Blancpain Endurance Series, Monza - Hour 3

As we get into the final hour of the race the ProSpeed Competition Porsche #75 of Xavier Maassen comes into the pits. Little slow getting away, but Marc Hennerici returns to the track without any major delay. 

16:12 - The #18 Black Falcon Mercedes-Benz is in the gravel trap at turn 7. WRT pitcrew is preparing a stop.

16:14 - WRT Audi #2 pits - WRT Audi #1 is now in the lead. But still has to pit.

16:15 - Message from race control: "team manager car 18 to race director immediately"

16:16 - Audi #1 pits - but a problem with the left rear wheel! That will cost them!

16:18 - Quickest car in the top 8 is now Anthony Kumpen. Transponders in the #13 KRK Racing Mercedes are wrong as Wendlinger started the race and Kumpen is in now. Transponders showed KUM at start and WEN now.

16:19 - Message from race control: "drive through for car 18 for contact at T1 with car 10" The #57 Vita4One Team Italy Ferrari pits from second in the race.

16:21 - Message from race control: "team managers cars 91 and 73 to race director immediately"

16:22 - Badey now leads - but still has to make a pit stop, Black Bull Swiss Racing in second and Hennerici in the #75 ProSpeed Porsche is in third.
Sainteloc Audi #41 jumped the curbstones in turn 1 trying to get out of the way for cars behind.

16:24 - A 2:04.499 for Martin in the . Hennerici struggling with the ProSpeed Porsche and now unlapped by Mike Hezemans.

16:25 - Message from race control: "drive-through car 73 for starting the engine with external help"
Message from race control: "drive-through car 91 for starting refuelling with the engine running.

16:27 - Badey pits the #20 SOFREV ASP Ferrari - and also in is Maino in the Black Bull Swiss Racing car. ProSpeed Porsche #75 will go back into the lead.

16:28 - Maxime Martin passes Anthony Kumpen and moves up into second place.

16:29 - Message from race control: "car 18 must respect track limits at T1 and T4"

16:30 - Mtech Ferrari of Duncan Cameron off at turn 9 - but has rejoined.

16:32 - Hennerici is struggling and just lost 6 seconds in 2 laps. Gap is down to 6.826 seconds.

16:34 - And another 3 seconds lost by Hennerici - 3.489 seconds with still over half an hour to go in the race.

16:36 - Martin 1.5 seconds quicker in the first 2 sectors...

16:37 -0.273s between the two at the line and as we go into the first corner Martin puts the BMW next to the Porsche and takes the lead. Belgian teams are now first, second, third and fourth.

16:38 - Vanthoor has passed Kumpen as well - WRT now third again. Zampieri is on a flyer though and closing in on Kumpen.

16:40 - 30 minutes left and its Maxime Martin leading at Monza. Hennerici is still second (+2.766s) and Vanthoor is third (+10.432). Kumpen is fourth at 11.241 seconds from the race leader.

16:41 - Preci-Spark Mercedes briefly stopped - but has rejoined.

16:43 - Message from race control: "car 60 must respect track limits"

16:44 - Gap between Vanthoor and Hennerici is down to 2 seconds, with Vanthoor's last lap almost three seconds quicker. Kumpen right behind - so ProSpeed about to drop out of the top 3.

16:45 - Vanthoor passes Hennerici into the first chicane and takes second place. Kumpen now all over the back of Hennerici. Jack Gerber spins the #50 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia.

16:46 - Kumpen passes Hennerici and moves up into third. Within 10 minutes ProSpeed has gone from first to fourth - ouch!

16:48 - 21 minutes left - and Zampieri is lapping 2.5 seconds quicker than Hennerici. The gap between fourth and fifth just 10 seconds now.

16:49 - Another fast lap for the Italian and the gap is down to just over 5 seconds. Rudi Penders must not be too happy with Hennerici at the moment.

16:51 - Message from race control: "black and white flag to car 51 for contact with car 50"
Message from race control: "black and white flag to car 60 for not respecting track limits"

16:52 - 2.5 seconds between Zampieri and Hennerici - 2.5 seconds won in the last lap. Wendlinger laps the GT Academy Team RJN Nissan. The Nissan started 38th and is currently 14th.

16:54 - Down the field Westbrook is catching Van Splunteren for position. Gap eight tenths of a second.

16:56 - Hennerici and Zampieri fighting for P4. Down the field the #51 AF Corse Ferrari moves to 12th overall - taking the position from Mike Hezemans. Both are a lap down.

16:57 - And Zampieri passes Hennerici. In 20 minutes ProSpeed has gone from the lead to fifth. ASM Team McLaren off and rejoined at T11.

16:59 - With just over 10 minutes left in the race Martin can almost cruise to victory. The gap to Vanthoor in the Audi is over 15 seconds. Kumpen another 2.5 seconds further behind in third.

17:01 - Rossi (nearly) lost the back-end of his Ferrari whilst passing the Race Art BMW. Chris Ward in the Nissan lost a position to highly experienced Anthony Beltoise in the Pro GT by Almeras Porsche.

17:02 - Westbrook has passed the #74 ProSpeed Competition Porsche - another podium position lost for ProSpeed

17:03 - More position changes down the field. Van Hooydonk has taken 19th from Demoustier and Amos has taken 6th from Ortelli.

17:05 - Mike Wainwright has gone off at turn 9 - the McLaren is pushed behind the barrier.

17:06 - Richard Westbrook is enjoying his stint in the Porsche. He has just passed the Vita4One BMW. Ciro passes Van Splunteren and Franchi.

17:08 - But now Ciro is reported slow coming out of the second chicane. LAST LAP!

17:09 - Nissan reported slow after turn 6...Chris Ward trying to get the GT-R across the finish line. He does...but it's classified in 34th place, a shame for what was a strong run.

17:10 - Maxime Martin crosses the line to take the flag - third win in as many Blancpain Endurance Series races for Marc VDS Racing Team! Great result for Martin, Leinders and Palttala!

17:11 - Vanthoor finishes second at 17.574 seconds from Martin, Kumpen comes home in third place at 20.923 seconds to complete the overall and Pro Cup podium.

17:12 - Message from race control: "car 40 in the gravel at T11"
Message from race control: "car 36 lost a wheel at the exit of T10"

Pro-Am Cup Result: 1. #57 Vita4One Team Italy Ferrari 458 Italia - 2. #20 SOFREV ASP Ferrari 458 Italia - 3. #8 Haribo Racing Team Porsche 997 GT3 R.

Gentlemen Trophy: 1. #73 Kessel Racing Ferrari 430 Scuderia - 2. #82 Guy Clairay Racing Dodge Viper - 3. #41 Sainteloc Racing Audi R8 LMS

That concludes the LIVE coverage from Monza - Silverstone is the next stop for the Blancpain Endurance Series. Race weekend on the first weekend of June.