Wet Conditions Provides GTE Drama in First Half of Fuji Race

The wet weather certainly provided some dramatic racing action in both LMGTE classes with Ferrari leading in LMGTE Pro and Porsche leading in GTE Am at the halfway point of the 6 Hours of Fuji, Round 6 of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

A very wet track meant the race started behind the safety car.  Once the pitlane entry light went green many of the GTE cars opted to head into the pits to swap tyres to full wets. The no50 Larbre Corvette also swapped drivers, with Gianluca Roda jumping in to replace Paolo Ruberti, the car having started the race from the back of the grid following its post-qualifying scrutineering issues yesterday.  The safety car continued to circulate for nearly 40 minutes before the green flags were waved and racing began.

The no71 AF Corse Ferrari of James Calado pulled away from Toni Vilander in the no51 458 Italia, with the two Team Manthey Porsches keeping close to  Vilander.  

Victor Shaytar in the no72 SMP Ferrari lead the GTE Am grid down to the first corner but the Russian was soon facing some stiff opposition from the no83 AF Corse Ferrari of Emmanuel Collard and Stuart Hall in the no96 Aston Martin Racing Vantage. Collard got past the SMP Ferrari but Shaytar fought back and a close battle ensued.  

The two Ferraris were battling away but a small mistake opened the door for Hall to nip through and leapfrog both cars to take the class lead.  The English driver then opened a small gap to his rivals. 

Meanwhile, back at the front, Patrick Pilet in the no92 Team Manthey Porsche caught and passed the no51 Ferrari of Toni Vilander, quickly followed by Michael Christensen in the no91 sister Porsche. Christensen then got ahead of Pilet before mounting a challenge on Calado in the no71 Ferrari.  78 minutes into the race Christensen moved ahead of Calado to take the lead of the LMGTE Pro class and soon stretched his lead to over 13 seconds.

Patrick Dempsey in the no77 Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche had a spin but recovered well to hand the 911 RSR over to Marco Seefried in a strong position.  Seefried drove magnificently to move through the field and took the lead of the GTE Am class just before a Full Course Yellow was declared to recover the no43 Sard Morand Morgan which was stranded at Turn 1.  

The race went green again after four minutes and Seefried had a comfortable 84 second gap to the no96 Aston Martin of Francesco Castellacci and the no98 Vantage of Pedro Lamy.  Lamy was challenging his Aston Martin Racing teammate and moved ahead of the Italian at the Chicane as the third hour of the race was nearly complete.

At the top of the third hour the no51 AF Corse Ferrari of Toni Vilander was at the top of the sheets after the no91 Porsche went into the pits for a regular stop.  Richard Lietz rejoined in third behind the no92 Team Manthey Porsche with Patrick Pilet on board. 

