LM 24 Hour 2: Porsche leads Ferrari

Julien Andlauer’s early charge continued in the second hour of the race. The No. 5 Porsche Penske 963 is currently 5.1 seconds clear of the field, the Frenchman keeping the field at arm's length at this early stage.

Behind him, it’s all change. Nicklas Nielsen was the big mover of the hour. The No. 50 AF Corse Ferrari is up to second after the Dane’s efforts to fight to the front past Will Stevens and Kevin Estre.

The No. 50’s laptimes have been strong early courtesy of Nielsen’s efforts. But to this point, he hasn’t found a way to consistently better the pace of Andlauer.

Kevin Estre has made it two Porsche 963s in the top two in the No. 6, and is lapping just ahead of a train of Cadillacs.

Hertz Team JOTA’s front-row lockout seems like a distant memory already, as Jack Aitken is now leading the GM charge in the No. 311 V-Series.R from Action Express. Will Stevens is down to fifth in the No. 12 pole-sitting Caddy, running in formation ahead of Earl Bamber in the sister car.

The best of the Toyotas is next in seventh, with Sebastien Buemi seventh and looking to make up ground.

It’s been a quiet race so far for BMW Team WRT, but there are signs that things could change. Rene Rast is eighth and just 21 seconds off the leader aboard the No. 20, and Dries Vanthoor in the No. 15, down in 11th, set the fastest lap of the race on lap 29, a 3:27.936.

LMP2 is still being headed by Inter Europol and Tom Dillmann. Behind it is Giorgio Roda in the No. 11 Proton example that sits second and leads Pro/Am. RLR M Sport’s strong start to the race has continued, with Patrick Pilet completing the top three.

LMGT3 is currently led by BMW Team WRT’s No. 46 BMW of Ahmad Al Harthy. With the entire field of Bronze-rated drivers currently in there there has been plenty of shuffling in the pack.

During the hour, the Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin shone. The Swiss team found itself leading for much of the stint as Valentin Hasse Clot – a Gold – ran to the lead and pulled away before the team swapped him out for Derek Deboer, who now finds himself 10th after the car became the first to pit for a third time.

The top three in the class were completed by Arnold Robin in the No. 78 AKKODIS ASP Lexus and the No. 77 Proton Ford Mustang of Bernardo Sousa as the second hour ended.

There was one key incident in the hour. The No. 21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari ended up looping round at Indianapolis after Francois Heriau ran side-by-side with Iron Dames' Celia Martin and lost the rear. There was no contact.

HOUR 2 STANDINGS