Two hours to go, multiple cars in contention and it’s raining again. The weather has thrown yet another wrench in the works and caused.
The running order is not entirely clear as we head into the penultimate hour with most of the field in the middle of diving in for wet tires and there are potential penalties coming.
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Two cars suffered dramas on pit lane. The No. 8 Toyota, with Brendon Hartley at the wheel, lost time to a wheel gun issue, while the No. 50 Ferrari AF Corse 499P is at risk of a penalty for an unsafe release after its stop.
Adding to the drama, the No. 50 has been spotted on track with its passenger door open. That will need to be fixed.
The running order currently sees the No. 50 lead, with the No. 51 Ferrari second – but only after Alessandro Pier Guidi in the No. 51 turned Brendon Hartley in the No. 8 Toyota around at Mulsanne Corner while trying to dive up the inside for second. Is there a penalty for causing a collision coming?
The No. 8 Toyota has dropped to sixth after the delay, and TV screens showed a mortified Sebastien Buemi in the pit lane – he clearly feels that could be it.
“It was a clear contact between the No. 51 and our No. 8, but it is not for me to decide,” Toyota’s Rob Leupen said after the incident. “It’s tight, it will stay tight.”
This has seen the pendulum swing back to the No. 7 Toyota crew, which is now third and may well lead if both Ferraris are penalized.
Ferrari can no longer rely on the No. 83 privateer car to pick up the pieces either, as it has now been officially retired.
Is this the sequence that will decide the race?
Cadillac’s No. 2 lost a lot of time during this hour but remains fourth and just 26 seconds off after taking wets.
The No. 22 United Autosports ORECA is leading LMP2 while the No. 91 Manthey EMA continues to control LMGT3 after Richard Lietz was tasked with battling past the No. 31 WRT BMW to retake the lead following its most recent stop.
There are just 8.3 seconds separating the top two.