High Action In Hour Five

Oct 11, 2015
2 min read

The LMP1 runners stayed relatively the same over hour five. #18 still leads #17 and they are still swapping fastest laps. There is around 52 seconds between the two cars, so if Timo Bernhard can close the gap is a key point of interest. Toyota #1 had the front right light cover break off the car, altering the aerodynamics in a negative way. However, they stayed out until their scheduled stop and changed the nose then, rather than loosing time pitting twice. The Porsche pit stops were timed identically, showing good signs for the consistency of the Porsche mechanics. With dark clouds hovering over the track the main question is will it rain again? Because all of the runners are now on the slick tyres.

Rebellion Racing #12 is still running strong, leading the non-hybrid LMP1 cars. Unfortunately, #13 has had many issues over the weekend. It had been in the pits earlier in the race but as it got back out on track it stopped at turn one and then again at turn sixteen. It is now back in the garage with a suspected hydraulic problem. #26 leads the LMP2 class having run just the one set of tyres for the first four hours of the race. #47 follows behind, chasing down for the top step in class with the Signatech Alpine car completing the provisional podium.

LMGTE Pro heated up in hour five as #51 AF Corse got up into first in class. #92 Porsche came under heavy pressure from original-pole sitter #71 as Ferrari tried to pull as many constructors points from Porsche as possible. But the Ferrari was compromised when LMP2-leading #26 over took the #71 as ‘traffic’ and left the Pro car no where to go but off the track. A relief for Porsche but some believe the behaviour of the LMP2 #26 car should be penalised. The Aston Martins have made no mark in LMGTE Pro today, leaving it to be a completely Porsche/Ferrari affair.

Dempsey Proton Racing #77 look to be getting closer and closer to their first WEC win as they continue to lead the class contently. The #96 Aston Martin lost positions, dropping from P3 to P5 as #83 and #88 push for better positions. Earl Bamber got into #88 towards the end of the hour, with clear intent to get the Abu Dhabi Proton Racing car up onto the podium.