The first 30 minutes of the 6 Hours of Fuji had both spectators and competitors on the edge of their seats as battles for class leads raged throughout the field.
There was drama from the start in the LMGTE Pro class as the pole-sitting No.99 Aston Martin of Fernando Rees was on the receiving end of contact on the first lap with a locked-up Darren Turner in the No.97. This Aston Martin also made contact with the No.92 Porsche Team Manthey 911 RSR of Patrick Pilet and both LMGTE cars had to subsequently make unscheduled stops to the pits for repairs.
Rees, meanwhile, was headed by a fast-starting No.51 AF Corse Ferrari with Gimmi Bruni at the wheel and the two had a great battle for the class lead during the first stint, with the lead changing several times. After the first round of pit stops, and with Alex MacDowall now at the wheel of the No.99, Aston Martin Racing is once again leading the Pro category ahead of the No.71 AF Corse of James Calado.
The No.51 Ferrari, meanwhile, has been judged to have abused the track limits on several occasions and has had to serve a stop/go penalty which has dropped it back in the order to third place.
Aston Martin Racing has also held the upper hand in the LMGTE Am class, with the No.98 of Pedro Lamy holding the lead position for much of the first hour, in amongst the Pro entrants. After 20 laps the No.95 Danish-crewed Vantage V8 took the initiative and now continues to lead with David Heinemeier Hansson at the wheel. The No.98 is second in class ahead of the No.90 8Star Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia of Gianluca Roda.
Others to have endured troubles since the start are the No.75 Prospeed Porsche 911 RSR, Matthieu Vaxivière having been judged to have jumped the start, and the No.88 Proton Competition Porsche of Klaus Bachler which had some contact with an LMP2 ORECA.
Full results can be found HERE
RACE FACTS
12:27:25 Toyota #8 leads by 2 seconds after 57 laps from #7 Toyota
12:26:11 Webber back up to 4th in #20 Porsche
12:24:25 Audi #2 back into pits for tyres after 14 laps
12:18:09 Porsche #20 pits for fuel only and rejoins in 5th place
12:02:20 Porsche #20 leads by 22 seconds after one hour of racing
11:56:56 Leader #8 Toyota into pits Davidson takes over - Porsche #20 now leads
11:55:53 Audi #1 also into pit but changes tyres
11:55:07 Audi #2 into pits - fuel only Lotterer stays in
11:53:46 Toyota #7 into pitlane from 2nd place Sarrazin into car
11:51:09 Vilander into #51 Ferrari
11:49:24 Aston #95 now leads GTE Am
11:48:09 P2 leader into the pits #27 Oreca now leads
11:46:03 Ligier #26 takes lead in P2
11:45:17 P2 #47 leader hit by #88 Porsche
11:43:04 Ferrari #51 reported for track limits infringement
11:41:38 Aston #97 rejoins after 8 minute pitstop to repair damaged splitter
11:38:12 Toyota's now first and second #8 leads #7
11:30:56 Aston #99 takes lead in GTE Pro from #51 Ferrari
11:30:01 Aston #95 takes GTE Am lead
11:29:24 Ferrari #51 leads GTE Pro by less than a second after 16 laps from #99 Aston
11:22:12 Fastest lap for Webber in #20 Porsche 1:27.759
11:21:05 Oreca #47 leads P2 after 12 laps
11:20:03 Slow puncture for Porsche #20
11:16:54 Early pitstop for Porsche #20
11:13:47 Toyota #8 leads by 0.6 secs after 8 laps
11:08:27 Ferrari #51 leads GTE Pro
11:07:21 KCMG #47 leads P2
11:06:48 Oreca #37 takes 3 minute stop and hold for 4th engine change of season
11:03:53 Buemi in #8 Toyota into lead
11:02:56 Audi '#2 takes lead
11:02:16 Green Flag
10:59:57 Formation lap
10:58:54 Henri Pescarolo giving the start
Fiona Miller
