71 AF Corse car) the Audi turned sharp right into the barrier at huge speed, the Ferrari seeming to move across into its path.

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich confirms to Radio Le Mans that Mike Rockenfeller climbed from the utterly wrecked car himself - He's being taken to a waiting ambulance on a stretcher - an audible gasp of relief is heard in the press room  - The official ACO twitter feed confirms that Rockenfeller is OK.

We are set for a long Safety Car period as the impact has destroyed a substantial length of armco.