30.11.2014 - 20h14

6H Sao Paulo LMP 270-Minutes: Epic battle for supremacy continues at Interlagos

The drama and intrigue continued in the 6 Hours of Interlagos this afternoon as the battle for honors at the final race of the FIA World Endurance Championship intensified.

With 90minutes remaining in the race the LMP1-H fight was still raging with the entire six manufacturer entries were in contention and on the lead lap.

The mid-section of the race saw a second Full Course Yellow period when the LMP2 leading Oreca-Nissan stopped on the track with a terminal mechanical issue. The brief caution period saw all the leading runners take to the pits and the #8 Toyota Racing TS 040 Hybrid emerged with a small advantage over the #14 Porsche 919 Hybrid.

Sebastien Buemi, who had climbed in to the cockpit for the third time this afternoon, survived another off-track moment at the famous Senna S corner to fend off Romain Dumas. The two traded similarly quick laps and were never more than 2-4 seconds apart for much of the period after the full course yellow. This remained until the next pit stops, where Neel Jani climbed aboard the #14 Porsche for his second stint at the wheel. Jani sat second behind the sister #20 car as the race reached 270mins.

Earlier Hartley had enjoyed an entertaining battle with Alex Wurz who had been running in third place in the #7 Toyota but was forced to take a drive through penalty after 3hrs 17mins of running. The penalty was activated after he was deemed to have pushed Hartley’s Porsche wide at turn three while attempting an overtaking manoeuvre.

A rare mistake from Andre Lotterer in the #2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro just before the full course yellow period lost some momentum for the creative strategy calls that had been made from the #2 crew. The rapid German made up for it by setting some scorching laps, peaking with the fastest lap of the race on his 188th tour with a 1m18.367s. The #2 Audi sat fifth after 270mins of the race run having just been handed over to Benoit Treluyer.

The #1 Audi pitted just before the fourth hour full course yellow, as Lucas Di Grassi set a series of impressively quick times, as he set about Timo Bernhard’s Porsche. The two engaged in a ferocious wheel-to-wheel battle, which the Brazilian eventually won. The local hero gave over the wheel to Tom Kristensen as the nine-time winning Le Mans legend drove out of the Audi pits for his very last stints at the wheel.

#13 Rebellion Racing R-One Toyota was leading the LMP1-L class but had lost many laps after a problem ensured a long and unscheduled pit stop. The #12 Rebellion was continuing to run cleanly after early race issues but was still four laps shy of their stablemates.

The LMP2 class saw more drama when the #37 SMP Racing entry stopped and let the KCMG Oreca-Nissan back in to the lead. Maurizio Mediani completed a triple stint in the #27 SMP Racing car to consolidate second place. The car needs to register a finish here this afternoon to ensure that Sergey Zlobin wins the LMP2 Drivers’ Championship, as well as the LMP2 title for the Russian entered squad.

Full results can be found HERE

Race Facts:

17:30:49 Hartley in #20 takes the lead

17:29:34 Toyota #7 stops - Conway gets in

17:28:38 Leader #8 Toyota stops - Davidson gets in

17:28:06 Audi #2 stops - Treluyer gets in

17:27:36 Toyota #7 overtakes #20 Porsche for 3rd place

17:25:48 1:18.367 fastest lap for Lotterer in Audi #2

17:25:06 Aston #99 pits from 2nd in GTE Pro - Rees gets in

17:21:40 Fittipaldi back out in #61 Ferrari

17:20:07 Audi #1 stops - Tom Kristensen gets in for last career stint20:18:16Porsche #14 stops - Jani in

17:17:32 Toyota #7 takes drive through now in 6th place

17:16:50 Lotterer in Audi #2 takes 5th from #20 Porsche

17:16:00 Drive through penalty for #7 Toyota for forcing off #20 Porsche

17:15:12 Stop for P2 leader #47 Oreca

17:09:12 Makowiecki now in #92 Porsche - Turner in #97 Aston takes lead in GTE Pro

17:08:06 GTE Pro leader into pits

17:06:48 GTE Am leader #98 into the pits

17:06:12 Rebellion #13 has had 2 long pit stops and now down in 20th place - 24 laps behind the leader

17:04:28 Audi #1 passes Porsche #20 for 4th place

17:03:37 After 4 hours #98 Aston leads #75 Porsche and #81 Ferrari in GTE Am

17:02:46 After 4 hours #92 Porsche leads by 7 seconds from #71 Ferrari and another second back to #97 Aston in 3rd

17:01:41 After 4 hours #47 Oreca leads #27 Oreca

17:00:38 1:18.413 fastest lap of race by Di Grassi in Audi #1

17:00:03 After 4 hours Toyota #8 leads #14 Porsche by 4 seconds with #7 Toyota in 3rd

16:56:42 1:30.288 fastest lap for #97 in GTE Pro

16:54:31 Porsche #75 now up to 3rd in GTE Am

16:53:32 Aston #95 into pits with left front puncture drops to 4th in GTE Am

16:51:53 Aston #95 running slowly overtaken by #81 Ferrari for 2nd in GTE Am

16:49:43 1:30.398 fastest GTE Am lap for #98 Aston - also fastest GTE lap overall

16:48:18 1:30.461 fastest GTE Pro lap for #97 Aston

16:45:30 Toyota #7 takes 3rd from #20 Porsche

16:43:21 Turner in #97 drops to 3rd in GTE Pro

16:40:15 Porsche #20 and #97 Aston pitted under full course yellow

16:39:18 Green flag

16:36:01 FULL COURSE YELLOW

16:35:42 Buemi now in #8 Toyota

16:35:14 Oreca #37 has stopped on circuit

16:34:40 Toyota #8 pits

16:34:17 Audi #2 pits

16:33:28 Oreca #37 running slowly

16:32:53 Audi #2 goes off but continues down in 4th

16:30:14 Audi #1 now in 6th behind #14 Porsche

16:27:43 Audi #1 into pits - Di Grassi stays in

16:26:43 Audi #2 passes Porsche #20 for 3rd place

16:23:54 Davidson takes lead in Toyota #8

16:23:17 Porsche #14 into pits - Dumas in

16:17:49 Aston #97 now leads GTE Pro from #92 Porsche and #71 Ferarri

16:19:35 Audi #1 takes 3rd from Porsche #20

16:17:16 Aston #99 takes lead in GTE Pro - Pilet now in #92 Porsche drops to 4th

16:15:13 GTE Pro leader #92 Porsche stops

16:12:33 Audi #2 passes #7 Toyota

16:11:45 Ferrari #61 rejoins after 44 minute stop

16:11:11 Aston #98 takes 2nd in GTE Am

16:09:24 Spin for #99 Aston but continues

16:05:41 Ferrari #61 still in its pit now 43 laps down on the lead

16:03:49 At halfway in GTE Am #98 Aston leads by a minute from #75 Porsche and #95 Aston

16:02:43 In GTE Pro #92 Porsche leads #99 Aston and #71 Ferrari

16:01:40 In P2 Oreca #37 leads from #47 Oreca and #27 Oreca