LMS - Monza - Second & Third Hours

Gounon pits – he won’t be on the Christmas card list at Charouz Racing Systems any time soon.

As the remaining cars that didn’t stop under the safety car now make their first stops the shape of the race begins to emerge.

The Peugeot pair are separated by around 5 seconds, with Boullion 30 seconds behind, followed by a second Pescarolo, but not Tinseau, it’s Barbosa, a storming run again from the Portuguese Warhorse, now 20 seconds back from Boullion.

LMP2 is becoming a battle between Erdos in the RML Lola and de Castro, the other back row starter in the Quifel ASM Lola, this pair now 5 seconds apart but the Portuguese car is closing in with the Horag Racing Lola (a Lola 1,2,3 at the moment) just two seconds behind.

GT1 is still Policand vs Ortelli with the Saleen closing in again. The Saleen retakes the lead at the 70 minute mark

GT2 is back in the hands of Dirk Werner, putting up a fabulous display in the Farnbacher Porsche ahead of Bruno Hernandez in the #97 GPC Ferrari and the Alex Caffi in the Villorba Corse 430 (below, showering the Virgo Ferrari) – LNT debutant Danny Watts is now up to fourth place in class.

Team Bruichladdich’s air leak from the turbo appears to be rather more serious, the turbo appears to have failed entirely (actually it was a breakage of a turbo pipe).

The Embassy Radical meanwhile is having repeated issues with the electronics in the downshift.

The JMB Ferrari spins at Ascari, rejoins pits for new rubber and leaves to continue its Monza adventure.

The best battle on track as the 90 minute mark approaches is between Gounon (#13 Courage) and Tinseau (#17 Pescarolo), the #17 car closing in fast – hmmm!

Jonathan Cochet meanwhile is busily fending off Bob Berridge for seventh place, the Chamberlain-Synergy car having risen as high as fourth in the pit stop cycle.

The #17 Pescarolo makes an entirely drama free pass on the main straight – Tinseau is fifth and the three LMP1 Pescarolos are third, fourth and fifth.

The Charouz Lola meanwhile had made its way back to the pits but is now in the garage getting a good deal of attention from Sam Hignett’s Jota boys.

Lap 51 and the gap Peugots to Pescarolo is around 1 minute. The Pescarolo is suffering a tyre problem, and the first hint of an engine running a little hot.

The second round of pit stops begin and Stuart Hall replaces Joao Barbosa for his first Le Mans Series outing.

Lamy pits from the lead in the #8 car and hands over to Sarrazin. Minassian completes the Peugeot pit cycle replacing Gene in #7, but pits immediately when the door on the passenger side swings open – not a problem that you’ll find on an R10!

Boullion leads for now, having not pitted – but he puts that right next time around and Emmanuel Collard climbs aboard.

There are yellow flags at Ascari as Paul Daniels in the JWA Porsche becomes the latest GT2 man to spin in the complex.

Stefan Mucke rejoins, but the car then stops in the blend lane at pit exit before the ex-DTM man can get it fired up once again.

The #8 Peugeot is in trouble now, its door is now ajar and Sarrazin brings the car in for another stop!

In GT1 the Oreca Saleen is in trouble, in the pit garage (terminal - engine) as Alphand and Bouchut contest the class lead.

News from Racing for Holland is that the car was initially hobbled by what Jan Lammers thought might be a puncture, in slowing down to get back to the pits Lammers was then hit from behind by a Ferrari which has damaged the Dome’s steering.

Sarrazin pits out of sequence and the #8 car is pushed straight into the garage, it tumbles down the order. Suddenly we have a Pescarolo 2,3,4 with Stuart Hall going great guns in the Rollcentre car.

That 2,3,4 order though was only after Bob Berridge had made his second stop in the Chamberlain Synergy Lola from 3rd place. Gareth Evans is now aboard the car and pulling away from a gentleman’s LMP2 battle, with Mike Newton heading Miguel Amaral and Fredy Lienhard.

