Le Mans Series – Silverstone – Hours 4 & 5
Building Up To A Climax

The fourth hour begins with the #72 Alphand Corvette in its garage… Fiona Miller passes on the news that Jerome Policand made contact with a GT2 car under braking, and a steering arms needs replacing.

3 hours 9 minutes and Jan Charouz pits, from just behind Lamy – so really, the best-placed petrol LMP1 car is a whole pit stop behind the slower of the two Peugeots.

Paul Truswell reports that in the GT2 race, the third placed #77 F-P Porsche is losing time at the end of each stint in particular, and is therefore pitting early. It hasn’t got the pace of the #76 IMSA Porsche – and neither can get close to the pace of the Virgo Ferrari. Bruni sat behind the Narac car for ten laps – and then in traffic, took his opportunity and lapped it.. and pulled away very quickly.

We’ve got that good petrol LMP1 race we’ve wanted, with Charouz, Boullion and Barbosa nicely close together, in third, fourth and fifth, then it’s Ortiz 55 seconds back, then Frei in the Courage – then the P2 lead battle.

Vergers is leading again, from Manning, these two well clear of Amaral. The RML car made that stop earlier to repair the box at the back – but it lost another five minutes with a more thorough repair, and has dropped to eighth in class. The remarkable LNT pair in the Zytek have hauled this car all the way up to fourth in class, 21 seconds behind the repaired #10 Zytek, and only another half second behind the ASM Lola.

3 hours 18 minutes and the Lamy Peugeot has a left/rear puncture, on the far side of the circuit. At the same time, Jan Charouz has a quick spin. Boullion goes second, Charouz third.

Felipe Ortiz clouts the carcass of the Peugeot tyre – on the Hangar Straight.

Lamy drops to fifth, but will gain a place as the Barbosa-driven Pescarolo pits – and drops to fifth. Lamy is in the 1:38s, quicker than anybody else.

Minassian now leads Boullion by a clear two laps. Lamy is a lap behind the Pescarolo.

Frei and Ortiz are still sixth and seventh, and then it’s the P2s, Vergers from Manning (these two 78 seconds apart), Amaral and Kimber-Smith, who is now just 13 seconds away from taking a podium spot in P2.

Just after three and a half hours, Garcia leads Ayari for the GT1 lead, but the #73 Alphand C5-R has got ahead of the #50 Larbre Aston Martin, after a run through the gravel for Fabrizio Gollin. Garcia pits, but now stays ahead of any of the challengers: it looks to be between Team Modena and Oreca.

Stuart Hall, in his new role as team leader at Rollcentre, sets the car’s fastest lap of the race, a 1:40.481.

TK-S is about to take third in P2: from 45th (last), all the way up to third in class, and tenth overall.

Jacob Greaves has a spin in the Bruichladdich Radical, and pits immediately afterwards.

At 3 hours 45 mins., Michael Vergers completes his double stint, and Karim Ojjeh gets into the class leader for the first time. Darren Manning leads until his stop, so it will be Warren Hughes in to the end of the race – which could be very exciting.

Frei has spun at the exit of Luffield, and Manning might take his place (seventh). The marshals can’t shift it from the gravel – Safety Car?

3 hours 50 and the SC boards are out.

The SC does pick up the leader – but Minassian pits, and hands over to Gene, so Darren Manning is at the head of the queue.

Next time around, another bunch of cars pits, led by Manning. That means almost everyone must have pitted, which should make things clearer at the end of the race, because the SC seems to be neatly timed to ensure one more stop before the end, doesn’t it? Cochet will take over #12.

The Farnbacher Porsche is removed from Copse, the rear suspension having broken.

A wave by takes place, so that the #7 car is at the head of the queue again.

