Joest/Porsche First In Class After 7 Hours.

By P. Michael Clarke

Once again, it seems Reinhold Joest, "Mr. Le Mans," has prepared two impeccable racing machines and has indeed devised a strategy which works. The Porsche factory teams continue to run a consistent race while benefiting from mishaps by competitors to secure the first two places in the LMP1 category. As James Weaver got out of his LMP1 racecar # 8, he was complimentary about the handling of the car, which had started the race with a bit of understeer but is now behaving very neutrally. It is very easy to drive, which is of paramount importance when participating in an endurance race such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The turn-around came on lap 60, when the leading LMP1 BMW V12 came into the pits with serious vibrations on both axles. The team later determined that the vibration resulted from deteriorating wheel bearings, which had caused the downfall of the other BMW car a few laps earlier. The duel everyone expected between the two German manufacturers will evidently not happen, which is clearly disappointing for the show. The Willians engineering BMW prototype had shown a lot of promise and was fully expected to battle to the finish.

Meanwhile in the GT1 category, the Porsches continue to run two, three like clockwork. GT1 driver Jorg Muller was very impressed with the car upon finishing one of his shifts, saying the car was very easy to drive and that the drivers were actually able to take it easy with the machinery. He was cautiously optimistic that the car will make to the finish, adding that the race was, after all, only 7 hours old. The two Porsche GT1s are running within seconds of each other, somewhat like last year at this time. The pace is more reasonable though, with drivers posting times in the 3:46 range compared to their qualifying times of 3:38.

In the GT2 category, Porsche actually took the lead from Chrysler for a brief period of time, owing to sound driving as well as better fuel economy...if one can say that in motorsports. The Vipers are faster but hungrier, which might prove to be their downfall. The Porsche 911 GT2 piloted by the team of Hurtgen/Logonnet/Nearn is currently two minutes behind the leading Viper driven by Bell/Donahue/Drudi. Third place, also claimed at the moment by a Viper, is a couple of laps back of the leaders.