Porsche move back to the front in tight strategic battle; Ferrari in control of LMGTE Pro
Photo: WEC/Adrenal Media
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Porsche move back to the front in tight strategic battle; Ferrari in control of LMGTE Pro

The Headlines after the first 2 hours at COTA…..

  • Porsche run 1-2 in battle of tyre strategies at COTA
  • No.1 Porsche 919 Hybrid driven by Nick Tandy has 5-second lead over Earl Bamber piloted No.2 car
  • Kazuki Nakajima led much of second hour in No.8 Toyota TS050 HYBRID after gambling on tyre strategy. Japanese driver holds 6-second gap.
  • Complexion of LMP1 order changes at second scheduled stop as Porsche go back to first and second while Toyotas change rubber for first time
  • Epic battle between Lopez and Lotterer for second place rages throughout second stint.  Lotterer eventually prevails as they go wheel-to-wheel for several laps during fantastic action
  • Meanwhile, Brendon Hartley catches Lopez and is able to also make it through with his fresher tyres on No.2 Porsche 919 Hybrid.
  • No.7 Toyota in lonely fourth position with Kamui Kobayashi at wheel
  • First hour saw Toyota run third and fourth after jumping Timo Bernhard-driven No.2 Porsche in early stages
  • Signatech Alpine led first stint but double stint on tyres sees them fall back in second hour but then returns to the front
  • Alex Brundle surged to the front of LMP2 in No.37 Jackie Chan DC Racing car as he takes Signatech Alpine and No.13 Vaillante Rebellion
  • Signatech Alpine drops back after double stint tyre gamble. Andre Negrao sits second but soon catches Brundle and snatches the lead just before the two hour mark
  • Nico Prost is third in No.31 Vaillante Rebellion but under huge pressure from Alex Lynn in G-Drive ORECA-Gibson
  • No.13 sister car driven by David Heinemeier-Hansson suffers spin and drops down order to fifth

  • LMGTE Pro sees Ferrari emerge with clear lead as Alessandro Pier Guidi in No.51 Ferrari heads Sam Bird in No.71 488 GTE
  • This order swaps around after 1hr40mins as Bird moves into lead in apparent synchronized manoeuvre
  • No.95 Aston Martin runs in third but now 25-seconds away from Ferraris. Nicki Thiim had led for first 45-minutes.
  • Porsche GT Team still in contention as No.92 911 RSR runs fourth and No.91 fifth
  • LMGTE Am led by Clearwater Ferrari 488 GTE of Weng Sun Mok.  The Malaysian driver though is being caught by Ben Barker in the Gulf Racing Porsche
  • No.98 recovering from earlier spin as Mathias Lauda fights back to third place