RACE FACTS - 3 Hours

• 14:00:04 Drive through penalty for Toyota #1 for crossing pit entry line
• 13:58:21 Rebellion #12 leads privateer P1 class from #4 CLM and Rebellion #13
• 13:56:58 Porsche #77 leads GTE Am from Astons #98 and #96
• 13:55:45 Ferrari #51 leads GTE Pro from Porsches #92 and #91
• 13:54:40 Toyota #2 into pit garage with cooling system problem
• 13:53:48 In P2 Oreca #47 leads from Ligier #26 and Alpine #36
• 13:52:45 Porsche #18 leads by 52 secs from Audi #7 and Porsche #17 after 96 laps
• 13:42:54 Aston #98 takes 2nd in GTE Am from Aston #96
• 13:39:01 Rain reported at post 17
• 13:38:11 Toyota #2 puts wet tyres back on
• 13:37:37 Audi #7 takes 2nd from Porsche #17
• 13:35:31 Porsche #18 leads by 54 secs from #17 after pitstops, Audi #7 in 3rd 2 secs further back
• 13:33:08 Audi #8 has lost windscreen wiper
• 13:31:31 Dumas in Porsche #18 reported brake temperature problem
• 13:29:39 Green Flag again
• 13:27:10 Porsche #17 pits under yellow - Hartley in
• 13:25:25 Porsche #18 pits - Lieb in
• 13:24:38 Full course yellow
• 13:23:33 Morgan #43 in barrier at turn 1
• 13:22:14 Oreca #47 takes lead in P2 after Ligier #26 pits
• 13:19:58 Ligier #26 takes lead in P2
• 13:17:56 Jarvis in Audi #8 into pits - Di Grassi in
• 13:15:51 Audi #7 pits Lotterer in - slicks on car
• 13:12:30 Webber in Porsche #17 takes 2nd place from Audi #7 but then repasses
• 13:08:11 Dumas takes lead in Porsche #18 on lap 71 from Audi #7
• 13:07:13 20 second stop and go for Ferrari #72 for speeding in pitlane
• 13:04:04 Rebellion #12 leads CLM #4 and Rebellion #13 in P1 privateer class
• 13:02:38 In GTE Am Aston #96 leads from Ferraris #83 and #72
• 13:01:32 In GTE Pro Porsche #91 leads Ferrari #51 and Porsche #92
• 13:00:28 In P2 Alpine #36 leads Oreca #47 and Morgan #43
• 12:59:42 After 2 hours Audi #7 leads from Porsches #18 and #17
• 12:57:52 Webber in Porsche #17 now less than 10 seconds from the lead
• 12:54:56 Tandy takes 2nd in P2 in Oreca #47
• 12:50:33 Toyota #2 lapped by Audi #7
• 12:47:42 Aston #96 retakes lead in GTE Am after stop for Ferrari #83
• 12:40:36 Porsche #91 retakes lead in GTE Pro after stop for Aston #97
• 12:39:37 Ferrari #72 reported for speeding in pit lane
• 12:38:45 Aston #97 takes lead of GTE Pro
• 12:34:45 Tandy in leading P2 Oreca #47 goes off and loses lead to Alpine #36
• 12:30:48 Ferrari #83 now leads GTE Am
• 12:29:02 Porsche #91 stops from lead of GTE Pro - all cars have made first pit stop
• 12:27:04 Audi #7 leads by 6 secs after first round of pitstops from Porsche #18
• 12:23:19 Dumas pits and stays in Porsche #18
• 12:22:35 Webber pits in Porsche #17 and stays in
• 12:21:57 Spin for Porsche #88
• 12:20:16 Davidson now in Toyota #1 after pitting
• 12:19:14 Toyota #2 stops Sarrazin in
• 12:18:46 Leading Audi #7 pits
• 12:18:22 Porsche #91 takes lead in GTE Pro
• 12:17:29 Stop for Audi #8
• 12:15:01 Oreca #47 takes lead in P2
• 12:13:28 Drive through penalty for Rebellion #12 leader in privateer P1
• 12:10:29 Porsche #18 takes 2nd place from Audi #8
• 12:09:36 Ligier #30 stops Dalziel in - car now on inters
• 12:06:55 Spin for Dempsey in Porsche #77
• 12:04:56 Rain has stopped and sun coming out
• 12:00:31 Aston #96 leads GTE Am from #83 and #72 Ferraris
• 11:59:19 Ferrari #71 leads GTE Pro from #92 and #91 Porsches
• 11:58:19 In P2 Alpine #36 leads from Morgan #43 and Oreca #47
• 11:57:18 Audi #7 leads from Audi #8 and Porsche #18 in P1
• 11:53:36 Alpine #36 takes lead in P2
• 11:52:59 Audi #7 leads by 9 secs from Audi #8
• 11:51:37 1:33.574 fastest lap for Audi #7 
• 11:48:12 Aston #96 takes lead in GTE Am
• 11:46:47 35 second stop and go for #28 for speeding in pit lane
• 11:45:56 Rebellion #13 has rejoined 3 laps down
• 11:45:07 Ferrari #71 leads GTE Pro and Ferrari #72 leads GTE Am
• 11:43:53 Touch between Toyota #2 and Porsche #18 11:42:43 Porsches #18 and #17 in 5th and 6th
• 11:41:57 Morgan #43 leads P2
• 11:40:49 Audi #7 and #8 lead
• 11:40:04 Webber in #17 goes wide at turn 4
• 11:39:14 Green Flag
• 11:39:03 Safety car in at end of lap 17
• 11:38:23 Safety car instructed to go at full speed
• 11:36:59 Rebellion #13 pits with bodywork damage
• 11:34:38 Spin for Rebellion #13
• 11:30:55 Ligier #30 pits Sharp gets in
• 11:22:56 Many cars pitting for deeper grooved "super wet" tyres
• 11:22:21 Ligier #28 reported for speeding in pit lane
• 11:18:42 Aston #96 and #83 Ferrai into pits
• 11:16:28 Ferrari #72 into pits
• 11:15:19 Roda now in Corvette #50
• 11:13:53 Corvette #50 into pits
• 11:10:45 Rebellion #12 has dropped to 16th after spin and Porsche #88 in last after spin
• 11:03:59 Spin for Rebellion #12 and Porsche #88 but continue
• 11:01:53 All cars safely away
• 11:00:47 Green flag behind safety car
• 10:59:21 There will be no formation laps with race starting behind safety car