6H Bahrain 270m report: Ferrari and Aston Martin #95 closing on titles
As the final 90 minutes of the race approaches, the No.51 AF Corse Ferrari and No.95 Aston Martin are closing in on the respective titles for the Pro and Am categories in the 6 Hours of Bahrain. The racing has continued to be close and, at times, dramatic and there has never been more need for cool heads in the heat of the desert!
There has been a ding-dong battle between Darren Turner and Stefan Mücke, GTE Pro pole-sitters in the No.97 Aston Martin Vantage V8, and the Pro class leaders of Bruni-Vilander in the No.51 Ferrari, now 38 seconds ahead of the British car. However, Aston Martin is expecting to have to make one more fuel stop than the Ferraris before the end of the race. Supporting the GT title aspirants superbly is the No.71 AF Corse entry of Davide Rigon and James Calado which is only four seconds behind in third place in class. The two Porsche Team Manthey 911 RSRs are in fourth and fifth.
The LMGTE Am leading No.95 Aston Martin, with Kristian Poulsen at the wheel, survived a tap from the No.90 8Star Motorsports Ferrari of Gianluca Roda, but the result was a bollard to mark track limits being knocked onto the track. This brought about the second Full Course Yellow of the race just as the fourth hour was completed, but it only took the excellent marshals around the Bahrain International Circuit two minutes to clear the track and for the race to go green again. Roda has subsequently been given a stop and go penalty for the collision.
Second in the Am class is the No.98 Aston Martin of Dalla Lana-Lamy-Nygaard, 10 seconds behind their team mates, with the No.81 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia of Stephen Wyatt (shared with Rugolo-Bertolini) in third.
Full results can be found HERE
19:28:50 Aston #97 into pits Ferrari #51 takes lead
19:24:06 Porsche #20 drops to 3rd
19:23:03 Leading Porsche #20 into pits Sarrazin in #7 retakes lead
19:21:26 1:45.989 fastest lap of race for Buemi in #8 Toyota
19:15:48 Audi #2 into pits Treluyer in
19:15:13 P2 leader Oreca #47 into the pits
19:11:54 1:46.142 for Audi #1 - Audi's have the 2 fastest laps of the race
19:09:38 Ligier #26 back out after further wishbone trouble
19:08:18 Porsche #20 now leads
19:07:04 Ligier #26 into pits
19:05:42 Back to Green
19:05:29 Leading Toyota #7 into pits
19:04:48 Full course yellow for removal of bollard
19:04:24 GTE Pro leader #51 into pits
19:03:52 After 4 hours in GTE Am #95 Aston leads #81 Ferrari and #98 Aston
19:02:38 After 4 hours in GTE Pro #51 Ferrari leads from #71 Ferrari and #97 Aston
19:01:45 After 4 hours in P2 #47 Oreca leads ##27 Oreca and #35 Morgan
19:00:45 After 4 hours Toyota #7 leads from #20 Porsche and #14 Porsche
18:59:19 Ferrari #90 spins after contact with #99 Aston
18:57:37 Oreca #37 stops from 3rd in P2
18:56:52 Ferrari #90 being challenged by #61 Ferrari for 4th in GTE Am
18:51:57 Stop for #12 Rebellion
18:48:49 Porsche #14 stops Jani in car
18:47:43 Oreca #37 takes 3rd in P2 from Morgan #35
18:46:17 Aston #97 retakes 3rd in GTE Pro
18:39:52 Aston #97 stops Turner now in
18:38:03 Ferrari #51 retakes lead in GTE Pro
18:36:48 Duval in Audi #1
18:35:48 Audi #1 into pits
18:32:34 Porsche #91 has intermittent headlight trouble
18:29:03 Ferrari #51 retakes 2nd in GTE Pro
18:27:22 Ferrari #81 takes 2nd in GTE Am from #98 Aston
18:24:33 Porsche #20 into pits Webber into car
18:21:54 Leading Toyota #7 into pitlane Sarrazin takes over
18:20:54 Audi #2 passes Audi #1
18:18:57 Toyota #8 into pits Buemi in
18:17:54 Audi #2 into pits
18:17:19 Fastest LMP-1L Lap for Heidfeld of 1:49.373 in #12 Rebellion
18:15:18 2nd in P2 #27 Oreca also into pits #47 retains lead
18:14:10 Oreca #47 pits from lead of P2
18:08:25 Lotus #9 retired due to gearbox problems
18:07:15 After 3 hours in GTE Am #95 Aston leads #81 Ferrari and #98 Aston
18:06:04 Porsche #14 of Lieb passes Lotterer in #2 Audi for 3rd place
18:05:08 After 3 hours in GTE Pro #71 Ferrari leads from #91 Porsche and #97 Aston
18:04:02 After 3 hours in P2 #47 Oreca leads #27 Oreca and #35 Morgan
18:03:03 After 3 hours #7 Toyota leads by 46 seconds from #20 Porsche and #2 Audi
18:01:57 Ferrari #51 rejoins behind #97 Aston
Fiona Miller
Photo: From Porsche Motorsport
