Wet Conditions Play to Porsche and Aston Martins Strengths in LMGTE
At the halfway point of the 6 Hours of Shanghai the very wet conditions that have caused drama in the opening three hours of round 7 of the FIA World Endurance Championship show no signs of clearing away from above the Shanghai International Circuit.
The race got underway behind the Safety Car and, while the race went green after 13 minutes of running, the conditions caught out several drivers and one safety car and three Full Course Yellows were declared in the first 180 minutes to recover stranded cars and clear gravel from the track.
The two Porsche 911s were at the head of the field as the clock hit 14h00 in China, with Michael Christensen in the no91 Porsche Team Manthey entry running ahead of Fred Makowieci in the no92 911. The two AF Corse Ferraris were 3rd and 5th, the no51 of Toni Vilander ahead of the no71 of James Calado, with the two Italian cars split by the no99 Aston Martin Racing Vantage of Richie Stanaway.
In LMGTE Am the no98 Aston Martin Racing Vantage of Paul Dalla Lana led the grid away at the green flag but was passed by the no50 Larbre Competition Corvette of Paolo Ruberti. Pat Long in the Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche came from the back of the grid following a spin behind the safety car to take the lead after 30 minutes into the race.
As the race progressed the two Aston Martin Racing Vantages got back up to the front of field with Mathias Lauda (no98) and Francesco Castellacci (no96) fighting for the lead of the category, with Lauda holding the upperhand at the half way point of the race.
The championship-leading no72 SMP Racing Ferrari finished the first half of the race in 5th after a 30 second stop-go penalty for pitting during the first three laps of the second safety car period and a couple of spins in the treacherous conditions.
14:00:31 Stop for Audi #7 Treluyer stays in
13:59:54 After 3 hours Porsche #18 leads P1 and #30 Ligier leads P2
13:57:53 Tung has taken over 2nd place in P2 Morgan
13:56:45 Ligier #26 penalty was for speeding under full course yellow
13:55:52 Ligier #30 takes lead in P2
13:51:56 Drive through for Ligier #26
13:50:25 P2 leader #29 Morgan stops
13:49:43 Porsche #18 takes lead from Audi
13:45:28 Aston #98 takes lead in GTE Am
13:44:35 All cars still running with Porsche #88 last 15 laps behind the leader
13:42:29 Spin for Gibson #42
13:40:48 Spin for Corvette #50 and rejoins
13:37:09 Porsche #17 takes 3rd from Audi #8
13:31:38 Rain now easing again
13:30:31 Aston #96 takes lead in GTE Am
13:28:24 Porsche #18 takes 2nd from Audi #8
13:27:24 Porsche #18 takes 3rd from team mate #17
13:24:07 Porsche #88 into its pit garage
13:22:36 Audi #7 takes lead from team mate #8
13:18:57 Treluyer takes 2nd in Audi #7
13:12:58 Toyota #1 in pits after spin into gravel
13:11:54 Brundle in #29 Morgan takes lead in P2
13:10:03 Davidson in Toyota #1 reports earlier puncture
13:08:59 Green flag
13:07:04 Di Grassi leads in Audi #8
13:06:25 Porsche #18 Jani in
13:05:43 Porsche #17 into pits Bernhard in
13:05:08 Porsche #88 has rejoined
13:03:37 Full course yellow
13:03:05 Spin for Toyota #1 into gravel
13:02:31 Spin into gravel for Porsche #88
13:01:44 Porsche #91 leads GTE Pro and Aston #98 leads GTE Am
13:00:55 After 2 hours Porsche #17 leads P1 and #28 Ligier leads P2
12:59:39 Green flag again
12:58:52 Aston #98 leads GTE Am after pit stops
12:57:01 Spin for Corvette #50 rejoins and impedes Toyota #2
12:55:38 Marshals still clearing debris from track
12:55:07 Treluyer now in Audi #7
12:54:47 Di Grassi now in Audi #8
12:51:57 Dempsey out of Porsche #77 Seefried in
12:49:22 Full course yellow to retrieve #13 Rebellion
12:48:40 Morgan #29 takes 3rd in P2
12:47:41 Rebellion #13 into gravel
12:46:44 Ligier #28 takes lead in P2 after spin for #26
12:45:43 Aston #98 now 2nd in GTE Am
