ELMS SILVERSTONE 3 HOURS

The 'support' race for the WEC tomorrow was a soggy one. The 23 cars started in intermittent rain with one or two spinners, even on the parade lap.

The LMPC No 47 Oreca of Alex Loan was tipped into a spin and into the wall bringing out the safety car. One or two cars had already stopped for full wets (No 43 Morand Morgan , No 18 Murphy Oreca and No 4 Boutsen Oreca) and when the safety car came in the remainder of the field stopped for wets (the pit lane having been closed under the safety car).  This put these 3 cars over a minute ahead of the rest of the field.

After 25 minutes No 43 Morgan of Frank Mailleux led No 18 Murphy Oreca of Brendan Hartley by 1 second from No 36 Signatech Alpine of Nelson Panciatici.

Hartley took the lead from Mailleux on lap 11.

Nick Tandy led GTE in No 77 Proton Porsche from No 53 Frankie Montecalvo in his Ferrari.

No 79 BMW driven by Andy Smith led GTC.

At 15.38 Hartley spun at Stowe and Mailleux took the lead, No 55 AF Corse Ferrari of Federico Leo also involved and hit barriers.

No 18 Murphy Oreca rejoins after losing 4 laps.

At 15.48 the Ferrari No 53 of Montecalvo took lead in GTE after a minor off for Nick Tandy.

Black flag for No 49 LMPC Oreca of Paul Loup Chatlin for a missing headlight.

At 15.54 the leader Mailleux hit the wall very hard at Stowe and the No 38 Jota Zytek of Oliver Turvey took the lead by 43 seconds.

At one hour Oliver Turvey’s Zytek leads the race, Montecalvo’s Ferrari leads GTE, Sohail Ayari in No 48 Oreca leads LMPC and in GTC the No 62 Ferrari of Lorenzo Case led.

At 16.06 No 3 Greaves Zytek of Michael Marsal hit the wall at Stowe – there is a lot of standing water at Stowe!

At 16.12 Nick Tandy’s Proton Porsche 997 No 77 retook the lead in GTE from Montecalvo.

At 16.13 No 39 DKR Lola driven by Olivier Porta goes off into the gravel at Club Corner.

The Platinum or Gold drivers can only drive up to 90 minutes so will have to change to Silver or Bronze drivers by 16.30 if they have not already changed.

At 16.19 No 36 Signatech Alpine of Pierre Ragues goes into the gravel at Club Corner.

At 16.22 No 65 GTC Momo Megatron Audi R8 LMS of Dylan Derdaele into gravel at Stowe.

At 16.26 safety car deployed in order to move No 65. No 1 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca of Jonathan Hirschi leads the race as Simon Dolan in 2^nd place No 38 Jota Zytek had pitted.

Safety car will stay out until rain eases off a bit as there is a lot of standing water.

No 65 GTC Audi R8 driven by Derdaele off again and has hit barriers at Stowe.

At 17.00 rain continues and safety car still out, in LMP2 No 1 Thiriet Oreca still leads, No 77 Proton Porsche leads GTE, No 48 TEC Oreca leads LMPC and No 79 Ecurie Ecosse BMW Z4 leads GTC.

At 17.02 No 1 Thiriet Oreca pits and No 38 Jota Zytek then takes the lead behind the safety car, No 34 Race Performance Oreca now second.

Race could end at 5.15 when 75% of distance complete (but doesn't!).

At 17.19 Red Flag and race stopped.

Results:

LMP2 1^st No 38 Jota Zytek, 2^nd No 34 RP Oreca ,3^rd No 1 Thiriet Oreca

GTE 1^ST No 77 Proton Porsche, 2^nd No 52 Ram Ferrari, 3^rd No 53 Ram Ferrari

LMPC 1^ST No 48 Oreca, 2^nd No 49 Oreca

GTC 1^ST No 79 Ecurie Ecosse BMW , 2^ND No 62 AF Corse Ferrari

Fastest Lap No 18 Murphy Prototypes Oreca driven by Brendon Hartley 2.08.869.