Sunday, July 26, 2009

Total 24 hour of Spa latest

Total 24 hour of Spa latest


Spa 24hr
Around 9pm the no 4 PK Carsport Corvette had a spin at turn 19, Menten was able to continue but the incident handed the lead to Stephane Sarrazin.  Menten was able to catch the leader but then had a long stop which allowed the no 3 SRT Corvette to regain second place.

As a result of changing engines the no 40 Marc VDS Racing Ford GT had to make a 30 second stop and go penalty on lap 118.
 
The no 117 PMB Motorsport Porsche was going slowly on track as a result of a puncture, the team changed all four tyres. 
 
The leader of GT2 the no 70 IMSA Porsche spun at turn 12 and was able to continue but came into the pits with significant front damage.  This allowed the no 50 AF Corse Ferrari to go into the lead ahead of the no 51 Ferrari and third was the Prospeed Porsche with Collard driving.
 
The no 11 Saleen needed a long stay in the pits to replace the front splitter.  The no 35 Nissan GT-R was forced to go into its garage to check brake vibrations. 
 
Positions have also changed in GT2 with Companc taking the lead with Barba Lopez second.  The no 120 Rossa Corse Ferrari went into the garage with electrical problems.
 
With the Spa circuit now in darkness the no 4 PK Corvette was leading by ten seconds ahead of the no 1 Vitaphone Maserati with the no 3 Corvette third.
 
The two AF Corse cars are leading GT2 ahead of Brixia's Porsche.  Matech leads G3 with the no 121 Ford GT ahead of the no 123 Muhlner Motorsport Porsche and the second Ford GT.

hour 7 report
 
With a quarter of the race already run the no 4 PK racing Corvette led for most of the hour, briefly handing the lead over to no 1 for a pit stop.  when the Masertai pitted the lead was handed back to the corvette.  Negrao in the Maserati managed to close the gap and on lap 159 found a way around the Corvette to go into the lead. The no 3 SRT Corvette is in third.
 
As the cars make their pit stops the positions in GT2 keep changing between the sister cars of AF Corse Ferrari and the no 97 Brixia Racing Porsche.
 
The no 111 Audi is leading the G2 class and is running sixth overall, its lead is 14 laps. 
 
The no 11 Full Speed Racing Saleen S7 retired at Pouhon as a result of a fuel pressure problem. 
 
The Rosso Corsa Ferrari was able to rejoin the race after the team had been trying to resolve an electrical problem.

hour 8
The battle for the lead of Total 24 hours of Spa continues.  The no 1 Maserati had contact with the no 60 Prospeed Porsche at the Bus Stop, the Porsche headed to the pits for repair to the right rear, while the Maserati was able to continue. 
 
The Maseratis were posting some blistering lap times but Oliver Gavin was even quicker in his no 3 Corvette and was only 0.4 s off the race's fastest lap.  The pace was enough to leap frog the Corvette into the lead of the race. 
 
There was high drama for the other classes.  The no 77 BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari slowed, losing fluid as it limped back to the pits.  Then the no 97 Brixia Racing Porsche spun but continued at La Source.
 
The no 61 Prospeed Porsche spun and continued at the Bus Stop.  All this allowed the no 56 CRS Ferrari up to fourth and the no 59 Trackspeed Porsche to fifth.  G2 continues to be led by the no 111 Phoenix Audi and the 121 Matech Ford GT is up to thirteenth and has a three lap lead over its nearest G3 competitor.
 
hour 9
As midnight struck so did disaster for the no 1 Maserati when the car left the track at turn 12 and struck the barriers.  Andrea Bertolini struggled to get the car back to the pits with front and rear damage and a tyre hanging off the rim.  As a result Bertolini lost second place to the the Corvette of Mike Hezemans.  The Maserati also suffered damage to the front suspension and axle and the car was in the pits for a long time.  The barriers were damaged so yellow flags were displayed at that part of the track.  Oliver Gavin led the race from Mike Hezemans.
 
The no 117 PMB Motorsport Porsche stopped on the exit of the pit lane with a gearbox problem which forced the car to retire. 
 
