ILMC/ALMS, Petit Le Mans - Hours 8 and 9

Bruni meanwhile is back ahead in GTE Pro - battles galore on track just now - AF Corse ahead of the #56 BMW of Joey Hand.

In the topsy turvy world of the LMPC championship, the 05 Core entry is falling down the order, but that has now become an advantage to the team, as it has vaulted the 06 past, putting them 2 positions ahead of the championship challenging Genoa team.  It will be interesting to see at what point in the race the 05 returns.  At 7:08 into the race, the 05 has a 10 lap lead over the Genoa rival.

Dumas is gradually bring the gap down for the lead, down to less than a second at convenience store time, 7:11 in.

The lead battle came to a head into Turn 10, Dumas getting alongside but pulling out of a move when Montagny moved over on him.  He tracks the Peugeot ever more closely - a move for the lead looks imminent.

Dumas is out!!!  He went for a gap in traffic which Montagny closed - Dumas was forced into the front of the TRG Porsche when Franck took his line.  Full course yellow again.

Dr. Ullrich - "When I see Montagny make moves like this, I know why he doesn't drive for me and why he will never drive for me."

Pit stops - Montagny out and Sarrazin in for the now commanding leaders.

Racing Incident is the call from race control - no penalties.

Green - the leading Peugeot has a 3 lap lead on the Oreca Peugeot.  Aston Martin a clean run to 3rd overall so far, one lap back of Oreca and 2 laps up on the 15 Oak.

LMPC strikes again... Junco into the gravel in the 06.  Will need a tow out.  Yellow again.  Good news for Core is that the 05 is back out with a 5 lap cushion over the Genoa car.

The 06 is pulled out, pitted and back on track...  In position to still take the championship.

P2 - 33 Level 5 is +8 laps on United.

Graham Goodwin was at the Audi pit when the incident happened:

The reaction from the team was one of utter disbelief, a flash of anger and then bitter disappointment - Timo Bernhard ran across from the team transporter open mouthed.  Understandably nobody was keen to talk!

A little later Romain Dumas returned to the pit to be comforted by his mechanics and Michelin technicians - Nicolas Lapierre and Stephane Ortelli both arrived to commiserate too before Romain was ready to face a significant media pack:

Romain Dumas: "I'm very disappointed, not only with the result but also because it was Franck. We have been friends since we were 12 years old -  Into Turn 10 I really wasn't looking to pass but found myself alongside - he released the brakes and pushed me off the line and into the dirty part of the track - There was no way I could get past there so I let him go.

"The sun was a problem through the early part of the next lap but I was getting close - At Turn 7 he braked late and hit the TRG Porsche - I kept my speed and went for the gap, he turned left and forced me into the Porsche.

"Earlier on we were not in the right place for the tyres in their cycle but on that last restart they were right there - We had the pace and to lose it like this is very, very disappointing." 

In contrast Montagny seemed entirely unperturbed by the incident when he pitted, smiling broadly for the cameras before being ushered away behind closed doors quite rapidly. 

What a way for that race to finish!

But back to what is still out on track.

In GTE Pro the lead battle is still fully joined Bruni fending off Hand, the pair nose to tail.

Meanwhile the #007 Lola Aston Martin is up into third overall  - with a 2 lap advantage over the Oak Pescarolo pair.

Gary Horrocks - Things that make you go hmmm…

Bruni is leading the GT class for AF Corse, narrowly over Hand.  Because AF Corse is registered as an ILMC competitor, they will not score points for Michelin in the ALMS tire manufacturers championship.  Understandable.  But here, and also at Sebring, BMW RLL have been registered as ILMC competitors, representing BMW in the championship.  But, as at Sebring, they will score points for Dunlop towards the championship.

TRG lost a heap of time in the pits with Ende pitting with a vibration (tyre pick-up suspected but Pumpelly wasn't ready)

The Jaguar RSR Haulers make their way out of the circuit - not a good day for the Coventry Cat.

Lewis leads LMPC again getting by Kyle Marcelli as we go by 8:15 into this race.

The #2 Audi is behind the wall after McNish reported a strange noise from the suspension.

Lest we forget the #8 Peugeot leads - almost 4 laps clear of the #10 Oreca Peugeot with the #007 Lola Aston less than two laps further back - At 8:34 into this race we have 44 laps remaining before the 394 lap 1000 mile mark, Sarrazin has hit the 350 lap mark.

The #52 LMPC Oreca, now running second must pit to fix the rear lights - the lead battle currently less than half a second!  The lights are back on though - relief for the team.

The #2 Audi retires with steering problems - Peugeot win the ILMC manufacturers title.

AJR take the GTC lead in the pits from Black Swan.

The #56 BMW cedes 3rd in GTE pitting after contact that damages the front right Dunlop.  The in car footage shows contact with a Flying Lizard Porsche but the BMW already looked in trouble from an earlier incident. The car rejoins but pits immediately again.

The #59 Luxury 458 has a fire at the front of the car - Fred Mako baling out - the car looks done.

The #15 Oak has just rejoined after a 20 minute pitstop - they are down to 8th, Rebellion up to fifth.

8:51 - 30 laps remaining.

The top 4 in GTE Pro are now 4 different marques - AF Corse Ferrari leads RLL BMW, Flying Lizards Porsche and Corvette.

The GTC battle is still well alight - Bleekemolen less than 2 seconds behind Keen. Keen goes wide out of T12 and the change is made.

Bergmeister is closing in on Werner rapidly for second in GTE, the BMW has fallen way back after the close battle with the leading AF Corse 458 not so very long ago.