Hour 2 Positions
1 7 Team Peugeot Total GENE MarcMINASSIAN Nicolas Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP LMP1 ==66== 1:37.484
2 16 Pescarolo Sport COLLARD EmmanuelBOULLION Jean-Christophe Pescarolo Judd LMP1 49.861 1:38.965
3 18 Rollcentre Racing BARBOSA JoaoKEEN PhilHALL Stuart Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==65== 1:40.154
4 17 Pescarolo Sport PRIMAT HaroldTINSEAU Christophe Pescarolo Judd LMP1 10.736 1:40.025
5 19 Chamberlain Synergy EVANS GarethBERRIDGE BobOWEN Peter Lola B06/10 AER LMP1 ==64== 1:41.726
6 25 RML ERDOS ThomasNEWTON Mike MG Lola EX264 AER LMP2 1.047 1:42.268
7 40 Quifel ASM Team AMARAL MiguelDE CASTRO Miguel AngelBURGENO Angel Lola B05/40 AER LMP2 29.975 1:42.307
8 27 Horag Racing LIENHARD FredyTHEYS DidierVAN DE POELE Eric Lola B05/40 Judd LMP2 42.588 1:43.580
9 13 Courage Competition GOUNON Jean-MarcMOREAU Guillaume Courage LC70 AER LMP1 ==63== 1:39.184
10 31 Binnie Motorsports BINNIE BillTIMPANY AllenBUNCOMBE Chris Lola B05/40 Zytek LMP2 8.875 1:44.025
11 8 Team Peugeot Total LAMY PedroSARRAZIN Stephane Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP LMP1 ==62== 1:37.928
12 35 Saulnier Racing NICOLET JacquesFILHOL AlainJOUANNY Bruce Courage LC75 AER LMP2 5:33.543 1:43.393
13 72 Alphand Aventures ALPHAND LucPOLICAND JeromeGOUESLARD Patrice Corvette C6.R LMGT1 6:34.561 1:47.726
14 50 Aston Martin Larbre BOUCHUT ChristopheGARDEL GabrielGOLLIN Fabrizio Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 ==61== 1:47.946
15 73 Alphand Aventures BLANCHEMAIN Jean-LucDUMEZ SebastienVOSSE Vincent Corvette C5-R LMGT1 1:18.224 1:48.382
16 20 Pierre Bruneau ROSTAN MarcBRUNEAU PierrePULLAN Simon Pilbeam MP93 Judd LMP2 ==60== 1:44.869
17 59 Team Modena GARCIA AntonioHALLIDAY Liz Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 3:37.682 1:47.646
18 97 GPC Sport DE SIMONE FabrizioHERNANDEZ SergioBONETTI Alessandro Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==59== 1:52.096
19 78 Scuderia Villorba CAFFI AlexZARDO Denny Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 12.633 1:52.228
20 90 Farnbacher Racing WERNER DirckEHRET PierreNIELSEN Lars Erik Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 19.036 1:51.887
21 61 Racing Box PERAZZINI Pier GiuseppeCIOCI MarcoTAVANO Salvatore Saleen S7-R LMGT1 43.594 1:48.738
22 44 Kruse Motorsport BURGESS TonyDE POURTALES JeanSIEDLER Norbert Pescarolo Judd LMP2 59.916 1:47.547
23 81 Team LNT KIMBER-SMITH TomWATTS Danny Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 1:14.088 1:52.957
24 96 Virgo Motorsport BELL RobertSIMONSEN Allan Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 1:18.227 1:52.236
25 77 Felbermayr Proton LIEB MarcPOMPIDOU Xavier Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 1:22.161 1:52.359
26 83 GPC Sport DRUDI LucaROSA GabrioMOWLEM Johnny Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==58== 1:52.784
27 76 Imsa Performance NARAC RaymondLIETZ Richard Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 20.106 1:52.168
28 85 Spyker Squadron KOX PeterJANIS Jarek Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 46.389 1:53.902
29 94 Speedy Racing Team BELICCHI AndreaCHIESA AndreaKANE Jonny Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 1:04.073 1:54.619
30 12 Courage Competition FREI AlexanderCOCHET Jonathan Courage LC70 AER LMP1 ==57== 1:39.973
31 92 Thierry Perrier HESNAULT PhilippeSMITH NigelBELTOISE Anthony Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 13:11.738 1:53.762
32 14 Racing For Holland LAMMERS JanHART DavidBLEEKEMOLEN Jeroen Dome S101.5 Judd LMP1 ==55== 1:40.286
33 88 Felbermayr Proton RIED ChristianFELBERMAYR Horst JrGRUBER Thomas Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 11.299 1:54.982
34 79 Felbermayr Proton FELBERMAYR Horst SrRIED GeroldCOLLIN Philip Porsche 996 GT3 RSR LMGT2 1:00.174 1:58.576
35 99 JMB Racing BASSO MauriceMcCORMICK BoDAOUDI Stephane Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==54== 1:54.135
36 84 Chad Peninsula Panoz HARTSHORNE JohnMcINERMEY SeanMcINERNEY Michael Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==53== 1:57.885
37 55 Team Oreca ORTELLI StephaneAYARI Soheil Saleen S7-R LMGT1 ==52== 1:47.106
38 3 Scuderia Lavaggi LAVAGGI GiovanniPUGLISI Marcello Lavaggi LS01 Ford LMP1 11:04.961 1:42.877
39 95 James Watt Automotive DANIELS PaulCOX DaveCAMATIAS Joel Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==45== 1:53.615
40 82 Team LNT LASSERRE LucasDEAN Richard Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==38== 1:53.937
41 15 Charouz Racing CHAROUZ JanMUCKE Stefan Lola B07/17 Judd LMP1 ==32== 1:38.012
42 89 Markland Racing THIIM KurtTHYRRING ThorkildSORENSEN Henrik Moller Corvette C6 Z06 LMGT2 ==29== 2:02.041
43 98 Ice Pol Racing Team LAMBERT YvesLEFORT ChristianBOUVY Frederic Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==25== 1:54.527
44 51 Aston Martin Larbre FISKEN GregorZACCHIA SteveFRANCHI Gregory Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 ==17== 1:49.342
45 45 Embassy Racing HUGHES WarrenCUNNINGHAM Neil Radical SR9 Judd LMP2 ==12== 1:44.432
46 21 Bruichladdich Radical GREAVES TimMOSELEY Stuart Radical SR9 AER LMP2 ==3== 2:22.690