There was contact between the fourth placed no 33 Maserati of Alessandro Pier Guidi and the no 124 Muehlner Motorsport Porsche of Rene Bordeaux.  The Porsche moved off slowly with the Maserati returning to the pits with front end damage.
 
Just before 1am the no 40 Marc VDS Ford GT of Bas Leinders hit the tyre wall at Rivage and as a result the safety car was deployed.  At 1am the Maserati no 1 is still in the pits, Oliver Gavin leads under the safety car.


Hour ten report
 
The tenth hour of the Total 24 Hours of Spa was spent behind the safety car as the barriers at Fagnes needed to be repaired.  Oliver Gavin leads the race from Mike Hezemans, both drivers are the only two on the lead lap.
 
The Vitaphone team are working hard to replace the pedal box in the no 1 Maserati.
 
In G3 leader no 121 Matech GT Racing Ford GT driven by Maxime Martin came into the pits to replace brake pads and disks. 
 
The no 99 JMB Racing Ferrari F430 retired with a broken radiator.
 
Just before the end of the hour the hour the safety car came in.
 
 Hour eleven report
 
Although driving through the night the GT1 cars were posting times similar to those during the day.  Locked in a fight for the lead were no 3 SRT Corvette, no 4 PK Racing Corvette and no 2 Vitaphone Maserati.
 
In chasing down the Corvettes, Pedro Lamy set his car's fastest lap of the race.  Half way through and with already 1,600 kilometres covered only two seconds separated the three cars.
 
The Corvettes traded places when Mike Hezemans got past the no 4 Corvette to go into the lead.  The very next lap Hezemans came into the pits , handing the lead over to Lamy after Gavin lost ten seconds in the first sector.  Lamy then came in for his stop and Gavin regained the lead on lap 239.  That was three lead changes in three laps.
 
Lead order no 4, no3 and then no 2.
 
In GT2 the top positions remained static, the no 51 AF Corse Ferrari F430 leading the sister car no 50 by 30 seconds with the no 97 Brixia Racing Porsche two laps behind.
 
The G3 leader, no 111 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS is now fifth overall and continues to steam ahead in its class with a 17 lap advantage.
 
The no 121 Matech Ford GT continues to lead G3 ahead of the sister car no 122.


Hour twelve report
 
During this period the no 1 Vitaphone Maserati was able to rejoin the race, although now 65 laps down.  The top three cars remain close with the no 2 Maserati moving ahead of the no 3 Corvette on lap 262.  Hezemans, Lamy and Gavin were all posting 2:17s.
 
On lap 266 both the no 2 and no 3 cars pitted, with Muller taking over the Maserati while Longin took over the Corvette. 
 
The two GT2 leaders, the no 51 and 50 AF Corse Ferrari F430 GT2 cars pitted at the same time, Cadei taking the wheel of the leading Ferrari.
 
The leading Corvette pitted and Hezemans continued at the wheel.
 
The no 40 Marc VDS Racing Ford GT spun and rejoined at turn 7, before returning to the pits with more gearbox problems.
 
On lap 265 the no 70 IMSA Porsche went into the gravel at turn 8 but managed to continue.  The car was lying 25th and some 34 laps down after a long pit stop to repair damage.
 
The safety car was deployed for a short time after the no 124 Muhlner Motorsport stopped on the track.
 
 Hour thirteen report
 
The safety car pulled in at the end of lap 274 and had bunched up the leading three cars. 
 
The leading Porsche in GT2 came in to change brake discs and pads on lap 273 and with the no 51 Ferrari coming into the pits for brake pads and more oil the no 50 Ferrari was able to go into the lead and is sixth overall.
 
Fastest lap of the race was set by Anthony Kumpen on lap 276 with a time of 2:16.778.  He improved again two laps later posting 2:16.462.  Kumpen was followed by Soulet in the no 3 Corvette with Alex Muller in the no 2 Maserati.
 
On lap 282 the leaders were only separated by one second.  Muller was able to pass Soulet to move into second position in the no 2 Maserati.  Drama followed for Maserati as the no 33 Maserati spun at turn one, La Source with Stephane Lemeret driving.  The car was able to continue.
 
