Following the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans

[Ferrer]

#7 back on the track.

[pimento]

#18 Porsche would have to make about 2 laps up before we get a Porsche lockout. Seems likely that an Audi will be on the podium, but still 2 hours to go.

[Ferrer]

The Ferrari #51 inside the garage... losing the chances for a win?

[pimento]

#51 Ferrari looks to have have a problem, was passed by #64 on track and is now in the garage. Good news for the Corvette camp.

Edit: seems to be transmission issues. What a bugger for them.

[Ferrer]

Also seems that the brakes are at fault for the poor #51.

[pimento]

There's a tray of gears sitting on the floor behind the #51. Whatever it is, it ain't good.

On another note, there's two Nissans still running.. absolutely stone dead last. Whether that's a lack of preparedness or some bad news for their driveline concept, I don't know. There were compromises made to their hybrid system as I understand it (running in the 2MJ classes rather than the 8MJ classes it was designed for) so that wouldn't help them, but there was a compellingly bad shot earlier in the race of a Nissan behind a Toyota through the Porsche curves - into the curves they were nose to tail, on the way out the Toyota was at least 2 seconds ahead. Not good. Some rear hybrid propulsion I'm sure would have helped there.

[Ferrer]

Gearbox rebuild for the #51 Ferrari, apparently.

As for Nissan I think that when you have a car that is so different and which so radically challenges the established competitors problems are to be expected, especially in their first year. What probably wasn't expected was that they would be so far from the other works LMP1H cars. Also, in terms of reliability they weren't expected to make it to the night, leave alone the end of the race so I would say that, for now, it isn't as bad as it seems.

[Ferrer]

The #51 is back out on the track to fight on the podium.

[pimento]

#51 is back out, lets hope they have it sorted.

#4 Bykolles goes around with a broken rear suspension.

Nissan I think will still come out of this with some positive words, but given their hugely public lead up, being dead last will disappoint the marketeers and the money. I think they can take some positives out of it, but I reckon there will be those involved who would with that they could have delayed their entry by another year.

[pimento]

... #23 Nissan stopped, looks like engine issues.

Also #22 is in the pits. Bad news for the 'at least we finished' prepared statements.

[Ferrer]

And the #23 is on fire, literally.

Apparently it has leaked oil on the Porsche curves.

[pimento]

#23 is officially retired.

[Ferrer]

With gearbox failure.

Also it seems like the rain might come before the end...

[pimento]

Tracy Krohn spun.. again.. this time with assistance and a puncture, got back around without blowing the carcass out.

[Ferrer]

The leading GTE Am Aston has just crashed out of the race.