24H Le Mans 18 Hour report: Porsche lead unpredictable race

In an edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans where absolutely nothing can be taken for granted, the No.1 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Jani-Lotterer-Tandy still leads as the race approaches its final quarter, just the distance of a 6-hour WEC race remaining. 

The highlights of the last six hours are as follows:

• The Porsche has a 12-lap lead over the next best-placed car which is the No.38 Jackie Chan DC Racing LMP2 ORECA of Tung-Laurent-Jarvis.
• The No.2 Porsche and No.8 Toyota continue to circulate, both desperately trying to make up as many laps as possible in order to score the all-important double points for the FIA World Endurance Championship.
• The WEC LMP2 teams of the JOTA-run Chinese team, Vaillante Rebellion, Signatech Alpine and Manor are all circulating strongly, but safety car and slow zone periods plus some off-track excursions have meant that the gaps between them have stretched with few on the same lap.
• After consistently being in the top three in class, the No.31 Vaillante ORECA of Prost-Senna-Canal is dropping down the order after a long stop in the pit garage to solve a mechanical issue.
• In LMGTE Pro the order has changed several times but Aston Martin, Corvette, Porsche, Ford and Ferrari are all still in the mix and on the same lap – the only category where the competition is so close. 
• At the 18 hour mark the WEC’s No.91 Porsche 911 RSR was chasing Corvette hard for the class lead.  The No.92 Porsche is a retirement after Christensen hit the barriers at the Ford Chicane in the 13^th hour.
• The No.95 Aston Martin Vantage of Richie Stanaway had a hairy moment just after 08h00, going off into the gravel at Indianapolis and has subsequently had to pit twice for repairs to the front suspension, front and side bodywork.
• Ferraris are occupying the top three places in LMGTE Am, and the first WEC competitor is the No.61 Clearwater Ferrari 488 of Sun-Sawa-Griffin is in 5^th.

Classifications for each hour can be found HERE

They say Sunday is the day of rest...@DanielSerra29 just smashed the all time GTE race lap record with a 3m50.950 at @24hoursoflemans pic.twitter.com/d6T0agR0CY

— Aston Martin Racing (@AMR_Official) June 18, 2017