In part the Pescarolos have profited from another Courage meltdown: both LC70s were in the garage together immediately after their second scheduled stops, the #13 car rejoining in 10th with Guillaume Moreau replacing Gounon, but the #12 car is still motionless in the garage.

The Bruneau Pilbeam seems to be in trouble (starter motor) after a fine run (it rose as high as fifth in class) leaving the Saulnier Courage fourth at present, in an attrition dominated class battle.

Sarrazin eventually rejoins in 12th place (a gear linkage issue) and the very fast lappery begins immediately, a 1:37.477 stays as the fastest of the race for only two laps and then Sarrazin is into the 1:36s.

Stuart Hall pits out of sequence for attention to a loose rear diffuser and rejoins, now down to fourth place.

Luc Alphand meanwhile is fending off Bouchut in the #50 Larbre Aston Martin, the Oreca Saleen meanwhile is still in the pit garage having lost almost 20 laps to this point.

GT2 is now De Simone from Zardo from Ehret, Rob Bell and Marc Lieb have now relegated Tom Kimber-Smith to sixth in class in the lead LNT car.

Minassian pits for a routine stop and re-emerges to run in convoy with Sarrazin, with Collard, still to pit, 16 seconds behind.

Next time around and the Peugeot has drawn a full 5 seconds further ahead from the, let’s not forget, far from sloth like Collard / Pescarolo combo.

The Team Bruichladdich Radical is confirmed as a retirement, the return of a turbo pipe problem that was seen last season, an issue the team had been confident was fixed.

De Simone’s hard fought 20 plus second GT2 lead is thrown away with a half spin under braking into the first chicane. Alex Caffi makes his routine stop allowing Pierre Ehret to inherit second in class, 30 seconds behind the #97 GPC Ferrari.

In GT1 Bouchut takes the lead as Alphand pits, Chriostophe though has his hands full with an Antonio Garcia attack, the Spaniard unlapping himself from the new class leader and with a tail wagging outbraking manouevre into the first chicane, the Team Modena man is third in class.