After 4 Hours
1 7 Team Peugeot Total GENE MarcMINASSIAN Nicolas Peugeot 908 HDi FAP LMP1 ==135== 1:35.563
2 15 Charouz Racing MUCKE StefanCHAROUZ Jan Lola B07/17 Judd LMP1 ==133== 1:38.730
3 16 Pescarolo Sport COLLARD EmmanuelBOULLION Jean-Christophe Pescarolo Judd LMP1 19.470 1:39.377
4 18 Rollcentre Racing BARBOSA JoaoHALL StuartSHORT Martin Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==132== 1:40.481
5 8 Team Peugeot Total LAMY PedroSARRAZIN Stephane Peugeot 908 HDi FAP LMP1 19.442 1:37.931
6 9 Creation Autosportif CAMPBELL WALTER JamieORTIZ FelipeKUROSAWA Haruki Creation CA07 Judd LMP1 ==131== 1:38.338
7 32 Barazi Epsilon BARAZI JuanVERGERS MichaelOJJEH Karim Zytek 07S Zytek LMP2 ==129== 1:40.865
8 45 Embassy Racing HUGHES WarrenMANNING DarrenCUNNINGHAM Neil Radical SR9 Judd LMP2 54.356 1:41.309
9 46 Team LNT KIMBER-SMITH TomWATTS Danny Zytek 07S Zytek LMP2 ==127== 1:38.626
10 10 Arena Motorsport CHILTON TomCHILTON Max Zytek 07S Zytek LMP1 5.576 1:39.983
11 40 Quifel ASM Team AMARAL MiguelDE CASTRO Miguel AngelBURGENO Angel Lola B05/40 AER LMP2 19.186 1:40.614
12 12 Courage Competition FREI AlexanderCOCHET Jonathan Courage LC70 AER LMP1 ==126== 1:40.351
13 31 Binnie Motorsports BINNIE BillTIMPANY AllenBUNCOMBE Chris Lola B05/40 Zytek LMP2 1:43.971 1:40.974
14 25 RML ERDOS ThomasNEWTON Mike MG Lola EX264 AER LMP2 1:46.684 1:40.653
15 27 Horag Racing LIENHARD FredyTHEYS DidierVAN DE POELE Eric Lola B05/40 Judd LMP2 1:47.703 1:42.102
16 19 Chamberlain Synergy EVANS GarethBERRIDGE BobOWEN Peter Lola B06/10 AER LMP1 ==125== 1:41.116
17 59 Team Modena GARCIA AntonioTURNER Darren Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 ==124== 1:46.529
18 55 Team Oreca ORTELLI StephaneAYARI Soheil Saleen S7-R LMGT1 7.049 1:46.387
19 35 Saulnier Racing NICOLET JacquesFILHOL AlainJOUANNY Bruce Courage LC75 AER LMP2 13.553 1:42.069
20 21 Bruichladdich Radical MOSELEY StuartGREAVES TimGREAVES Jacob Radical SR9 AER LMP2 ==123== 1:41.381
21 73 Alphand Aventures BLANCHEMAIN Jean-LucDUMEZ SebastienVOSSE Vincent Corvette C5-R LMGT1 ==122== 1:48.200
22 50 AMR Larbre BOUCHUT ChristopheGARDEL GabrieleGOLLIN Fabrizio Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 11.785 1:46.707
23 96 Virgo Motorsport BELL RobertBRUNI Gianmaria Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==120== 1:51.523
24 51 AMR Larbre FISKEN GregorZACCHIA SteveFRANCHI Gregory Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 10.682 1:49.399
25 76 Imsa Performance NARAC RaymondLIETZ Richard Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==119== 1:51.453
26 77 Felbermayr-Proton LIEB MarcPOMPIDOU Xavier Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 43.084 1:53.024
27 61 Racing Box PERAZZINI Pier GiuseppeCIOCI MarcoTAVANO Salvatore Saleen S7-R LMGT1 ==118== 1:47.500
28 72 Alphand Aventures POLICAND JeromeGOUESLARD PatriceGAVIN Oliver Corvette C6.R LMGT1 3.539 1:45.791
29 85 Spyker Squadron HEZEMANS MikeDUMBRECK Peter Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 ==117== 1:53.314
30 94 Speedy Racing Team BELICCHI AndreaCHIESA AndreaKANE Jonny Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 1.750 1:53.334
31 97 GPC Sport BONETTI AlessandroDE SIMONE FabrizioBOBBI Matteo Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==116== 1:54.730
32 83 GPC Sport DRUDI LucaMOWLEM JohnnyROSA Gabrio Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 2.332 1:54.168
33 78 Scuderia Villorba CAFFI AlexZARDO Denny Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 7.916 1:55.172
34 82 Team LNT TOMLINSON LawrenceDEAN Richard Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==113== 1:55.146
35 99 JMB Racing BASSO MauriceMcCORMICK BoDA CRUZ MARTINS Francisco Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==112== 1:56.517
36 88 Felbermayr-Proton RIED ChristianFELBERMAYR Horst JrSTUCK Johannes Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 2.090 1:54.696
37 92 Thierry Perrier HESNAULT PhilippeBARFF RobNEVOA Pedro Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 8.053 1:55.965
38 98 Ice Pol Racing Team LAMBERT YvesLEFORT ChristianKELDERS Christian Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 20.205 1:56.627
39 89 Markland Racing THIIM KurtSORENSEN Henrik Moller Corvette C6 Z06 LMGT2 ==108== 1:58.826
40 95 JWA DANIELS PaulCOX DaveCAMATHIAS Joel Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==107== 1:55.268
41 84 Chad Peninsula Panoz HARTSHORNE JohnMcINERNEY SeanMcINERNEY Michael Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==106== 1:58.834
42 90 Farnbacher Racing MASARATI PierEHRET PierreNIELSEN Lars Erik Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==72== 1:54.830
43 17 Pescarolo Sport PRIMAT HaroldTINSEAU Christophe Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==67== 1:40.683
44 79 Felbermayr-Proton FELBERMAYR Horst SrRIED GeroldCOLLIN Philip Porsche 996 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==59== 1:59.801
45 20 Pierre Bruneau ROSTAN MarcBRUNEAU PierrePULLAN Simon Pilbeam MP93 Judd LMP2 ==57== 1:44.054

4 hours 5 mins. and we’re racing again – that was a long delay. The Rollcentre car seemed to lose out during that SC period… with the result that Sarrazin looks to be about to take fourth from Stuart Hall. He does so, out of Copse.