Behind the leading trio Anthony Davidson is in forth place driving the no 35 Nissan GT-R, nine laps down.  In fifth place the G2 car, the Phoenix Audi R8 driven by Henri Moser is on the same lap as the Nissan.  Two laps behind is the leading GT2 car, no 50 Ferrari driven by Gimmi Bruni.  In 12th position overall is the leading G3 car, the Matech GT Racing Ford GT, Marc Hennerici is driving.  The team's second car, the all Brazilian crew is second in class.

Hour 14 report
 
As dawn broke at the Spa Francorchamps circuit it seems as though we have seen the last of the rain as the skies are clear and blue and it looks to be a beautiful day.
 
Just at the start of the hour the no 4 PK Carsport driven by Kumpen had a fire at the front left side.  The car pitted on lap 296, everything was fine as it was just some loose rubber from the tyres.  Menten took over the wheel.  All three leading cars pitted at the same time.
 
The no 2 Maserati stalled on the exit and lost time but was able to take the lead of the race on lap 297 with Alex Muller driving. 
 
The no 122 car came into the pits with engine problems and the barke pads needed changing too.  This meant they lost second position in class and later retired.  The no 172 Barwell Motorsport Aston Martin moved up to second in class with the no 123 Muhlner Motorsport in third.
 
On lap 198 Alex Muller posted the fastest time with a lap of 2:16.067.
 
The no 145 First Motorsport Porsche had a spin on lap 305, pitting five laps later the car was able to continue.
 
The no 33 Vitaphone Maserati being driven by Rosenblad went into the gravel at turn 13 but was able to rejoin.  The car has dropped to 8th overall.
 
The Jetalliance no 116 Porsche came in for a battery change as well as a new front splitter.
 
As the hour closed Alex Muller is leading the two Corvettes of Menten and Soulet.
 
The G2 leader, the Phoenix Audi remains in fifth.  The no 50 Ferrari still leads its sister car no 51 with the no 97 Brixia Porsche third.  Matech GT Racing continues to lead the G3 class with their Ford GT.
 
 Hour fifteen report
 
Drama for Ferrari at the start of this hour when the no 50 AF Corse car spun at turn 18.  The car continued in the lead and the wheel was handed over to 2006 Champion Jaime Melo.  The no 77 BMS Ferrari needed to pit so work could be carried out on the gearbox, pads changed and rear brakes too.  It rejoined the race on lap 325.   
 
On lap 323 there was contact between the no 97 Brixia Porsche and the no 121 Matech Ford GT, both cars were able to continue.
 
The two leading cars changed drivers on lap 323, Pedro Lamy taking over from Alex Muller in the no 2 Maserati, while Oliver Gavin took over the no 3 Corvette from Soulet.
 
Marcel Fassler set the fastest time in G2 with a time of 2:21.347.  He knocked a further two tenths off that time two laps later. 
 
The no 116 Jetalliance Porsche pitted with peculiar noises, the stop meant that the no 110 G&A Racing Mosler moved into second in the G2 class.
 
Car no 120 needs a new floor after coming into the pits smoking heavily.  The car also suffered a damaged radiator and a overheated engine but rejoined the race at 6.44 am.
 
In GT2 car no 51 retired with a broken gear box while running second in the class after stopping at the pit exit. 
 
The Nissan GT-R came into the pits on lap 335 while lying fourth overall and only ten laps behind the leading Maserati.  Checks were carried out on the car before Darren turner took the wheel and rejoined at 7am.
 
Lamy is leading the race in the no 2 Maserati ten seconds ahead of Oliver Gavin in the no 3 Corvette who is 11 seconds ahead of Menten in the no 4 Corvette.
 
After the Nissans long stop the G2 leading Phoenix Audi is now up to fourth overall, with the GT2 leading AF Corse Ferrari fifth overall.  With the retiement of the no 51 Ferrari, the no 56 CRS Ferrari moved up to second in GT2, with the no 97 Brixia Porsche in third.
 
Matech still leads G3 ahead of no 172 Barwell Aston Martin DBRS9 and the no 123 Muhlner Motorsport Porsche. by Melissa Warren

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