Sarrazin is back into the top ten and storming along but there are 5 laps to make up if he wants to win this one!

With so much new and updated machinery the race of attrition that was predicted is here with a vengeance, but there are close battles aplenty up and down the field.

Bouchut pits from the lead of GT1. Garcia was just ahead of the Frenchman down the pitlane and stays aboard for his fourth stint as Gollin climbs aboard #50 – that air conditioning seems to work then! The C6.R of course retakes the class lead.

Two teams which are making significant inroads with a very conservative approach are the Chamberlain-Synergy Lola, Gareth Evans still holding fifth place and the #81 Team LNT Panoz – TK-S again up to third, just behind 2006 team mate Rob Bell, as the pit stop cycle rolls out.

Danny Watts climbs aboard the Esperante once again and rejoins in fifth.

Sarrazin posts a 1:36.542 as he starts to overhaul the LMP2 leaders, the #8 Peugeot now 7th on lap 88 until he pits on the following lap for a routine stop, smoke pouring out of the braking vents at the front of the car – he’s pushing very, very hard indeed.

Miguel Amaral pits from the lead of LMP2, inherited as Mike Newton pitted to start a second stint, but there’s trouble for the #40 car, the left rear wheel clearly askew as the car is trollied into the garage – LMP2 is getting to look a little like the bad old days.

The #85 Spyker in the hands of Peter Kox celebrates getting up into 8th in class by blowing a left rear tyre.

Stuart Hall is closing in on Harold Primat for third overall.

Gruber in the #88 Felbermayr car has a torrid moment at the Parabolica, clipping the gravel on the outside and ending up with the car facing the barrier, on the inside, perilously close to the racing line on a blind bend, he reverses very slightly, is nearly collected by a Pescarolo, and sorts himself out.

