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All the twists and turns of Fortune

Our coverage of the race was uploaded "live", with additional notes and comments added later. Please forgive any irregularities in tense that may have arisen as a result, as well as spelling or grammatical errors that haste could have created.

At a quarter after three the pitlane officially opened, and the first of the thirty-seven cars now listed to take part in the 2010 Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres started to make their way out onto the track. Two changes to the expected order, aside from the blank space where the damaged #48 might have been: the 008 Aston martin Lola will start from the back of the grid after the team elected to fit fresh tyres after the car's early departure from this morning's qualifying session. That will line up alongside the Atlas eFX Saleen, #66, which failed to set a time in qualifying after a wheel fell off at the first left-hander.

For those with a historical interest in RML's prototype programme, it was quite a moving sight to see the old MG EX265 lined up on the grid, just a single row back on the current RML Lola Coupé. Warren Hughes did remarkably well to ease the older chassis so far forward among what is a very competitive grid.

News just in that there will be some additional Eurosport coverage this weekend, with a couple of extra brief slots during the race, although the total remains pitifully small. With much discussion in the paddock about the format for the Series in 2011, it is reassuring to hear that the TV issue is being addressed with some seriousness, and assurances have already been given that the situation will be "much improved" next season.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

At quarter-to the whistles started blowing up and down the pit straight as the officials started clearing the grid of the extra staff ands non-vital mechanics. As the throng thinned, the true and unusual nature of the grid order was revealed, with the Strakka Racing LMP2 standing proud on pole, and fronting a generous field of thirty seven cars - far more than were predicted earlier in the month after the relatively poor showing in the Algarve.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Marcus Potts

The Race

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Marcus Potts

A clean start throughout the field, but a spin towards the end of the lap for the #24, which spun across in front of Tommy,narrowly missing the Lola's nose. At the end of the first lap it's a Lola leading overall, the #13, with Peugeot second, the #12 Lola third and, as he stated, Danny Watts content to let the P1 runners go and consolidate his hold on LMP2. He'd lost the lead even before the first corner.

Early in the second lap, Tommy moves through ahead of Ebbesvik in the Bruichladdich #41, who may have been involved in the incident with #24.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

End of lap 2 and Watts leads LMP2 from Olivier Pla,second in the #40, Moreau third and Erdos 4th.

Moments later, starting his own second lap, Barry Gates has a spin at Turn 2 in the RLR Lola. It must have been a frightening moment as almost half the field streamed past him, the MG stranded cross-ways over the track.

Four laps into a predicted 229, and Watts is holding on gamely to the P1` leaders, four seconds now behind Belicchi, leading for rebellion, but tight still on Jani, third in the #13.

Pla continues to hold second in LMP2, but is allover the tail of Greg Mansell in the #5 Ginetta Zytek, evidently being held up, and this is allowing Watts to move yet further clear. Moreau retains a firm grip on third, and has Pla well within his sights, while Erdos is four seconds now behind the Oak Racing Pescarolo, but steadily easing clear of Ebbesvik.

In FLM, Manning has moved through to take the class lead for the #44 DAMS car, while the #95 Ferrari heads GT2.

Thirteen minutes gone and the leaders are already threading their way through the tail-enders. The 008 Lola, starting last, has moved up to 11th overall, with Vanina Ickx in the cockpit. The Atlas eFX Saleen, which started alongside the Lola Aston martin . . . is still there at the back of the field.34th overall.

Barry Gates' spin had dropped him back to the very back of the race, but he's already regaining places.

16:15
Seven laps completed by the leaders, and the gap from first to second is a mere six-tenths. Jani is two seconds further back, with Watts four seconds in arrears of the LMP1 Lola. His lead in LMP2 however is fifteen seconds. The race for fifth is particularly intense, with Greg Mansell having to defend hard, and use traffic to his advantage, as he fends off the enormously experienced Olivier Pla in the #40 Quifel ASM car.

