Credit: João Filipe / DPPI
Neel Jani, from Porsche #99 of Proton Competition, took the lead after two hours of racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
The first hour saw an intense and exciting start to the race, with a great performance from Andlauer in the Porsche #99 of Proton Competition. He quickly took the lead and built a significant advantage.
In the second hour, both factory Porsches and customer cars showed impressive pace. The Porsche Penske #6, driven by Frederic Makowiecki, was closely followed by Antonio Giovinazzi in the Ferrari #51 on the Kemmel straight. Eventually, Giovinazzi made the overtake and passed Makowiecki.
Toyota was determined to make a recovery after a challenging start. Mike Conway in the GR010 Hybrid #7 was being chased by Will Stevens in the JOTA #12, creating an exciting battle between the two British drivers.
While Andlauer extended his lead, the car that started in second place, the Cadillac V-Series.R #2 driven by Alex Lynn, faced difficulties and had to pit to change the medium tires on the left side and regain lost pace. Tire performance was a key factor in their struggle to keep up with the pace.
Jani made progress in the race, overtaking Marco Wittmann in the BMW M Hybrid #15 of WRT for 11th position, as he sought to reach the necessary points.
The first safety car period was triggered by a collision involving Marco Wittmann in the BMW WRT #20 and Phil Hanson in the Porsche JOTA #38. Wittmann was subsequently penalized with a drive-through for the incident, which also involved Ahmad Al Harthy in the BMW M4 WRT #46.
When car #46 hit the barrier on the left side before Les Combes (Turn 8), a virtual safety car was initially deployed, which later turned into a long safety car period to replace the damaged barrier.
There was a tense moment for Jani when the door of car #99 refused to close despite several attempts. However, the issue was resolved and they continued without further problems.
Jani maintained the lead in the Hypercar class, with James Calado in Ferrari #51 in second place, followed by Michael Christensen in Porsche Penske #5. Andre Lotterer in the other Porsche Penske #6 held the fourth position, while Yifei Ye completed the top five in Ferrari #83 from AF Corse.
In the LMGT3 category, Sarah Bovy showed impressive pace in the Iron Dames Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 #85, establishing a lead of up to 40 seconds over James Cottingham in the United Autosports McLaren 720S GT3 EVO #59.
The battle for positions just below the podium was intense, with Al Harthy defending against Ian James in the Heart of Racing AMR Vantage #27, Francesco Castellacci in AF Corse’s Ferrari 296 #54, and the Manthey Porsche 911 Malykhin #92. James and Castellacci managed to climb to fourth and fifth positions, leaving Al Harthy to lose two positions.
Unfortunately, car #46’s day took a turn for the worse when it was involved in a collision with several cars.
In the LMGT3 class, Sarah Bovy in Lamborghini #85 continued to lead, followed by James Cottingham in McLaren #59, with Yasser Shahin’s Manthey Porsche #91 in third place. Arnold Robin in the Akoddis ASP Lexus RC F #78 held the fourth position, while Francesco Castellacci in AF Corse’s Ferrari #54 was in fifth.
© 2024
The world of sports is always in constant motion, and fans are always eager for updated news about their favorite teams and athletes. Here at Total-Motorsport.com, we are committed to bringing you the latest news from the sports world, quickly and easily readable.
Our team of specialized journalists works tirelessly to bring you the most recent information about football, basketball, tennis, racing, and much more. Our articles are written clearly and concisely, so you can stay updated on everything happening in the world of sports.
In addition to news, we also offer expert analysis and opinions, so you can have a deeper insight into sports events. We want you to feel part of the conversation and be able to share your opinions and comments with us.
So, if you are a sports fan and are looking for a reliable source of news and information, you have come to the right place. Stay tuned to Total-Motorsport.com for all the latest news and updates from the world of sports. Don’t miss any exciting moment and always stay ahead of the game.
