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Total 24 Hours of
Spa - Final Hour
15:16
Safety car again
with just 45 minutes remaining - big off for one of the Ferrari's. The car
rolled after hitting the barrier.
15:18
It
was the number 72 Ferrari of Lorenzo Bontempelli that rolled - driver out. Audi
Sport Performance Team celebrating already.
15:21
#1
Audi and others held at pit exit - safety car passing them first - this is all a
bit confusing.
15:26
Thanks to the
safety car Stippler got a lap over the WRT Audi - safety car in at the end of
this lap.
15:29
Green
flag!
15:29
Drive through
penalty for Ortelli for crossing the white line at pit entry.
15:32
Vita4One BMW pits!
Ortelli in for his drive-through....lucky escape there it seems.
15:33
Louis Machiels
pits the #52 Ferrari, but the Pro-Am leader has six laps in hand over his
nearest class opposition.
15:34
Audi already
preparing a formation finish for all its cars - the Vita4One Racing Team BMW
without headlights!
15:36
The #60 Von Ryan
McLaren will return to the race, but only to take the flag.
15:43
The bottom step of
the Pro-Am podium is still up for grabs, with Alvaro Parente in the #88 Von Ryan
McLaren about 22 seconds behind Olivier Panis in the #10 SOFREV Ferrari. The
advantage rests very much with the Frenchman, however, with only 17 minutes
remaining.
15:48
With a quarter of
an hour remaining, the race has only just passed the 500 laps mark. Last year's
winner completed 545 laps.
15:51
Marc Hayek pits
the #24 Lambo, probably for a splash of fuel. Nope - the TV shows the Blancpain
boss cutting a corner and losing a couple of diveplanes. The stop was just to
check for damage and the Swiss is quickly on his way again still in
11th.
15:53
Everything is not
right with the Lambo, as smoke from the front right indicates either dislodged
bodywork or possible suspension damage. The car stays out, however, as the team
gambles on the risk of a puncture being minimal.
15:58
The very much
delayed #50 AF Corse Ferrari is given a drive-through penalty for overtaking
before the end of the safety car period. It makes not a jot of difference to the
car's finishing position.
16:00
Frank Stippler
begins the final lap with a minute of the 24 hours remaining. The leader flashes
his lights at Oliver Morley's Mercedes as it is spoiling the planned photo
finish.
16:02
The Audi mechanics
run to the pitwall to wlecome home the cars.
Audi Sport Performance takes
the win after 509 laps!
16:04
Congratulations to
Andrea Piccini, Rene Rast and Frank Stippler and to the #16 crew!
16:05
The #1 WRT Audi
takes second, a lap further back, with Frank Kechele taking third for Vita4one
Racing Team...and then losing a tyre on the slow down lap!
16:07
AF
Corse Ferrari 458 #52 takes the Pro-Am win - congratulations to Niek Hommerson,
Louis Machiels, Andrea Bertolini and Alessandro Pier Guidi!
16:08
The #8 Haribo
Racing Team Porsche takes second in class, with the #10 SOFREV ASP Ferrari
taking third.
16:10
The #25 First
Motorsport Porsche of Steve van Bellingen, Bert Redoint, Armand Flumal and Johan
Vanloo take GTR - congratulations to them!
16:11
The #82 Bullfight
Dodge Viper takes second, with the #41 Sainteloc Racing Audi taking
third.
16:13
Finally,
congratulations are due to Kevin Balthazard, Christophe Bigourie, Rik Renmans
and Raf Vleugels for taking the CUP Class in the #94 Speedlover Porsche; the
only car in the class to finish.
16:16
It's been a
fascinating race - if, at times, rather frustrating - and we'll have a round-up
on DSC tomorrow.
In the meantime, we'll send
our congratulations to the winners and finishers and our commiserations to those
who didn't reach the flag, and we'll bid a fond farewell from a dry and sunny
Spa-Francorchamps!
16:20
MH, MtC, DL &
PM
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