Live Updates
Saturday 21:00hrs-22:00hrs
By: Jock Simpson and Mathew Coutard

21:00 hrs #56, #19 & #63 all pit, all routine stuff.
.
#15 Chrysler comes out from pits.

#8 Bentley routine stop.

21:03 #77 Friesinger Porsche routine stop.

#5 Cadillac is now officially out of the race after its accident .. We hope Marc is OK.

21:06 #74 Porsche straight on at Arnage, rejoined no apparent damage.

#12 Panoz out of garage at last and back on the track .. I wonder how long for!

21.07 #6 Cadillac into pits routine stop.

Ascari #21 into gravel at Tertre Rouge not sure if it is out again yet.

21:10 #17 Pescarolo Courage routine stop.

21:12 #10 Danish Dome in for routine stop

21:13 #9 Racing for Holland Dome in for routine stuff.

Still Audi #1, #2.#3 … just as last year they are trying to make it easy for us!

21:17 #74 .. The Porsche that went straight one at Arnage is in but has been there a while so there must have been a bit of damage.

In the true do or die spirit of Le Mans two mechanics on scooters have set off to look at the broken Bentley and offer advice to Guy as to how to get it back to the pits .. .. Wouldn't it be heroic if it got back, got mended and went on to win!

21:19 #83 Porsche routine stop

21:26 ' Good evening Sir … Just the usual routine service for your Audi?' #3 Out again in third .

The steady flow of routine pit work goes in but #61 and #19 have both been in the pits six minutes, which is a bit long for normal stuff.

21:26 #17 Pescarolo thunders off up the escape road at Dunlop Chicane and rejoins us in a hail of gravel!

21:30 #14 Chrysler longish stop.

#20 comes out again to play.
Then #63 & #36 pit, no dramas all looks fine.
#36 back out.

21:34 Sadly we hear that the MG #34 has officially been withdrawn .. it has a fatal oil pressure problem. The end of a rapid and impressive run .. A cracking debut.

21:35 #76 PK Sport Porsche does a series of long spins at Playstation Chicane and goes out of shot of the TV cameras .. but we think (hope!) it might have missed everything (highly skilful bit of driving by Mike Youles)

#14 Chrysler has ignition problems and is currently hiding in the garage while they sort it all out.

21:37 #1 Audi is in for fuel, tyres and driver change and back out Pirro at the wheel.

#62 Saleen in for routine stop

The Playstation Chicane is badly flooded and cars are putting up massive rooster tails of spray just like powerboats..

#76 PK Sport Porsche didn't miss everything unfortunately.. The front end is looking a bit second hand. They are refuelling it and taking it into the garage for first aid and a nose job. It looks a bit more serious than we thought but it should be repairable given time. (Later heard that the rebuild took just 42 mins)

#62 out again

21:42 #15 Chrysler spins at Hunaudieres ..

MG #33 in the pits and then into the garage for more serious attention

It is pouring with rain again .. conditions are still frightful.

#6 Cadillac has had problems with its lights and will venture out again soon. Ironic because they have those high tech wonder lighting system that allow you to see miles in the dark…?!

21:45 #75 Porsche in pits routine.

#71 Porsche has been in eight minutes sorting out damage done in spin at Hunaudieres.

21:47 #11 Panoz pits and into garage …

21 51 #30 spins at Dunlop Chicane

#55 Viper spins at Tertre Rouge

21:51 #17 Pescarolo has a huge gravel ridden spin into gravel traps at Dunlop

#2 Audi routine stop.

We hear that Marc Goosens is fine. The original damage to the car is what caused it to go straight on at Arnage where it hit wall.

21:53 #11 Out of pits after fixing rear lights.

#79 Porsche comes in

#17 'de gravelled' but now short of headlights

21:55 #15 Chrysler into garage.

#33 MG poked its nose out for a moment and went back into the garage!

#10 Dome into garage.

Bit of a worry here the #33 MG wouldn't fire up, the car is full of water and has a serious misfire.

Butch Leitzinger is putting in some very fast laps in the Bentley.

Ian MacKellar (# 62) freely admits that it is appalling out there … he also freely admits he all but sh*t himself out there … !! (I know Ian well and it takes a lot to frighten him!)

Positions at 22:00 hrs
1.2.3.8.17.15.16.38.64.33.63.20.14.83.77.36.6.70.75.62.80.82.60.74.9.72.76.55.79.21.30.10.19.11.12.58.56.71.32.18.

Casualty list at 22:00 hrs … are you sitting comfortably? Then I will begin :-
17:12 #35 Rowan Racing Pilbeam .. accident
18:40 #57 FFSA Blue Viper ..in the same orginal wet accident
20:05 #4 Johansson Gulf Audi … electrical problems
20:47 #5 DAMS Cadillac hit tyres at Arnage
20:47 #37 Dick Barbour Reynard also in that original accident but took time trying to mend it.
20:47 #61 Konrad Motorsport Saleen… spin at Tertre Rouge
21:31 #34 MG broken engine oil ,pressure problem
21:37 #7 Bentley caught fire and retired

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