Hour 3 Positions (Almost)
1 7 Team Peugeot Total GENE MarcMINASSIAN Nicolas Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP LMP1 ==97== 1:37.484
2 16 Pescarolo Sport COLLARD EmmanuelBOULLION Jean-Christophe Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==95== 1:38.965
3 17 Pescarolo Sport PRIMAT HaroldTINSEAU Christophe Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==94== 1:40.025
4 18 Rollcentre Racing BARBOSA JoaoKEEN PhilHALL Stuart Pescarolo Judd LMP1 20.761 1:40.154
5 19 Chamberlain Synergy EVANS GarethBERRIDGE BobOWEN Peter Lola B06/10 AER LMP1 ==93== 1:41.726
6 8 Team Peugeot Total LAMY PedroSARRAZIN Stephane Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP LMP1 ==92== 1:36.542
7 13 Courage Competition GOUNON Jean-MarcMOREAU Guillaume Courage LC70 AER LMP1 35.877 1:39.184
8 25 RML ERDOS ThomasNEWTON Mike MG Lola EX264 AER LMP2 42.784 1:42.268
9 27 Horag Racing LIENHARD FredyTHEYS DidierVAN DE POELE Eric Lola B05/40 Judd LMP2 ==91== 1:43.580
10 40 Quifel ASM Team AMARAL MiguelDE CASTRO Miguel AngelBURGENO Angel Lola B05/40 AER LMP2 ==90== 1:42.307
11 35 Saulnier Racing NICOLET JacquesFILHOL AlainJOUANNY Bruce Courage LC75 AER LMP2 4:59.129 1:43.393
12 72 Alphand Aventures ALPHAND LucPOLICAND JeromeGOUESLARD Patrice Corvette C6.R LMGT1 ==89== 1:47.726
13 50 Aston Martin Larbre BOUCHUT ChristopheGARDEL GabrielGOLLIN Fabrizio Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 38.969 1:47.946
14 73 Alphand Aventures BLANCHEMAIN Jean-LucDUMEZ SebastienVOSSE Vincent Corvette C5-R LMGT1 ==88== 1:48.305
15 59 Team Modena GARCIA AntonioHALLIDAY Liz Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 12.504 1:47.646
16 61 Racing Box PERAZZINI Pier GiuseppeCIOCI MarcoTAVANO Salvatore Saleen S7-R LMGT1 ==86== 1:48.235
17 97 GPC Sport DE SIMONE FabrizioHERNANDEZ SergioBONETTI Alessandro Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 29.099 1:52.096
18 78 Scuderia Villorba CAFFI AlexZARDO Denny Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 42.656 1:52.228
19 77 Felbermayr Proton LIEB MarcPOMPIDOU Xavier Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==85== 1:52.359
20 96 Virgo Motorsport BELL RobertSIMONSEN Allan Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 4.693 1:52.236
21 76 Imsa Performance NARAC RaymondLIETZ Richard Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 5.916 1:52.168
22 81 Team LNT KIMBER-SMITH TomWATTS Danny Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 20.719 1:52.957
23 83 GPC Sport DRUDI LucaROSA GabrioMOWLEM Johnny Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 56.607 1:52.784
24 14 Racing For Holland LAMMERS JanHART DavidBLEEKEMOLEN Jeroen Dome S101.5 Judd LMP1 ==84== 1:40.286
25 94 Speedy Racing Team BELICCHI AndreaCHIESA AndreaKANE Jonny Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 54.029 1:54.619
26 20 Pierre Bruneau ROSTAN MarcBRUNEAU PierrePULLAN Simon Pilbeam MP93 Judd LMP2 1:07.744 1:44.869
27 85 Spyker Squadron KOX PeterJANIS Jarek Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 ==83== 1:53.902
28 92 Thierry Perrier HESNAULT PhilippeSMITH NigelBELTOISE Anthony Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 53.401 1:53.762
29 44 Kruse Motorsport BURGESS TonyDE POURTALES JeanSIEDLER Norbert Pescarolo Judd LMP2 ==82== 1:44.425
30 88 Felbermayr Proton RIED ChristianFELBERMAYR Horst JrGRUBER Thomas Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==80== 1:54.982
31 99 JMB Racing BASSO MauriceMcCORMICK BoDAOUDI Stephane Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 2:24.828 1:53.791
32 90 Farnbacher Racing WERNER DirckEHRET PierreNIELSEN Lars Erik Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==79== 1:51.887
33 79 Felbermayr Proton FELBERMAYR Horst SrRIED GeroldCOLLIN Philip Porsche 996 GT3 RSR LMGT2 11:01.357 1:58.354
34 31 Binnie Motorsports BINNIE BillTIMPANY AllenBUNCOMBE Chris Lola B05/40 Zytek LMP2 ==78== 1:44.025
35 12 Courage Competition FREI AlexanderCOCHET Jonathan Courage LC70 AER LMP1 ==77== 1:39.973
36 84 Chad Peninsula Panoz HARTSHORNE JohnMcINERMEY SeanMcINERNEY Michael Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 3.420 1:57.885
37 15 Charouz Racing CHAROUZ JanMUCKE Stefan Lola B07/17 Judd LMP1 ==61== 1:38.012
38 3 Scuderia Lavaggi LAVAGGI GiovanniPUGLISI Marcello Lavaggi LS01 Ford LMP1 ==54== 1:42.877
39 55 Team Oreca ORTELLI StephaneAYARI Soheil Saleen S7-R LMGT1 ==52== 1:47.106
40 95 James Watt Automotive DANIELS PaulCOX DaveCAMATIAS Joel Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==45== 1:53.615
41 45 Embassy Racing HUGHES WarrenCUNNINGHAM Neil Radical SR9 Judd LMP2 ==39== 1:42.537
42 82 Team LNT LASSERRE LucasDEAN Richard Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==38== 1:53.937
43 89 Markland Racing THIIM KurtTHYRRING ThorkildSORENSEN Henrik Moller Corvette C6 Z06 LMGT2 ==29== 2:02.041
44 98 Ice Pol Racing Team LAMBERT YvesLEFORT ChristianBOUVY Frederic Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==25== 1:54.527
45 51 Aston Martin Larbre FISKEN GregorZACCHIA SteveFRANCHI Gregory Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 ==17== 1:49.342
46 21 Bruichladdich Radical GREAVES TimMOSELEY Stuart Radical SR9 AER LMP2 ==3== 2:22.690