16:18
Mansell loses two positions in quick succession, as first Pla, and then Moreau, sweep by amid a gaggle of Porsches and ferraris. It's very tight racing out there, and one misjudged move can cost dearly. The blue, white and red Ginetta Zytek is now slipping back into the clutches of the red, white and blue RML Lola, and Tommy Erdos looks to have the better pace.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

Released like a cork from a bottle, Pla is romping away in pursuit of Watts, but has a massive deficit to make up, even now. Moreau is attempting to keep him in sight, but the gap is lengthening visibly.

Out at the sharp end, the bagatelle course is claiming victims, not only in terms of time, but almost literally. Barry gates continues to find the environment not to his liking, and is involved in a collision with the #75. Both cars appear to have sustained damage, and will be returning to the pitlane.

Belicchi leads by six seconds, also thanks largely to the fortunes of dicing more effectively through traffic. The #75 pits for a replacement rear wheel.

16:25
Watts leads LMP2 by 15 seconds from Pla, who has six over Moreau. It's ten or more seconds back to Mansell then, who has just five over Erdos, but the Brazilian is about to be passed by the recovering Vanina Ickx in the 008 Aston, up to 9th from last.

Lahaye had to pit in the #24 after his first-lap tangle, and has resumed in 13th overall, 8th in LMP2. The stop cost him 34 seconds stationary in the pitlane.

16:30
A succession of quicker laps has brought Sarrazin back within sight of Bellichi, with the gap narrowed to five seconds for the lead. Ickx has just overtaken Tommy for 8th place, and now has Greg Mansell in her sights.

There's a tight battle in GT2 for 4th, 5th and 6th, with Darren Turner losing out to two Porsches in quick succession - the #76 piling through in Turn 13, and then the #88 through the first sequence of bends on the next lap. Before the end of it, Turner would lose another place, to the #90 Ferrari,. with young Phil Quaife working his way up through the field.

16:36
A very early pitstop for the #35, and the car is soon backwards into the garage and Moreau steps out. It looks as if a lengthy pause is in order. The Oak Racing car is currently second in the championship, so this is a critical moment for the team.

Tommy Erdos moves through to take third as the #35 starts to slip down the screen. He's eight seconds behind Ickx now, who is ducking and diving from side to side in Greg Mansell's wake, trying to find a way past the #5 Ginetta Zytek..

16:39
Ickx passes Mansell just as, elsewhere ion the track, the #30 Lola is swiped across the nose by Turner in the GT2 Aston. Geri pulls off, the Lola temporarily apparently immobilised, but later resumed. The Aston presses on, but is under increasing pressure from Farnbacher in the #89 Hankook Ferrari. Things are going from bad to worse for the JMW driver.

In FL:M, Darren Manning's early run has come to an end, although hopefully not permanently. The #44 DAMS machine is in the garage, and having lead the class comfortably, is now last.

16:45
Sarrazin continues to reel in the leading Lola, and the gap has been shaved to a mere two seconds. The leading trio, brought up at the rear by Jani in the #12, is 30 seconds ahead of Watts, but the gap back to Pla has stabilised at 15 seconds, but is visibly reducing. This is not, we think, Strakka's plan. They had hoped to have established a sufficient lead by the end of Danny's opening stint to retain the lead on the first pitstop, but that's looking less likely as Pla remains in contention.

16:50
Farnbacher out-drags Turner down the main straight to deny the Aston yet another place. The duel has been one of the more entertaining of the last ten minutes, but the Hankook Ferrari was evidently quicker. Darren's problems would appear to be tyre-related.

Tommy has closed back to within seven seconds of Greg Mansell, but his advantage seems to be a better management of traffic, and given a clear track, the #5 can ease away again. On this track, traffic is the dominant issue, so Tommy may yet catch the LMP1 car.

Hour 2 - 3 (17:00-18:00)

Pitstop. (Thomas Erdos remains in the car. Fuel. No tyres)
The first rounds of pitstops, scheduled ones, have started in earnest. Watts is still out there, the fuel-efficiency of the HPD unit being a known quantity now, but Pla and Erdos have both stopped on the hour. Moments later a spin for the #41 Bruichladdich Ginetta Zytek very nearly spells disaster for the farnbacher Porsche #89, but a quick reaction sees the Ferrari across the grass and safely back into the race.

