As the 6 Hours of Fuji has settled into a rhythm, it is the AF Corse Ferraris who are leading the LMGTE Pro class in tandem at the half way mark.
Reigning GT Drivers champion Gimmi Bruni in the No.51 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia got ahead of his team mate Davide Rigon in the No.71 after a great battle between the two red Prancing Horses. On the same lap and only 6 seconds in arrears is the No.99 Aston Martin Vantage V8 of Fernando Rees. Fourth in class is the first of the Porsche Team Manthey 911 RSRs, the No.91 of Richard Lietz, while the No.97 Aston Martin and No.92 Porsche 911 trail two laps and four laps behind respectively.
Aston Martin’s Am entries are continuing to outpace the opposition and they too are running together at the front of the class. The No. 95 Vantage V8 of Dane David Heinemeier Hansson heads his fellow countryman in the No.98, with Italian Michele Rugolo in the No.81 AF Corse Ferrari charging hard to catch the British car. DHH Tweeted after his stint: "That was a mega fun double. Any day I can keep up with Bergmeister and Collard lap after lap is a good day! What a run."
In fourth place in the Am class is the No.88 Porsche 911 RSR of Proton Competition, with the Emirati Khaled Al Qubaisi currently at the wheel.
The only incident of note was just before the end of the second hour when the No.90 8Star Ferrari stopped on track with a transmission problem.
The sun has broken through the clouds in Fuji, and the second half of the race is likely to be just as fiercely contested as the first. Stay tuned!
CLICK HERE for results for the race so far
RACE REPORTS
14:54:15 #7 #51 and #98 reported for infringements under yellow flag conditions
14:52:11 Dumas now in #14 Porsche
14:51:31 Porsche #14 into pits from 3rd place
14:49:25 Toyota #8 into pits Buemi gets in
14:47:29 Toyota #7 into pits Wurz into car
14:41:58 Kristensen now in Audi #1
14:40:29 Green Flag again
14:40:09 Audi #1 into pits
14:38:23 Full course yellow to remove debris on track
14:35:51 Ligier #26 retakes lead in P2 after #47 pits
14:34:59 Spin for #37 Oreca with contact with #9 Lotus - rear damage on #37
14:31:51 P2 leader #26 Ligier into pits #47 retakes lead
14:28:24 Ferrari #51 retakes lead in GTE Pro from #71 Ferrari
14:19:28 Rebellion #12 has rejoined 15 laps behind
14:17:40 Ferrari #71 takes lead in GTE Pro
14:15:36 Audi #2 into pitlane Treluyer into the car
14:11:18 Spin for #9 Lotus
14:10:52 Bernhard takes over from Webber in #20 Porsche
14:13:16 Aston #95 leads GTE Am from #88 Porsche and #81 Ferrari
14:03:36 Ferrari #90 now pushed behind barrier
14:02:44 Aston #99 leads GTE Pro from #71 Ferrari and #51 Ferrari
14:01:17 In P2 #26 Ligier leads by 34 seconds from #47 Oreca and #27 Oreca
14:00:10 At 2 hour point #8 Toyota leads #7 Toyota by 4 seconds from #20 Porsche in 3rd
13:56:30 Ferrari #90 has stopped on circuit - Roda driving
13:53:09 Porsche #14 into pits Jani stays in
13:52:16 Toyota leader #8 into pits Davidson stays in
13:51:24 Toyota #7 into pits Sarrazin stays in
13:50:13 Audi #1 into pits Di Grassi stays in
13:48:36 Mediani now in #27 Oreca
13:46:16 Oreca #27 into pitlane from 2nd in P2
13:44:02 Rebellion #12 still in pits now 12 laps of the lead
13:42:44 Minassian in #27 SMP passes #26 G-Drive for 2nd place in LM P2
13:37:36 Oreca #37 has spin
13:35:22 Aston #98 of Dalla Lana spins after small incident with #8 Toyota
13:32:39 Rebellion #12 pushed into pit garage
13:31:43 Aston #99 leads GTE Pro and #95 Aston leads GTE Am after 90 minutes
13:30:37 Ligier #26 leads P2 by 30 seconds from #47 Oreca after 90 minutes
Fiona Miller
