LMS - Valencia - Hours 4 & 5

The No. 12 Courage (Besson) has crawled to a stop at the same spot as the Embassy Radical did earlier with apparently the same problem. The Turn 6 kink must be in some sort of Bermuda Triangle of electrical gremlins. It continued in a very stop-start manner, barely crawling around and taking the better part of 15 minutes to make it to the pits.

The No. 8 Peugeot (Lamy) has a narrow but processional lead over its No. 7 sister (Gené), which had to stop for a penalty for passing under yellow. The Charouz Lola (Charouz at the reigns) is two laps down in third overall, another lap back to the Rollcentre Pescarolo (Hall), and then only 20 seconds to the Swiss Spirit Lola-Audi (Alexander).

The Barazi Zytek (Barazi and then Ojjeh) had a strong one lap lead in LM P2 at the restart, but this came undone with a trip to the gravel, a visit to the garage for a gear shift sensor problem, a return to the circuit, and another call at the garage. This elevated the Del Bello Courage (Petrov) to the class lead. The Bruichladdich Radical (Greaves) was 2 laps down but then rose to the class lead when the Del Bello team made both a regular stop and penalty stop for passing under the yellow.

The only class without a real contest is GT1 where the Oreca Saleen (Ayari) is up to 11th overall and has two laps over the Racing Box Saleen (Tavano) and then the first Aston (No. 50 Larbre, Gollin) another lap behind.

The No. 76 IMSA Porsche (Lietz) stretched out a 26 second lead in GT2 over the No. 96 Virgo Ferrari (Simonsen) and then the same gap to the No. 77 Felbermayr entry (Pompidou). A while later the Villorba Corse Ferrari rose from the top six nether regions to jump to second in class. Zardo is doing an excellent job in it.

The Arena Zytek’s problems are associated with a bad throttle cable. Their earlier advantage came from changing tires on their stop while the Peugeots did not. The Michelins on the French cars went off badly on their second stints, with “a lot of rubber pick-up” according to Pedro Lamy, allowing the English entry to close in before the throttle problems occurred.

The Kruse Pescarolo (Siedler) circulated about with shards of bodywork hanging off of it, a problem that also occurred later to the Horag Lola (van de Poele). The Michelin problem gets more acute with the leading No. 8 Peugeot. Lamy gets increasingly squirrely on each bend and Gené closes right up, making the pass under traffic.

Both of the LNT Panozes have been having engine problems. The No. 81 has retired while a wounded No. 82 continues to circulate. They also have had issues with the fuel system, requiring them to fill up earlier than planned.

The No. 25 RML Lola-MG has had a “scheduled” garage stop. Earlier, Mike Newton was tagged by a GT2 car and the undertray was damaged. The team took the opportunity to make a variety of other repairs.

Just past the 4-hour mark and we have some significant drama. Race leader Minassian came around to put a routine pass on the No. 85 Spyker and was forced onto the curbs. Then coming around, just meters past the pit entrance, the Peugeot slowed to a crawl. Minassian barely made it the 4-kilometers back around and straight into the garage. The issue was unrelated to the Spyker incident but instead is the result of a clutch problem. It’s out – details to come.

Sarrazin is now in the lead with the Charouz Lola third. Stephan Mücke is taking his first sprint in the No. 15 car, shuttling in via private plane from the Silverstone race. However, there is some bodywork hanging off the front right of the car and he dropped back to third after repairs. Joao Barbosa has given the Rollcentre team a super run and the No. 18 privateer Pescarolo is now second. M. Short won’t comment on the team’s position in the standings… yet.

The LM P2 contest turns around again. The No. 21 Radical had led the class briefly before the starter motor would not engage and the crew had to perform the proper mating ritual between the motor and flywheel. Stuart Moseley is now driving. This has cycled the Del Bello Courage back to the top.

The unheralded No. 92 Perspective Porsche is another to make a brief visit to the gravel. Turn 11 in the infield is their preferred spot. Angel Burgueño, No. 40 ASM Lola, shows some Spanish hospitality by tapping Christian Fittipaldi’s No. 59 into a spin. Burgueño remains third in the L P2 class with the Saulnier Courage now second.

The gear-challenged No. 83 Ferrari has also made a quick off-road trip. The RML Lola has another problem. Erdos has brought it in with no power. He’s soon underway again, sixth in class.

Just before the 5-hour mark we have a fair-sized accident. Marc Rostan plows straight off at the end of the front straight and into the tire barriers. Damage is enough to retire the car and he steps out with a very slight limp.

The Arena Zytek has retired with yet another broken throttle cable. Once again LM P2 is having troubles as the leading No. 24 Courage is pushed into the garage and the Saulnier entry leads the class for the first time.

