bigbadbrother
04-17-2016, 06:23 PM
John Dagys
Audi has broken through to claim victory in the debut of its new R18, following a competitive and incident-filled FIA WEC Six Hours of Silverstone.
Marcel Fassler took the diesel-powered LMP1 hybrid across the line ahead of the No. 2 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Neel Jani, following a series of setbacks for the Porsche in the final two hours.
The two cars ran nose-to-tail in spectacular fashion through the middle portion of the race, with Benoit Treluyer getting around Marc Lieb for the lead with three hours and 22 minutes remaining.
While the Audi remained out front, Lieb hit trouble, first with contact from the No. 67 Ford GT of Marino Franchitti, which turned him around, and then an unscheduled stop for Jani with 52 minutes remaining due to a right-front puncture.
Jani managed to close the gap in his final stint to nine seconds, on old tires, but was forced to make a stop for a splash of fuel with 10 minutes remaining.
The win for Fassler, Treluyer and Andre Lotterer was Audi Sport Team Joest’s first since Spa 2015, also achieved by the same driving trio.
The No. 6 Toyota TS050 Hybrid of Anthony Davidson, Sebastien Buemi and Kamui Kobayshi completed the overall podium in third, benefiting by issues from three other factory LMP1 cars.
Brendon Hartley crashed out from the lead in dramatic fashion in the third hour after making an optimistic move around the Gulf Racing Porsche 911 RSR of Mike Wainwright.
The incident sent the defending World Champion’s Porsche 919 into the air and nearly overturned before coming to rest in the barriers. Both Hartley and Wainright were uninjured.
Moments later, while under the race’s only Full Course Yellow, Lucas Di Grassi’s No. 8 Audi ground to a halt on track in smoke, following hybrid failure.
Both incidents promoted the No. 5 Toyota of Kazuki Nakajima to third until the Japanese driver suffered a right-rear puncture, likely triggered by contact with a GT car, that shredded the rear of the Toyota.
It resulted in a near 15-minute safety car period for debris, which was strewn over the circuit.
As a result, the pair of Rebellion R-One AERs finished fourth and fifth overall, with the No. 13 car of Matheo Tuscher, Dominik Kraihamer and Alexandre Imperator taking top honors in LMP1 Privateer.
RGR Sport by Morand, meanwhile, claimed the LMP2 class win in the team’s debut race, with Filipe Albuquerque edging out Tequila Patron ESM’s Pipo Derani at the checkered flag.
Meanwhile, Davide Rigon and Sam Bird scored a lights-to-flag victory for AF Corse in the GTE-Pro class at the Six Hours of Silverstone, securing the Ferrari 488 GTE its first competition win.
The team’s No. 83 Ferrari also won the GTE-Am battle, driven by Francois Perrodo, Emmanuel Collard and Rui Aguas.
Davide Rigon took a strong lead off the line from GTE pole and 15th overall on the grid, while a tense battle would ensue throughout the race for the remaining podium positions.
It was a less fortunate start for Gianmaria Bruni and James Calado in the sister No. 51 Ferrari, as Bruni had to serve a three minute stop-go penalty as a result of a pre-race engine change.
Even so, Bruni came through to finish second, behind Rigon, and deliver AF Corse the best result possible to open its FIA World Endurance Championship season.
Nicki Thiim was behind the two 488s in GTE-Pro at the line, driving the No. 95 Aston Martin V8 Vantage alongside Marco Sørensen and Darren Turner.
The car had been near the front since Turner’s battle with the Fords and Michael Christensen early in the race.
The Ford GTs slowly slipped down the field as the race progressed, and Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK could only manage fourth and fifth on its series debut.
Completing the class standings were the No. 77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche and No. 97 Aston Martin. The latter retired late in the race after suffering a series of issues throughout.
Pedro Lamy was behind Collard in GTE-Am, and he took second position for the No. 98 Aston Martin crew along with Paul Dalla Lana and Mathias Lauda.
Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing had led most of the race with Khaled Al Qubaisi, David Heinemeier Hansson and Klaus Bachler, but when Heinemeier Hansson pitted with two hours to go, the car lost the lead and would never retake it.
With just 30 minutes remaining, Abu Dhabi-Proton’s Porsche 911 RSR suffered from a suspension failure which sent it to the garage for repairs. A similar problem would later be had by KCMG in its Porsche.
The Gulf Racing Porsche retired mid-race after a heavy collision with the overall leader, Brendon Hartley, which took both cars out of the action.
This left just Larbre Competition, who took the final podium position in GTE, for Paolo Ruberti, Yutaka Yamagashi and Pierre Ragues.
