Hour 2: Audi Take Lead at the Top of the Hour in Japan
The second hour of the 6 Hours of Fuji saw the nr1 Audi take the lead of the race from the nr7 Toyota TS030 at Turn 16 as the clock counted down to 120-minutes elapsed. Treluyer saw an opening at the final corner on lap 79 after Lapierre tangled with the GTE leading nr 77 Porsche of Richard Lietz and dived down the inside to move ahead of the Toyota. The nr 2 Audi R18 e-tron of Tom Kristensen was a further 50 seconds behind the two leaders, each car having completed two pitstops.
The nr12 Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota ended the second hour where it began at the end of the first with Nicolas Prost 25 seconds ahead of the JRM HPD-Honda of Peter Dumbreck.
While Japanese fans were cheering the leading Toyota, they also had the nr25 ADR Delta Oreca Nissan of Shinji Nakano out in front of the LMP2 class. The Japanese driver took over from John Martin and continued to build on the Australian’s healthy lead, with the hour ending with a 19 second gap to the nr24 Oak Racing Morgan of Matthieu Lahaye and the nr32 Lotus of James Rossiter.
The GTE Pro lead changed hands, with the nr77 Felbermayr Porsche of Richard Lietz moving ahead of the nr51 AF Corse of Giancarlo Fisichella. Darren Turner in the nr97 AMR Aston Martin Vantage was 13 seconds behind the Ferrari, with Fisichella also 13 seconds behind the class leader.
The nr50 Larbre Competition Corvette of Julien Canal finished the hour at the top of the GTE Am class over a lap ahead of the nr57 Krohn Racing Ferrari 458 of Tracy Krohn.
Track Data
Air t° :19.8°C
Track t° :19.4°C
Wind :W at 1.6 kph
Humidity :61%
Michelin Green X Challenge Top 3 at the end of Hour 2
2-1-57
RACE FACTS – HOUR 2
12:05:55 : Leader in LM GTE Pro #51 Ferrari into pitlane for fuel and tyres and driver change - Bruni out and Fisichella in
12:07:33 : Fastest lap of race for Lotterer in #1 Audi 1:28.764
12:12:55 : #77 Porsche last of GTE Pro cars to pit - Krohn Racing Ferrari #57 last car to stop in GTE Am
12:15:26 : Lotterer in #1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro is closing the gap to under 16 seconds to Wurz in leading Toyota #7
12:18:07 : After the first round of pit stops for GTE - AF Corse Ferrari #51 leads the Pro class and Larbre Corvette #50 heads up the Am field
12:20:44 : Lietz in Porsche #77 takes GTE Pro lead from #51 Ferrari
12:23:41 : Gap between leading #7 Toyota and #1 Audi now closed to under 12 seconds
12:29:42 : Nic Minassian has now worked his way up to 2nd in LMP2 in the Pecom Racing #49 - 13 seconds behind leader #25 ADR Delta
12:32:21 : Damage seen to left rear bodywork of #22 JRM HPD
12:36:12 : Lotterer in #1 Audi continues to reel-in Wurz in #7 Toyota - gap down to under 8 seconds - #7 expected to pit soon.
12:38:14 : Totota #7 pit stop - Fuel, tyres and driver change - Lapierre in
12:44:04 : Lahaye in Oak Racing #24 Morgan Nissan takes 3rd place in LMP2 from Championship leaders #44 Starworks HPD
12:49:03 : Tom Kristensen stays out an extra lap in #2 Audi and temporarily takes lead. Now in pitlane for fuel and tyres.
12:51:46 : After three leading cars have pitted, the gap between leading Toyota #7 and Audi #1 is down to under 4 seconds.
12:54:46 : Approaching the end of the second hour, the #77 Felbermayr Proton Porsche leads LM GTE Pro and the Larbre Corvette #50 leads LM GTE Am
12:57:25 : Fastest lap for Treluyer in #1 Audi - 1:28.692 while chasing Lapierre in the #7 Toyota
13:00:54 : Audi #1 takes the lead as #7 Toyota tangles with #77 Porsche