Darren Turner is ahead of the Oreca Saleen though – by 11 seconds. Ortelli sets the Saleen’s best lap of the race, a 1:45.9, and is catching

What about the P2 battle… well, nothing has changed much - yet. Ojjeh leads Hughes by almost 70 seconds, and TK-S is a lap down on these two – so the #46 car has gained more time on the class leaders.

Ojjeh is slower than the chasers.. say 45s or 46s (even 47s) for the Zytek, consistent 44s for Hughes, and 41s for TK-S. This is all bunching up nicely.

The second placed IMSA Porsche gets a stop and go penalty – and then Pompidou sets the best lap for the #77 F-P Porsche, which might grab second place back.

Back to P2 again, and Paul Slinger reckons that the LNT Zytek might unlap itself from the Embassy Radical within the next few laps.

Ortelli is still closing in on the #59 DBR9.

4 hours 23 and through the complex, Ortelli passes the British car – with the British driver making it fairly difficult. But the Saleen looks as though it might ease away, little by little. And it does.

In P2, Warren Hughes has a 1:57 lap, and Ojjeh gets the gap out to over a minute. The LNT Zytek is about to unlap itself from the Embassy Radical.

Besides the first three in GT2, nothing much has changed among the next group – comprising the same two Spykers and then the same two GPC Ferraris (97 now ahead of 83).

TK-S and Lawrence Tomlinson in the Panoz have a little ‘kiss’ at Stowe – bet they’ll discuss that later. Perhaps Tom was just checking in with the boss. “You all right, boss?”

Peter Owen has a spin in the #19 Lola, which is running 19th.

The gap from Collard to Mucke for second place is 18 seconds, with 156 laps completed, 40 to go. Sarrazin is 49 seconds behind Mucke.

Rollcentre and Creation are fifth and sixth, then it’s the Ojjeh / Hughes scrap, the gap 44 seconds.

4 hours 45 and the Modena Aston makes its last stop, Garcia getting in. The Saleen has one more stop to make, and should make it and resume in the lead.

Final stops are happening now, Mike Newton pitting from that delayed seventh in class, in the RML MG Lola. With the ASM Lola running 4th, it looks as though they might both be going to Interlagos…

Hughes pits #45, and this could be a very good three car finish in P2. Once Ojjeh has pitted, the gap between the Zytek and the RADICAL IS 36 SECONDS, WITH THE LNT Zytek 32 BEHIND Hughes – but needing A SPLASH.

4 hours 52 and the Oreca Saleen pits, Ortelli staying at the wheel.

Mucke and Collard are right together in their battle for second overall, after their final stops. They were released together….

