The first 90 minutes of the 6 Hours of Silverstone heralded the start of what promises to be a drama filled and action packed 2014 season. The clouds gathered over central England and spots of rain fell as the cars headed out on the green flag lap started by Le Mans legend Derek Bell.
The no7 Toyota TS040 of Alex Wurz immediately came under pressure from Luca Di Grassi in the no1 Audi, with the two cars side by side and the Brazilian having to take to the run off area to avoid clashing with the Austrian. This allowed Sebastien Buemi in the no8 Toyota to get on terms and pass the Audi for second place and then Di Grassi found himself in 4th place when Andre Lotterer also went ahead in the no2 Audi.
In LMP2 the start was a little less frantic but still exciting as Olivier Pla in the no26 G-Drive Racing Morgan kept the no47 KCMG Oreca of Tsugio Matsuda and the no37 SMP Racing Oreca of Kirill Ladygin. The no27 SMP Racing Oreca of Nicolas Minassian was an early casualty when the French driver slowed at Woodcote with a puncture. Minassian got the car back to the pits to replace the Michelin slick rubber.
On lap 5 Lotterer started to move up towards the field, passing Buemi for second place and by lap 16 the German hit the front. On lap 21 the first of the pitstops took place, which shuffled the order.
Luca Di Grassi in the no1 Audi had been passed by Timo Bernhard in the no20 Porsche and then on the next lap the Audi was seen heading off the track and into the wall. The car was pulled back onto the track and the R18 limped back to the pits. At the same moment the no14 Porsche of Neel Jani was seen heading down the pitlane with sparks flying from the front left, with no wheel under the arch. At 16m 20s pitstop for the no14 919 to repair the car before Jani was able to rejoin the battle.
The no1 Audi returned to the garage and was soon diagnosed with a damaged chassis and that was the end of the race for Di Grassi and 2013 champions Loic Duval and Tom Kristensen.
The no14 Porsche was soon back into the pits with a reported hydraulic problem and the car was soon pushed back into the garage for the mechanics to get to work. Another casualty was the no13 Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota with a broken gearbox.
At the end of the first 90 minutes the no8 Toyota held a 27 second advantage over the no20 Porsche and the no7 Toyota. In LMP2 the no47 KCMG Oreca was well ahead of the no26 G Drive Racing Morgan.
RACE FACTS – First 90 Minutes
13:29:36 Ram Racing 2012 spec Ferrari #53 retakes lead of GTE Am from #81 Ferrari
13:25:05 Pilet now into #91 – leading GTE Pro Porsche
13:22:54 Toyota #7 into pit for 2nd pit stop - Nakajima into the car and new tyres
13:22:02 Ferrari's fill first 3 places in GTE Am - #61 leading #90 and #53
13:20:38 Ferrari #51 under investigation - overtaking under yellow flags
13:19:51 Rebellion #13 had broken gearbox
13:19:21 Spin for 3rd place Toyota of Wurz at Club
13:17:48 Rebellion #13 has been retired
13:17:13 Porsche #14 into it's garage with hydraulic problem
13:16:28 Ferrari #61 takes lead in GTE Am from #53 Ram Ferrari
13:15:13 Audi #1 had damaged monocoque
13:14:44 Bernhard in #20 Porsche takes 2nd place from #7 Toyota of Wurz
13:13:41 Porsche #14 going slowly
13:11:05 Aston #98 has left door open
13:10:05 #51 Ferrari now into 2nd in GTE Pro, #91 Porsche down to 3rd
13:08:42 Ferrari #53 now leads GTE Am from #61 Ferrari
13:07:42 Audi #2 rejoins
13:06:49 Audi #2 back into pit garage
13:05:53 GTE Am leader #98 Aston into pits
13:04:22 Audi #2 off track at Stowe
13:03:41 Audi #1 now retired
13:01:12 Porsche #20 into 3rd place after #2 Audi pitstop
12:59:49 Porsche #14 now rejoins after 16 minute stop
12:57:11 Toyota's #8 and #7 now lead the race
12:56:33 Lola #13 pushed into pit garage
12:54:52 Audi #1 back to pitlane and into it's garage
12:54:17 Porsche #91 up to 2nd in GTE Pro
12:52:58Audi #1 moving again
12:52:09 Aston #98 leads GTE Am from Aston #95
12:51:24 Porsche #92 now leads GTE Pro from #71 Ferrari
12:50:00 #27 Oreca into it's pit garage
12:49:28 Rain is now easing
12:48:44 Toyota #8 retakes the lead from #2 Audi
12:47:27 #47 Oreca now leads LMP2 from #26 Morgan
12:45:39 Porsche #14 has front left suspension damage and wheel missing and into pit
12:44:36 #61 Ferrari spins off
12:44:09 Audi #1 into gravel and barrier and has front end damage
12:43:03 2nd place Toyota #7 into pit - intermediates put on
12:41:51 1 Minute stop and go for #75 Porsche
12:40:53 Oreca #37 pushed into it's pit
12:40:18 Porsche #20 into pits - puts on "slick wets"
12:39:30 #27 Oreca stopped out on circuit
12:38:43 Aston #98 takes lead in GTE Am
12:37:49 Leading GTE Am #81 Ferrari into pits
12:35:59 Now raining more heavily
12:34:47 1:44.217 fastest lap for Lotterer in #2 Audi on lap 17
12:27:12 Pla still leads LMP2 in #26 Morgan from #47 and #37 Orecas
12:25:23 Lotterer takes lead in #2 Audi
12:24:51 #92 Porsche takes 2nd place in GTE Pro from #51 Ferrari
12:21:49 #88 Porsche takes 3rd in GTE Am
12:19:41 #91 Porsche of Tandy takes lead in GTE Pro from Bruni
12:16:54 1:44.269 for Lotterer in #2 now fastest on lap 9
12:15:26 In GTE Am #81 Ferrari leads from #98 Aston and #61 Ferrari
12:14:00 Bruni in #51 leads GTE Pro from #91 and #92 Porsches
12:12:21 Pla in #26 Morgan leads LMP2 from #47 Oreca
12:11:07 1:44.859 fastest lap for Di Grassi in #1
12:10:19 Audi's now 2nd and 3rd on lap 5
12:09:50 1:44.961 fastest lap for #2 Audi on lap 3
12:08:12 1:45.012 fastest lap for #7 Toyota on lap 3
12:06:05 Bruni has half second lead in GTE Pro from the 2 Manthey Porsches
12:04:19 Fastest Lap for #7 Toyota 1:45.304 on lap 2
12:03:07 Toyotas first and second on 2nd lap
12:01:12 Di Grassi in #1 tries to take Wurz at first corner
11:59:46 Green Flag
11:56:15 Formation lap
11:54:18 3 minutes to start of formation lap
11:50:30 Some cars changing to intermediate tyres
12:43:41 Race declared as "wet"
