The curse of endurance racing
The FIA WEC endurance race at Le Mans is well underway, with teams battling it out for the top spot in the 24-hour race. At 08:56, the #7 Toyota made a pit stop under the safety car, taking the opportunity for a full service with new tires and a driver swap. Kamui Kobayashi took over from Nyck de Vries, and they rejoined the track behind the B Safety Car. The top three teams, including the #6 Porsche, and the #8 and #7 Toyota, are separated by mere seconds behind the safety car at 08:48. However, the #2 Cadillac is trailing more than two minutes behind, along with the #5 Porsche, #83 Ferrari, and #50 Ferrari.
Pit stops under the safety car were initiated by the #50 and #83 Ferrari at 08:43, kickstarting a series of pit stops. It’s important to note that cars are not allowed to rejoin the track under safety car conditions and must wait for the next safety car to pass. An unfortunate incident occurred at 08:36 when the #27 LMGT3 hit the tire barrier near Indianapolis, flipping the car and leaving it upside down on the track. Despite the scary scene, driver Daniel Mancinelli was able to exit the car unharmed.
The #7 Toyota is currently holding onto third place at 08:33, with the #50 and #83 Ferrari right on their tail, looking for an opportunity to overtake. After the pit stops, the #6 Porsche is leading by 18 seconds, while the #8 Toyota in second place is slowly closing the gap. The #4 Porsche found themselves in trouble at 08:17 when Felipe Nasr lost control, hitting the barrier and ending up stranded in the gravel pit. This incident resulted in a slow zone and ultimately spelled the end for the team.
The race saw the first cars coming in for slicks at 08:15, with the race-leading #8 Toyota among them. The gap between the #6 Porsche and the leading Toyota narrowed to less than three seconds at 08:14, but the Toyota started to stretch the lead once again. The current order of the race at 08:10 is as follows: 1. #8 Toyota 2. #6 Porsche 3. #50 Ferrari 4. #83 Ferrari 5. #2 Cadillac 6. #5 Porsche 7. #51 Ferrari 8. #12 Jota Porsche.
The night was relatively uneventful, with heavy rain prompting a lengthy safety car period. When the safety car withdrew, teams quickly pitted for new wet tires. As morning broke, the #8 Toyota maintained its lead, but the #6 Porsche was showing promising speed as the track began to dry. With pit stops and tire changes on the horizon, the question remains: who will reign victorious and claim the coveted Le Mans trophy in 17 hours’ time?
