Wat verwarring:
http://www.lemans.org/2003/24auto/pa...ments_fr.shtml
Belgen zoeken elkaar op, David & marc: 9 en 10 / Michel Neugarten en Vanina: ook vlak achter elkaar....
verslag:
Hour 5
Did you expect any change in the 900 / GTP class? Smith and Blundell are at the wheel of the Bentleys, which apart from the Brabham headrest coming loose, have performed immaculately. So have the surviving Audis.
Seiji Ara took over the Goh Audi at 20.40 for his first turn at the wheel, and John Bosch did the same in the #15 RfH Dome. #5 has had its nose changed. These five are dominating the top group. Janos will provide an overall view at the end of this hourly report. The Audis, on new rubber, Pirro having his first run in the Champion car, are now both performing at more or less Bentley pace.
The Bucknum Pilbeam is stopped out on the track, near the end of the fifth hour.
Frank Biela, on that retirement: “I’m just so upset for the team. The reserve light came on and the team told me to pit the next lap. But coming out of the Porsche Corners, a Panoz was in front of me and also through the fast Esses.
“I was trying to keep my momentum and attempted to pass him on the left side but I was surprised by his acceleration and found myself baulked as the Panoz was beside me and I couldn’t turn across to the pit-lane which meant I had to start another lap.
“I knew it would be almost impossible to get around and the car started ‘coughing’. I had to park it and then I tried to get it back to the pits using the starter but it was impossible. I’m devastated.”
The delayed #50 Corvette has now found its way by the lead battle in GT into the top 20 at 20:05 and just a minute or so behind the Konrad Saleen , 6th in GTS. By the top of the hour the gap to the Saleen is down to just 20 seconds.
A problem (unknown at present) for the #72 Luc Alphand Ferrari allows the #53 Corvette back up to third in class, 14th overall.
20:40 and Kelvin Burt in the #80 550 inherits the GTS lead as Jamie Davies hits trouble in the #88 Ferrari, a top up of coolant apparently required. A two minute pitstop and Davies returns to the fray 20 seconds behind his team mate. Freon, now behind the wheel of the #53 Vette is closing in on the LMP900 Durango for 14th place overall as he continues to pressurise the Prodrive duo ahead.
The problem for the #93 AJR Porsche evidently was cured at the second time of asking, Lucas Luhr now lapping very rapidly and closing the gap to Timo Bernhard in the class leading Racers Group car 90 seconds ahead at 20:15.
Marc Lieb is still closing in on Mowlem, the Orbit car now fully back up to speed and lapping at a similar pace to Luhr .
20:35 and it’s the Racers Group turn for a problem, Timo Bernhard reporting a slipping clutch. The team are opting for a change of clutch which will drop the car out of the battle for the lead - for now.
Marc Lieb is in a position to take full advantage, the young German having passed Mowlem for fourth in class now grabs third as a result of the Racers Group’s misfortune.
The JMB Ferrari 360 pits out of sequence for attention to a loose rear diffuser allowing Mike Jordan in the #92 TVR to draw much closer, now just 12 seconds behind the Ferrari in a growing battle for 6th in class. The Ferrari though has the legs on the TVR and the gap grows to 20 seconds by the top of the hour.
20:55 and the Orbit car pits and goes into the garage, Mowlem will grab back the fourth in class by the top of the hour. It’s a left front radiator change for the #87 car (10-11 minutes).