After 5 Hours
1 7 Team Peugeot Total GENE MarcMINASSIAN Nicolas Peugeot 908 HDi FAP LMP1 ==168== 1:34.935
2 15 Charouz Racing MUCKE StefanCHAROUZ Jan Lola B07/17 Judd LMP1 ==165== 1:38.730
3 16 Pescarolo Sport COLLARD EmmanuelBOULLION Jean-Christophe Pescarolo Judd LMP1 0.115 1:37.912
4 8 Team Peugeot Total LAMY PedroSARRAZIN Stephane Peugeot 908 HDi FAP LMP1 51.084 1:36.455
5 18 Rollcentre Racing BARBOSA JoaoHALL StuartSHORT Martin Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==164== 1:40.481
6 9 Creation Autosportif CAMPBELL WALTER JamieORTIZ FelipeKUROSAWA Haruki Creation CA07 Judd LMP1 ==161== 1:38.338
7 32 Barazi Epsilon BARAZI JuanVERGERS MichaelOJJEH Karim Zytek 07S Zytek LMP2 57.096 1:40.865
8 45 Embassy Racing HUGHES WarrenMANNING DarrenCUNNINGHAM Neil Radical SR9 Judd LMP2 ==160== 1:41.309
9 46 Team LNT KIMBER-SMITH TomWATTS Danny Zytek 07S Zytek LMP2 ==159== 1:38.626
10 10 Arena Motorsport CHILTON TomCHILTON Max Zytek 07S Zytek LMP1 1:03.613 1:39.474
11 40 Quifel ASM Team AMARAL MiguelDE CASTRO Miguel AngelBURGENO Angel Lola B05/40 AER LMP2 1:35.820 1:40.614
12 31 Binnie Motorsports BINNIE BillTIMPANY AllenBUNCOMBE Chris Lola B05/40 Zytek LMP2 ==157== 1:40.974
13 27 Horag Racing LIENHARD FredyTHEYS DidierVAN DE POELE Eric Lola B05/40 Judd LMP2 52.952 1:42.102
14 25 RML ERDOS ThomasNEWTON Mike MG Lola EX264 AER LMP2 56.643 1:40.653
15 35 Saulnier Racing NICOLET JacquesFILHOL AlainJOUANNY Bruce Courage LC75 AER LMP2 ==156== 1:42.069
16 55 Team Oreca ORTELLI StephaneAYARI Soheil Saleen S7-R LMGT1 ==155== 1:45.926
17 59 Team Modena GARCIA AntonioTURNER Darren Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 16.986 1:46.529
18 21 Bruichladdich Radical MOSELEY StuartGREAVES TimGREAVES Jacob Radical SR9 AER LMP2 ==154== 1:41.381
19 19 Chamberlain Synergy EVANS GarethBERRIDGE BobOWEN Peter Lola B06/10 AER LMP1 ==153== 1:41.116
20 73 Alphand Aventures BLANCHEMAIN Jean-LucDUMEZ SebastienVOSSE Vincent Corvette C5-R LMGT1 ==152== 1:48.200
21 50 AMR Larbre BOUCHUT ChristopheGARDEL GabrieleGOLLIN Fabrizio Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 1:08.479 1:46.707
22 51 AMR Larbre FISKEN GregorZACCHIA SteveFRANCHI Gregory Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 ==149== 1:49.399
23 96 Virgo Motorsport BELL RobertBRUNI Gianmaria Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 58.922 1:51.523
24 61 Racing Box PERAZZINI Pier GiuseppeCIOCI MarcoTAVANO Salvatore Saleen S7-R LMGT1 ==148== 1:47.500
25 72 Alphand Aventures POLICAND JeromeGOUESLARD PatriceGAVIN Oliver Corvette C6.R LMGT1 47.028 1:45.791
26 77 Felbermayr-Proton LIEB MarcPOMPIDOU Xavier Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 50.776 1:52.539
27 76 Imsa Performance NARAC RaymondLIETZ Richard Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 1:25.274 1:51.453
28 85 Spyker Squadron HEZEMANS MikeDUMBRECK Peter Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 ==147== 1:53.314
29 94 Speedy Racing Team BELICCHI AndreaCHIESA AndreaKANE Jonny Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 ==146== 1:53.334
30 12 Courage Competition FREI AlexanderCOCHET Jonathan Courage LC70 AER LMP1 1:18.289 1:40.207
31 83 GPC Sport DRUDI LucaMOWLEM JohnnyROSA Gabrio Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==145== 1:54.168
32 97 GPC Sport BONETTI AlessandroDE SIMONE FabrizioBOBBI Matteo Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 42.541 1:54.730
33 78 Scuderia Villorba CAFFI AlexZARDO Denny Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 1:16.243 1:55.172
34 82 Team LNT TOMLINSON LawrenceDEAN Richard Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==140== 1:55.146
35 88 Felbermayr-Proton RIED ChristianFELBERMAYR Horst JrSTUCK Johannes Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 2:48.275 1:54.696
36 92 Thierry Perrier HESNAULT PhilippeBARFF RobNEVOA Pedro Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 3:23.738 1:55.824
37 98 Ice Pol Racing Team LAMBERT YvesLEFORT ChristianKELDERS Christian Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 3:45.640 1:56.627
38 99 JMB Racing BASSO MauriceMcCORMICK BoDA CRUZ MARTINS Francisco Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 4:31.248 1:56.517
39 89 Markland Racing THIIM KurtSORENSEN Henrik Moller Corvette C6 Z06 LMGT2 ==135== 1:58.826
40 95 JWA DANIELS PaulCOX DaveCAMATHIAS Joel Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 1:17.957 1:54.766
41 84 Chad Peninsula Panoz HARTSHORNE JohnMcINERNEY SeanMcINERNEY Michael Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==133== 1:58.465
42 90 Farnbacher Racing MASARATI PierEHRET PierreNIELSEN Lars Erik Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==72== 1:54.830
43 17 Pescarolo Sport PRIMAT HaroldTINSEAU Christophe Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==67== 1:40.683
44 79 Felbermayr-Proton FELBERMAYR Horst SrRIED GeroldCOLLIN Philip Porsche 996 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==59== 1:59.801
45 20 Pierre Bruneau ROSTAN MarcBRUNEAU PierrePULLAN Simon Pilbeam MP93 Judd LMP2 ==57== 1:44.054