LMS Barcelona - Race Start And Hour One

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The race organisers have taken the very sensible step of allowing free entry for this race meeting so there is a reasonable (if not epic) crowd as the start time approaches.

Aston Martin Racing are sitting proud at the front of the grid with both of their cars (albeit with some doubts still around about the intermittent fault on the #007 car’s gearshift – an issue which also showed itself at the Ricard test)

Sitting more proudly still is the #23 Strakka Racing Ginetta Zytek, Peter Hardman  will take the start.

As we sit here ready for the start it’s an unusual experience to look outside and see an Audi on the grid – normally they are way further up towards the front and surrounded by a crowd!  The #14 car instead is lined up alongside the LMP2 polesitter. 

The Kolles team though made a big step forward this morning, a major change made to set-up in qualifying was something of a disaster and the two cars were changed back to earlier settings – All of the drivers pronouncing themselves much happier.

Peter Kox meanwhile was none too happy about the IPB Spartak Lamborghini's demotion to the back of the grid after initially setting pole. "The engine did stop with the stall test - just not quickly enough for the race officials."  Kox will start the race from the back of the grid and looks set to make rapid adrenilin-fuelled progress.

As the grid is cleared the Drayson Racing #87 Aston Martin growls down the pitlane.  It will start from the pitlane, no real penalty there and a laps worth of fuel saved. 

Latest rumour of a potential Le Mans pull-out meanwhile surrounds a team new to LMP1 this season - Watch this space. 

Keeping up a proud tradition established on Thursday the IRS Courage spins out on the warm-up lap - a spin or a breakdown withing a lap or two of taking to the track in every session! It rejoins -for how long who can tell?

The cars come to the line incredibly tightly bunched and as the lights go green Mucke, from third place goes up the inside of Hardman to grab the lead, Belicchi follows through too and its a Lola Aston 1,2,3 - 007, 13, 009.

That tight start gave Bouillon a probem too - Jouanny leapfrogs his team-mate and comes through in 5th in the #17 Pesca

Pla has grabbed the lead in LMP2 from Giacamo Piccini - Gimnetta Zytek at least lead LMP2.

Antonio Garcia has had a great start in the #84 Team Modena ferrari, he leds the class after Lap 1

Mucke is 3 seconds up on Belicchi as they start lap 3 with Turner a further 2 seconds adrift, and Hardman a further 2 secs down in 4th.

Kox meanwhile has passed the entire GT2 field in 3 laps and is now closing in on Sean Edwards, 6 seconds off the GT1 leading #72 Corvette

The early GT2 order is #84, #76, #92,  1.5 seconds between the leading trio

The Pescarolos have reversed positions and Jouanny is now fending off Bruno Senna for 6th overall.  Bouillon meanwhile has now passed Hardman and is beginning to close in on the Lola Aston trio.

First to pit, Tom Coronel, a problem at the left rear, oil on the tyre it seems. The car is rolled back into the box. Coronel apparently spun and clipped a Porsche.

Senna seems to have a problem, he's passed by both Audis and by the Signature Plus Courage - Oreca.  the Audis meanwhile are having their own private battle - Albers passes Krumm as they make their way through traffic - The Signature car loses out in traffic at the same ttime, is re-passed by Senna and Panis follows through too.

The #88 Felbermayr Proton gets a Stop/Go penalty, the car not observting the track limits - There's a joke in there somewhere about the IRS Courage but there's no time right now!!

A message flashes up that the start is being investigated by the stewards as Bouillon gets on Turner's tail.  Mucke meanwhile is now almost 9 seconds clear of Belicchi, Pla 3 seconds up on Piccini (G) in LMP2 with Kane right on the Racing Box car's tail, and Kox is just 4 seconds behind Dumez the Murcielago second now in GT1.

Senna has passed Krumm for 8th overall and we are 20 minutes in.