12:44:20 Spin for Porsche #88
12:43:54 Spin for Porsche #77 at pit entrance
12:43:13 Spin for Corvette #50
12:42:36 Green Flag
12:39:38 Porsche #92 pits Makowiecki gets in
12:38:26 Ferrari #71 stops Calado in
12:37:19 Rain now much heavier
12:34:28 P2 leader into pits Canal now in
12:33:43 Gibson #42 rejoins and pits
12:32:53 Wurz gets into Toyota #2
12:32:01 Aston #96 has taken lead in GTE Am
12:31:04 Porsche #91 has taken lead in GTE Pro
12:30:16 Full Course yellow to retrieve #42 Gibson from gravel
12:30:16 Full Course yellow to retrieve #42 Gibson from gravel
12:29:25 Strakka #42 into gravel
12:28:38 Porsche #18 now up to 4th place after earlier spi
12:27:18 Davidson in #1 Toyota back into pits Nakajima gets in
12:25:45 Rain reported heavier
12:25:09 Aston #98 takes 3rd in GTE Am
12:24:00 Ferrari #71 takes lead of GTE Pro
12:20:50 30 second stop/go for Ferrari #72
12:20:12 Ligier #30 now in 3rd in P2
12:17:48 Audi # 8 now in second after pit stops ahead of Audi #7
12:15:36 All P1 cars still staying on wet tyres
12:14:20 Leader #17 into pits - changes to another set of wet tyres
12:13:18 Stop for Toyota #1 Davidson stays in - no new tyres
12:11:05 Porsche #88 takes lead in GTE Am after spin for Porsche #77
12:09:44 Stop for Audi #7 changes tyres
12:06:13 Stop for Audi #8
12:04:44 After 1 hour #91 Porsche leads GTE Pro and #77 Porsche leads GTE Am
12:03:33 After 1 hour #17 Porsche leads P1 and #26 Ligier leads P2
12:02:19 Morgan #29 pits from 3rd in P2
12:00:37 Ferrari #71 overtakes team mate #51 for 2nd in GTE Pro
11:59:41 Spin for #31 Ligier makes light contact with tyre wall
11:57:33 Porsche #88 takes 3rd in GTE Am
11:56:40 Aston #98 stops Lauda now in
11:54:56 1:55.767 fastest lap of race by Hartley in #17
11:52:14 Porsche #92 into pits - stays on wet tyres Pilet in
11:51:24 Ferrari #83 takes 3rd in GTE Am
11:49:39 Ligier #28 takes 2nd in P2 from Morgan #29
11:48:39 Porsche #18 takes 5th place from #2 Toyota
11:43:48 Dry line beginning to emerge now
11:42:36 Porsche #18 must turn rain light on
11:41:53 Hartley in #17 leads by 2.6 secs from Lotterer in #7 after 17 laps
11:39:49 Porsche #91 takes lead in GTE Pro from Ferrari #51
11:35:58 Hartley in leading Porsche #17 lapping 14 seconds off qualifying pace
11:34:26 Incident between Porsche #18 and Audi #7 under investigation
11:33:02 Lieb in Porsche #18 up to 7th 41 secs behind leading Porsche #17
11:31:28 Long in #77 Porsche takes lead in GTE Am
11:30:25 Rebellion #13 has spin and stops briefly
11:27:34 Corvette #50 leads GTE Am
11:26:54 Brundle now 2nd in P2 in Morgan #29
11:24:52 Ferrari #72 stops Shaytar out Basov in
11:23:32 Green Flag again
11:21:43 Ferrari #51 leads GTE Pro and Aston #98 leads GTE Am
11:19:16 Slight contact between Audi #7 and Porsche #18 leading to spin for #18
11:17:36 Safety car to retrieve Oreca #47
11:16:26 Hartley in Porsche #17 leads first racing lap from Audi #7
11:15:34 Porsche #18 rejoins
11:15:08 Tandy into gravel in Oreca #47
11:14:28 Porsche #18 spins
11:13:07 Green Flag after 14 minutes
11:12:40 Porsche #77 has spin but continues
11:11:45 Safety car in this lap
11:10:26 Vilander in leading GTE Pro Ferrari #51 and Lamy in leading GTE Am Aston #98
11:05:07 Hartley leads after lap 1 behind safety car
11:01:59 No formation lap
11:01:18 Green Flag
11:01:06 Sam Bird will start leading P2 Ligier #26 and Tandy in Oreca #47
10:59:05 Henri Pescarolo is Grand Marshal for the race
10:57:30 Race will start behind safety car
10:56:54 5 minutes to start
10:55:56 Grid being cleared
10:54:54 Matheo Tuscher will be the youngest LMP1 driver in WEC history at 18 years old when he drives #13 Rebellion
10:52:11 Davidson and Conway will start for Toyota
10:51:24 Jarvis and Lotterer will start for Audi
10:50:40 Hartley and Lieb will start for Porsche
10:46:04 Light rain at the circuit - most cars on intermediate tyres