Hour 5 Positions
1 8 Team Peugeot Total LAMY Pedro SARRAZIN Stephane Peugeot 908 HDi FAP LMP1 ==194== 1:25.234
2 18 Rollcentre Racing BARBOSA Joao HALL Stuart SHORT Martin Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==191== 1:27.687
3 15 Charouz Racing CHAROUZ Jan MUCKE Stefan YOONG A Lola B07/17 Judd LMP1 11.851 1:27.734
4 5 Swiss Spirit DELETRAZ Jean-Denis FASSLER Marcel ALEXANDER Iradj Lola B07/10 Audi LMP1 17.500 1:27.274
5 17 Pescarolo Sport PRIMAT Harold TINSEAU Christophe Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==188== 1:28.312
6 16 Pescarolo Sport BOULLION Jean-Christophe DUMAS Romain Pescarolo Judd LMP1 ==187== 1:27.062
7 24 Noel Del Bello Racing PETROV Vitaly GOUNON Jean-Marc Courage LC75 AER LMP2 ==184== 1:30.007
8 35 Saulnier Racing NICOLET Jacques FILHOL Alain JOUANNY Bruce Courage LC75 AER LMP2 ==183== 1:30.312
9 40 Quifel ASM Team AMARAL Miguel DE CASTRO Miguel Angel BURGENO Angel Lola B05/40 AER LMP2 35.976 1:29.031
10 21 Bruichladdich Radical GREAVES Tim MOSELEY Stuart LIDDELL Robin Radical SR9 AER LMP2 53.570 1:29.289
11 55 Team Oreca ORTELLI Stephane AYARI Soheil Saleen S7-R LMGT1 ==182== 1:33.078
12 61 Racing Box PERAZZINI Pier Giuseppe CIOCI Marco TAVANO Salvatore Saleen S7-R LMGT1 ==180== 1:33.945
13 44 Kruse Motorsport BURGESS Tony DE POURTALES Jean SIEDLER Norbert Pescarolo Judd LMP2 55.625 1:30.282
14 19 Chamberlain Synergy EVANS Gareth BERRIDGE Bob OWEN Peter Lola B06/10 AER LMP1 ==179== 1:29.992
15 50 AMR Larbre BOUCHUT Christophe GARDEL Gabriel GOLLIN Fabrizio Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 12.703 1:34.383
16 72 Alphand Aventures ALPHAND Luc POLICAND Jerome GOUESLARD Patrice Corvette C6.R LMGT1 ==174== 1:33.641
17 76 Imsa Performance NARAC Raymond LIETZ Richard Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==173== 1:38.593
18 25 RML ERDOS Thomas NEWTON Mike MG Lola EX264 AER LMP2 28.648 1:28.406
19 90 Farnbacher Racing WERNER Dirck EHRET Pierre NIELSEN Lars Erik Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 1:05.367 1:38.016
20 20 Pierre Bruneau ROSTAN Marc BRUNEAU Pierre PULLAN Simon Pilbeam MP93 Judd LMP2 ==172== 1:31.093
21 78 Scuderia Villorba CAFFI Alex ZARDO Denny Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 4:25.453 1:38.882
22 77 Felbermayr-Proton LIEB Marc POMPIDOU Xavier Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 4:28.914 1:38.656
23 96 Virgo Motorsport BELL Robert SIMONSEN Allan Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 4:31.297 1:38.922
24 94 Speedy Racing Team BELICCHI Andrea CHIESA Andrea KANE Jonny Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 ==171== 1:39.945
25 32 Barazi Epsilon BARAZI Juan VERGERS Michael OJJEH Karim Zytek 07S Zytek LMP2 ==170== 1:29.101
26 98 Ice Pol Racing Team LAMBERT Yves LEFORT Christian PALTTALA Markus Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 40.281 1:38.890
27 85 Spyker Squadron JANIS Jarek VAN ES Sander Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R LMGT2 51.375 1:39.734
28 88 Felbermayr-Proton RIED Christian FELBERMAYR Horst Jr GRUBER Thomas Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==169== 1:39.882
29 7 Team Peugeot Total GENE Marc MINASSIAN Nicolas Peugeot 908 HDi FAP LMP1 ==168== 1:25.382
30 83 GPC Sport DRUDI Luca ROSA Gabrio MOWLEM Johnny Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==167== 1:39.703
31 27 Horag Racing LIENHARD Fredy THEYS Didier VAN DE POELE Eric Lola B05/40 Judd LMP2 ==166== 1:30.367
32 59 Team Modena GARCIA Antonio HALLIDAY Liz FITTIPALDI Christian Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 24:40.203 1:33.789
33 51 AMR Larbre FISKEN Gregor ZACCHIA Steve FRANCHI Gregory Aston Martin DBR9 LMGT1 ==165== 1:34.664
34 97 GPC Sport DE SIMONE Fabrizio HERNANDEZ S BONETTI Alessandro Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==163== 1:38.352
35 99 JMB Racing BASSO Maurice McCORMICK Bo Ferrari F430 GT LMGT2 ==162== 1:43.211
36 84 Chad Peninsula Panoz HARTSHORNE John McINERNEY Sean McINERNEY Michael Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==159== 1:43.093
37 73 Alphand Aventures BLANCHEMAIN Jean-Luc DUMEZ Sebastien ANDRE Didier Corvette C5-R LMGT1 ==155== 1:34.750
38 82 Team LNT DEAN Richard MILNER Tom Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==139== 1:39.320
39 92 Thierry Perrier HESNAULT Philippe SMITH Nigel BELTOISE Anthony Porsche 997 GT3 RSR LMGT2 ==138== 1:38.648
40 10 Arena Motorsport JOHANSSON Stefan SHIMODA Hayanari Zytek 07S Zytek LMP1 ==125== 1:26.727
41 12 Courage Competition FREI Alexander COCHET Jonathan BESSON Bruno Courage LC70 AER LMP1 ==124== 1:29.257
42 14 Racing For Holland LAMMERS Jan HART David BLEEKEMOLEN Jeroen Dome S101.5 Judd LMP1 ==105== 1:29.930
43 81 Team LNT KIMBER-SMITH Tom WATTS Danny Panoz Esperante GTLM LMGT2 ==84== 1:39.657
44 45 Embassy Racing HUGHES Warren CUNNINGHAM Neil Radical SR9 Judd LMP2 ==22== 1:29.976
45 31 Binnie Motorsports BINNIE Bill TIMPANY Allen BUNCOMBE Chris Lola B05/40 Zytek LMP2 17:23.007 1:29.992
46 29 T2M Motorsport LONGECHAL Robin YAMAGISHI Yutaka Dome S101.5 Mader LMP2 25:36.281 1:36.765