Full Course Yellows Throwing More Drama Into The Race

Nov 21, 2015
2 min read

Full Course Yellows started the hour and ended the hour, benefiting both Audi and Porsche respectively. Audi #7 took the first full course yellow, that came out to clear debris off the track, to jump into the pits and gain a free pit stop over the rest of the field; a tactic that Porsche has used in races in the past to win. #7 managed to get out and retain the lead but only just, coming straight under pressure from #18 Porsche. The Porsche managed to get into the lead after a fantastic battle with the Audi and was ahead by about ten seconds when #43 lost the car going into turn one, spinning into the barrier and bringing out another full course yellows. Toyota took advantage of the free pit stop, as did #18 and #7. With #18 doing a driver change they just about managed to get out ahead of Audi #7 and, with cold tyres, struggled to keep #7 behind on the restart. Toyota are very much looking at a podium at this moment, with #2 leading #1. This would see Alex Wurz getting a podium in his final professional race.

Sard Morand #43 had a big shunt to the barriers as he lost the car coming through turn one. He caught the barrier and spun the car round, knocking both side after something appeared to break on the front left of the car. The car managed to get moving again and limped back to the pits where the team managed to get the car back out of the pits and fixed in about five minutes. #47 still leads the LMP2 class with #36 in P2 and #26 in P3. #28 G-Drive is just behind their teammates in forth.

The status in the GTE Pro class was throw in the air as #71 lost the front left wheel at turn 14. The marshals managed to collect the wheel as the AF Corse driver pulled the car back to the pits and the team replaced another tyre on the car. However, because of the unplanned stop Porsche #91 managed to get ahead of the #71 Ferrari. This means that Porsche would end the race gaining thirty-seven points, with #92 still leading, and Ferrari would gain twenty-six. With only a five-point advantage at the moment #71 loosing his wheel has lost them the Constructor’s championship. If Porsche does win the title it would be a clean sweep for the Porsche team. The Am class now sees the Proton Porsche fight at the front of the class as #50 and #83 have dropped back in the class. #77 leads #88 as we head into hour five.

With two hours left there is still a lot of time for anything to happen. If Porsche #18 can keep Audi #7 behind then the points work that, from fifth position, #17 would win the title. However, if #7 gets ahead of #18, #17 would need to be forth to win the title, so the probability would be that Porsche would park #18 in the pits and not have it finish so that they would not be classified and #17 would be promoted to forth.