Porsche Driving LeMans Race Coverage Article 14

6/14

11:35 pm PST

"Loses # 25 GT1 Car"

PORSCHE LEADS IN EVERY CATEGORY AT DAY BREAK, BUT LOSES # 25 GT1 CAR

By P. Michael Clarke

Day break can be the most difficult time of the race for drivers as the rays of the early morning sun hit tired eyes full force just above the horizon. Many drivers will tell you they cannot actually see the eastern corners for a few laps.

The dawn of daylight on Sunday morning was particularly difficult for Bob Wollek, driving the #25 works Porsche 911 GT1. He lost control of his car at the exit of the Arnage corner just before the Porsche Curves leading to the front straight. According to Yannick Dalmas, who was following Wollek at the time, he saw the #25 car exiting Arnage and running up close to a McLaren at the exit. “The McLaren was visibly slower than both of us and somewhat in the way. I saw Bob get sideways and then spin. But nothing more...I had to avoid him,” said a visibly shaken Dalmas.

Despite this setback, Porsche still leads in every category. First, in GT1, the Joest TWR Porsche Prototype has recently established two best laps in a row but is still a lap down on the 911 GT1 #26. The McLaren BMWs are keeping a tight pack, occupying the 4th, 5th, 6th and 9th positions, with the BMW works Team cars in 6th and 9th. The only other GT1 left running is the Panoz, which has soldiered on its own since the 12 hour mark and graced the night with its throaty 6 liter V-8 engine.

The Joest TWR Porsche is the only Prototype which has had a problem free race until now. All the other prototypes have spent a good amount of time in the pits for various repairs. The Ferrari 333SP is still running and Courage is well represented with 4 cars in the field. Meanwhile, Nissan has continued to drop through the field with only one car left in 20th place overall.

The GT2 class is still hotly contested, though. There have been several position in the pit area, following serious mechanical problems that have plagued one car after the other. Porsche is solidly in the lead of this category with a 14-lap advantage over its closest rival, the # 64 Chamberlain Engineering Chrysler Viper.

Weather update: the temperature is gradually getting warmer as day breaks...and the pace warming up as well. The latest forecast for today calls for variable skies and a very slight chance of precipitation.

6/14	11:35 pm PST	"Loses # 25 GT1 Car"
PORSCHE LEADS IN EVERY CATEGORY AT DAY BREAK, BUT LOSES # 25 GT1 CAR By P. Michael Clarke Day break can be the most difficult time of the race for drivers as the rays of the early morning sun hit tired eyes full force just above the horizon. Many drivers will tell you they cannot actually see the eastern corners for a few laps. The dawn of daylight on Sunday morning was particularly difficult for Bob Wollek, driving the #25 works Porsche 911 GT1. He lost control of his car at the exit of the Arnage corner just before the Porsche Curves leading to the front straight. According to Yannick Dalmas, who was following Wollek at the time, he saw the #25 car exiting Arnage and running up close to a McLaren at the exit. “The McLaren was visibly slower than both of us and somewhat in the way. I saw Bob get sideways and then spin. But nothing more...I had to avoid him,” said a visibly shaken Dalmas. Despite this setback, Porsche still leads in every category. First, in GT1, the Joest TWR Porsche Prototype has recently established two best laps in a row but is still a lap down on the 911 GT1 #26. The McLaren BMWs are keeping a tight pack, occupying the 4th, 5th, 6th and 9th positions, with the BMW works Team cars in 6th and 9th. The only other GT1 left running is the Panoz, which has soldiered on its own since the 12 hour mark and graced the night with its throaty 6 liter V-8 engine. The Joest TWR Porsche is the only Prototype which has had a problem free race until now. All the other prototypes have spent a good amount of time in the pits for various repairs. The Ferrari 333SP is still running and Courage is well represented with 4 cars in the field. Meanwhile, Nissan has continued to drop through the field with only one car left in 20th place overall. The GT2 class is still hotly contested, though. There have been several position in the pit area, following serious mechanical problems that have plagued one car after the other. Porsche is solidly in the lead of this category with a 14-lap advantage over its closest rival, the # 64 Chamberlain Engineering Chrysler Viper. Weather update: the temperature is gradually getting warmer as day breaks...and the pace warming up as well. The latest forecast for today calls for variable skies and a very slight chance of precipitation.