2nd to 4th is covered by a second but these three have a 23 second advantage over Hardman, the Ginetta Zytek is a further ten seconds ahead of a group led by Jouanny, now fending off Albers for sixth.

Peter Kox is now right on the tail of the Corvette.

The #88 Porsche takes its Stop/Go but pits next time around again, there is some damage at the right rear, presumably then this is the Porsche that Coronel clipped? Race Tape is duly applied and the car continues as the Pegasus Racing Courage pits briefly.

Albers gets by Jouanny as we end the first half hour, Krumm passes Senna soon afterwards and the young Brazilian also loses out to Panis.

Then the same group gets really busy, Panis passing Krumm, who seems to have had a bit of a fumbled move somewhere, the #11 Courage Oreca is up to 7th and harassing Albers as Krumm drops to 10th.

Krumm's day just went from bad to worse, the #14 R10 is in the gravel, with some rear end damage, The #12 Sgnature Plus Courage seemed to be involved too, it pits immediately as the Safety Car is scrambled and Hardman leads the charge to the pits! 

The #009 Lola Aston misses its pit box - that should allow the #16 pescarolo to get ahead - It does, and a #13 Speedy Sebah Lola Aston that has proved tricky to get started all weekend loses out big time, it's held at pit exit as the field comes by.  Mucke meanwhile pits from the lead and Senna pits to be replaced by Ortelli.

Michael vergers has been called to the Stop/Go naughty step for failing to observe the track limits - this penalty to be taken when the race goes green once again.

Krumm is cruising back pitwards, a deflated left rear and some deranged bodywork the net result of the incident.

Whatever happened down in pitlane, the net result is that Bouillon now leads by six seconds from Turner, Belicchi and Charouz, the #007 car effecting a driver change that looks to have cost it the lead.

The #33 Speedy Sebah Lola Judd is in trouble meanwhile, Kane brings the car straight into the pit box. Pla in the #40 Ginetta Zytek now leads Biagi in the #30 Racing Box Lola by 5 seconds.

Behind the lead group Peter Hardman is passed by Bruce Jouanny for 5th place Albers and Lapierre are closing in now on the Strakka Racing man.

The Spyker is confirmed as a retirement - The trouble for the #33 Lola meanwhile is a loss of power, the team are investigating.

Garcia is pulling away in GT2, the Team Modena man now five seconds clear of a great battle for second with Pilet fending off Bruni, Team Modena are now speaking to the ARC crew to ask whether they will cede track position to the GT2 leader.

The #43 Q8 Lucchini is in trouble, smoke from the right rear corner the car runs wide, through the gravel at Turn 5 and is now cruising back to the pits.

Albers goes to make a move on Jouanny and gets it very wrong, he falters, loses grip and then loses the position to Lapierre who also leapfrogs rthe #17 Pescarolo.

The #16 car meanwhile is now romping away in the lead, 14 seconds ahead at the 1 hour mark

Positions after one hour:

