By: Jock Simpson
The sun is bursting through from time to time, no chance of rain we are told for this final chunk of motorsport. With 'only' a thousand or so kilometres to go and surprisingly few 'walking wounded' we are set for an intriguing and possibly tactical finale.
Officially there are now 27 cars running.
With JJ Lehto limping home and a large patch of burnt grass where the #17 BMW had been standing the 1999 Le Mans won't be seeing that car again. That clockwork BMW has come unwound.
So any thoughts that this race was going to end peacefully have just expired in spectacular fashion. This will put the pressure on the #15 car to hold off the Japanese Toyota #3 challenge. There is a 1:25.4 second gap and four hours to go. The Toyota is on a charge, which will no doubt be a carefully structured tactical assault .. not too fast .. not too risky ... just softly, softly, keeping the pressure on the #15 BMW and maybe in the last hour take the lead.
We bet there are some very pumped up people in the Toyota pit.
Maybe in an attempt to make it look a little harder than it is the Oreca Vipers are now running as #51, #53 and #52 ... the excitement is unbearable! Incidentally the 996 GT3 is now leading 'the rest' ahead of the pukka GT2 cars.
#3 Toyota into the pits, totally routine ...
BMW tell us that the V12 engine is rather more economical than its rivals, which is why we are trying to get to grips with the tactics ...
#18 is still in the pits, rapidly losing its buffer and not closing on the #8 Audi. This is apparently a new clutch project.
Justin Bell is in the #52 Viper and he is wringing its neck! It is by far the fastest Viper on the track at present by some margin, he is doing 3.59.1 secs and the leading Viper #51 has done 1.4:02 secs. This is the only way that they will be able to recover the time spent changing the gearbox.
The #3 Toyota is quicker than the BMW at present. The best BMW lap was a 3.38:34 and the Japanese in the #3 have banged in 3.36.453, so we have to assume that at the moment the Toyota is the quicker car. However, all weekend the BMW pit work has been of the highest order, better than the Toyota lads who are not too shabby! So will the Toyota be quick enough?
Talking of times and tactics, the amazing Porsche 996 GT3 is ever so frugal, well relatively 'ever so frugal' compared with say a Viper! The Vipers have to pit every 75 minutes or so, the Porsche can stay out for an hour and twenty minutes. They may be blindingly quick but they are spending lots of time in the pits.
#15 in the pits. Martini hands over to Dalmas, routine stop for tyres and refuelling, plus a bit of sticky tape on the front of the car, might it have fallen off the #17 car?
No heroic quick laps showing at the moment, the muggy warm weather isn't helping.
#17 car has suspension damage; the wheels are pointing all squinty. It seems JJ hit the barriers all on his own with no help from his fellow competitors.
It is worth bearing in mind that the Toyota is currently the fastest car on the track, but has the BMW actually had to work all that hard while the #17 car was leading?
Audi might be beginning to pinch themselves and realise that despite a very troubled race they have cars sitting 3rd and 4th. This is brilliant for your first ever Le Mans.
We have a problem ... nobody seems to have noticed that the #53 Viper is sitting beside the track. Either we missed Radio Le Mans and the television or maybe they have missed it as well. We will study the timing screens.
#11 Panoz in pits, routine stop, the car was lying 11th.
#14 Courage pits. Pescarolo hands over to Ferte.
At 13:00 hrs
#15, #3, #8, #7, #18, #21, #13, #12, #51, #14, #11, #52, #81, #56, #50, #53, #55, #54, #80, #64, #84, #62, #57, #26, #65In this world of computing and putting men on the moon, the computer screen here is always a bit behind what we see and hear live ... also cars remain on the screens until they are formally withdrawn. Confusing but not our fault, so don't e-mail us.
#12 Panoz pits
BMW PR tell us that JJ Lehto's accident was a mechanical failure not driver error.
The Toyota with Suzuki at the controls is flying with full tanks. He has just put in a 3.36.104 as opposed to the BMW best lap of 3.38.345.
Thomas Bscher, Soper and Auberlen are 4th, a great effort from this privateer team. Mind you they are under pressure from #7 Audi.
#21 Nissan may be in trouble.
Konrad #64 had a stop/go penalty, maybe smacked wrists after spinning off and generally getting in the way.
#15 pits to order, big load of fuel ... this is an 'additional' stop to allow both teams three pit stops ... remember that BMW turn the car round quicker than Toyota, usually! Boy!
This could be a heck of finish.
GTS is still led by #51, # 52, #56, #50, #55. The leading Viper #51 is 9th overall. The #81 GT3 Porsche is 13th overall. We have lost Viper #53, the circumstances remain unclear.
Additional casualties to date :
#10 gear lever jammed
#17 crashed
#26 engine ?
#53 Viper out on the circuit
#63 Engine or turbo failure
The Toyota is still eating into the BMW lead. It is down to 46.635 secs and the Toyota remains the fastest car out there, but thirstier than the BMW and the BMW pit stops tend to be quicker ... uummmm... tasty! Suzuki is relishing this challenge and has just banged in yet another fastest lap for that car ... and the gap drops to 42.434 secs.