Audi has broken through to claim victory in the debut of its new R18, following a competitive and incident-filled FIA WEC Six Hours of Silverstone.
Marcel Fassler took the diesel-powered LMP1 hybrid across the line ahead of the No. 2 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Neel Jani, following a series of setbacks for the Porsche in the final two hours.
The two cars ran nose-to-tail in spectacular fashion through the middle portion of the race, with Benoit Treluyer getting around Marc Lieb for the lead with three hours and 22 minutes remaining.
While the Audi remained out front, Lieb hit trouble, first with contact from the No. 67 Ford GT of Marino Franchitti, which turned him around, and then an unscheduled stop for Jani with 52 minutes remaining due to a right-front puncture.
Jani managed to close the gap in his final stint to nine seconds, on old tires, but was forced to make a stop for a splash of fuel with 10 minutes remaining.
The win for Fassler, Treluyer and Andre Lotterer was Audi Sport Team Joest’s first since Spa 2015, also achieved by the same driving trio.
The No. 6 Toyota TS050 Hybrid of Anthony Davidson, Sebastien Buemi and Kamui Kobayshi completed the overall podium in third, benefiting by issues from three other factory LMP1 cars.
Brendon Hartley crashed out from the lead in dramatic fashion in the third hour after making an optimistic move around the Gulf Racing Porsche 911 RSR of Mike Wainwright.
The incident sent the defending World Champion’s Porsche 919 into the air and nearly overturned before coming to rest in the barriers. Both Hartley and Wainright were uninjured.
Moments later, while under the race’s only Full Course Yellow, Lucas Di Grassi’s No. 8 Audi ground to a halt on track in smoke, following hybrid failure.
Both incidents promoted the No. 5 Toyota of Kazuki Nakajima to third until the Japanese driver suffered a right-rear puncture, likely triggered by contact with a GT car, that shredded the rear of the Toyota.
It resulted in a near 15-minute safety car period for debris, which was strewn over the circuit.
As a result, the pair of Rebellion R-One AERs finished fourth and fifth overall, with the No. 13 car of Matheo Tuscher, Dominik Kraihamer and Alexandre Imperator taking top honors in LMP1 Privateer.
RGR Sport by Morand, meanwhile, claimed the LMP2 class win in the team’s debut race, with Filipe Albuquerque edging out Tequila Patron ESM’s Pipo Derani at the checkered flag.
Meanwhile, Davide Rigon and Sam Bird scored a lights-to-flag victory for AF Corse in the GTE-Pro class at the Six Hours of Silverstone, securing the Ferrari 488 GTE its first competition win.
The team’s No. 83 Ferrari also won the GTE-Am battle, driven by Francois Perrodo, Emmanuel Collard and Rui Aguas.
Davide Rigon took a strong lead off the line from GTE pole and 15th overall on the grid, while a tense battle would ensue throughout the race for the remaining podium positions.
It was a less fortunate start for Gianmaria Bruni and James Calado in the sister No. 51 Ferrari, as Bruni had to serve a three minute stop-go penalty as a result of a pre-race engine change.
Even so, Bruni came through to finish second, behind Rigon, and deliver AF Corse the best result possible to open its FIA World Endurance Championship season.
Nicki Thiim was behind the two 488s in GTE-Pro at the line, driving the No. 95 Aston Martin V8 Vantage alongside Marco Sørensen and Darren Turner.
The car had been near the front since Turner’s battle with the Fords and Michael Christensen early in the race.
The Ford GTs slowly slipped down the field as the race progressed, and Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK could only manage fourth and fifth on its series debut.
Completing the class standings were the No. 77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche and No. 97 Aston Martin. The latter retired late in the race after suffering a series of issues throughout.
Pedro Lamy was behind Collard in GTE-Am, and he took second position for the No. 98 Aston Martin crew along with Paul Dalla Lana and Mathias Lauda.
Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing had led most of the race with Khaled Al Qubaisi, David Heinemeier Hansson and Klaus Bachler, but when Heinemeier Hansson pitted with two hours to go, the car lost the lead and would never retake it.
With just 30 minutes remaining, Abu Dhabi-Proton’s Porsche 911 RSR suffered from a suspension failure which sent it to the garage for repairs. A similar problem would later be had by KCMG in its Porsche.
The Gulf Racing Porsche retired mid-race after a heavy collision with the overall leader, Brendon Hartley, which took both cars out of the action.
This left just Larbre Competition, who took the final podium position in GTE, for Paolo Ruberti, Yutaka Yamagashi and Pierre Ragues.