1 16 "LM"P1 Pescarolo Sport Pescarolo - Judd BOULLION Jean-Christophe 35 laps
2 009 "LM"P1 Aston Martin Racing Lola Aston Martin TURNER Darren 34 laps
3 13 "LM"P1 Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola B08/60 Coupé - Aston Martin BELICCHI Andrea 34 laps
4 007 "LM"P1 Aston Martin Racing Lola Aston Martin CHAROUZ Jan 34 laps
5 17 "LM"P1 Pescarolo Sport Pescarolo - Judd JOUANNY Bruce 34 laps
6 15 "LM"P1 Kolles Audi R10 TDI ALBERS Christian 34 laps
7 23 "LM"P1 Strakka Racing Ginetta - Zytek HARDMAN Peter 34 laps
8 11 "LM"P1 Team Oreca Matmut - AIM Courage-Oreca LC70 - AIM LAPIERRE Nicolas 34 laps
9 40 "LM"P2 Quifel - ASM Team Ginetta-Zytek 09S - Zytek PLA Olivier 34 laps
10 30 "LM"P2 Racing Box Lola B08/80 Coupé - Judd BIAGI Thomas 33 laps
11 10 "LM"P1 Team Oreca Matmut - AIM Courage-Oreca LC70 - AIM ORTELLI Stephane 33 laps
12 35 "LM"P2 Oak Racing Pescarolo - Mazda LAHAYE Matthieu 33 laps
13 41 "LM"P2 G.A.C. Racing Team Zytek 07S - Zytek PETER Philipp 33 laps
14 12 "LM"P1 Signature Plus Courage-Oreca LC70 - Judd RAGUES Pierre 33 laps
15 29 "LM"P2 Racing Box Lola B08/80 Coupé - Judd FRANCIONI Filippo 33 laps
16 25 "LM"P2 RML Lola B08/80 Coupé - Mazda ERDOS Tommy 33 laps
17 26 "LM"P2 Bruichladdich Bruneau Radical SR9 - AER GREENSALL Nigel 32 laps
18 37 "LM"P2 WR / Salini WR - Zytek GOMMENDY Tristan 32 laps
19 39 "LM"P2 KSM Lola B09/86 - Mazda MARSH Matthew 32 laps
20 24 "LM"P2 Oak Racing Pescarolo - Mazda HEIN Richard 32 laps
21 72 "LM"GT1 Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette C6.R CLAIRAY Yann 31 laps
22 84 "LM"GT2 Team Modena Ferrari F430 GT GARCIA Antonio 31 laps
23 76 "LM"GT2 IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche 997 GT3 RSR PILET Patrick 31 laps
24 92 "LM"GT2 JMW Motorsport Ferrari F430 GT BRUNI Gianmaria 31 laps
25 99 "LM"GT2 JMB RACING Ferrari F430 GT SCHEIER Johan Boris 31 laps
26 91 "LM"GT2 FBR Ferrari F430 GT MONTERMINI Andrea 31 laps
27 77 "LM"GT2 Team Felbermayr - Proton Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LIETZ Richard 31 laps
28 90 "LM"GT2 FBR Ferrari F430 GT BELTOISE Anthony 31 laps
29 89 "LM"GT2 Hankook - Team Farnbacher Ferrari F430 GT SIMONSEN Allan 31 laps
30 38 "LM"P2 Pegasus Racing Courage-Oreca LC75 - AER SCHELL Julien 31 laps
31 96 "LM"GT2 Virgo Motorsport Ferrari F430 GT VERGERS Michael 31 laps
32 55 "LM"GT1 IPB Spartak Racing Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT KOX Peter 30 laps
33 50 "LM"GT1 Larbre Competition Saleen S7R - Ford BERVILLE Roland 30 laps
34 28 "LM"P2 Ibanez Racing Service Courage LC 75 IBANEZ Jose 30 laps
35 87 "LM"GT2 Drayson Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT2 COCKER Jonny 30 laps
36 81 "LM"GT2 Easyrace Ferrari F430 GT TENCHINI GianPaolo 30 laps
37 88 "LM"GT2 Team Felbermayr - Proton Porsche 997 GT3 RSR FELBERMAYR Horst Jr 29 laps
38 43 "LM"P2 Q8 Oils Hache Team Lucchini - Judd CORTES Maximo 28 laps
39 51 "LM"GT1 Arc Bratislava - Kaneko Racing Saleen S7-R DANIELS Paul 27 laps
40 33 "LM"P2 Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola B08/80 Coupé - Judd KANE Jonny 23 laps
41 14 "LM"P1 Kolles Audi R10 TDI KRUMM Michael 20 laps
42 42 "LM"P2 Ranieri Randaccio Lucchini - Nicholson McLaren RANDACCIO Ranieri 16 laps
43 85 "LM"GT2 Snoras Spyker Squadron Spyker C8 Laviolette GT2 - R CORONEL Tom 6 laps