Watts moves up to second overall, yet to stop. Sarrazin then pits from the lead, and the Strakka racing HPD leads overall, but only briefly, as he too then pits. All the top 15 have now stopped. Critically, Watts takes on Fresh rubber - RML and ASM did not.

17:10
The Applewood Seven FLM car suffers a major engine blow-out, spraying oil widely around the track. It's certain retirement for the car that was holding third in class. Confirmation a few minutes ago that the #44 DAMS FLM (Firth and Manning) is also a retirement after the pulley which drives the power steering pump and other ancillaries seized. It's an engine-out replacement, so game over.

17:16
The pitstops have now worked their way through the top twenty, and an order has been established that has Sarrazin now leading for Oreca, thanks to slick pitwork that saved eight or nine seconds over the two Rebellion Lolas, which are now second and third, but Boullion in second is only seven tenths behind the Peugeot.

Watts narrowly lost the class lead and fourth overall to Olivier Pla during the pitstop, thanks to a lengthier pitstop for tyres. Neither ASM now RML took on fresh rubber at that first pitstop,and as a result gained about 30 seconds apiece.

17:24
The #12 Rebellion Lola, Nicolas Prost at the wheel, has gone off at Turn 11, but recovers after about a minute or so, and regains the track in 7th overall, just behind Tommy.

17:27
Pla heads P2 by 35 seconds from Watts, with Erdos third, some 50 seconds behind the Strakka HPD.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

The #30 MIK Racing Lola off at Turn for after contact with the #13 Rebellion. Not a good ten minutes for the two P1 cars

17:34
A quick re-cap on LMp2, where Pla leads Danny Watts by 35 seconds or so, although Watts is consistently two or three seconds a lap quicker. Erdos holds third from Nicolet in the #24 Oak Racing Pescarolo by almost a lap. Nicolet has Greg Mansell on his tail, the P1 driver looking to regain 7th overall. Fifth in LMP2 is the #41 Bruichladdich Ginetta Zytek, with Pirri sixth in the #29 MIK Racing Lola-Judd. Those are the only remaining serious contenders in LMP2, although the #30 is still running, seventh in class but 25th overall, and the #27 Race Performance Radical eighth and 29th overall.

After a torrid time about forty minutes ago, Barry Gates is starting to recover his lost ground in the #31 RLR MG Lola, and 33rd overall.

17:46
More problems for the #31, and Barry gates is off the track again . . . but back on again a little while later.

Watts has narrowed the gap to Pla to 28 seconds, and Greg Mansell has overtaken Nicolet for seventh.

GT2 is being led by the #95 Ferrari, by 23 seconds from Andre Kirkaldy in the CRS #91, with Barba Lopez third in the #96. Sandwiched in the mix is the Larbre Saleen, 14th overall. The second saleen is still running, but in 27th position.

17:54
Pitstop. (Thomas Erdos out of the car Mike Newton in. Fuel, tyres and general repairs)
Slightly ahead of schedule, Tommy brings the RML Lola into the pitlane for his second pitstop. The team refuel the car, and then haul the Lola backwards into the garage. The pitstop is missed by the TV producer, who's more concerned, quite rightly, by Barry Gates, sp[inning the #31 MG Lola again, this time on the exit of the final corner. He gets back onto the track again, but then runs out of turning circle, and ends up broadside across the racing line. There are some very tense moments before he finds reverse, a gap in traffic, and gets going again.

17:56
The #41 Bruichladdich Ginetta Zytek pits from 9th. Fairly routine, but some extra work to the nose of the car, where the front splitter has sustained some damage.

The back is off the RML Lola, and the team is addressing a couple of minor issues which had slowed Tommy progress. He's out of the car, and Mike climbs aboard top begin his mid-race stint just a little early.

Hour 3 - 4 (18:00-19:00)

18:02
Mike out and back on track. The RML Lola has slipped to tenth overall, and is now 6th in LMP2. As the race enters its third hour, here is the situation in LMP2:

Danny Watts, yet to complete his second scheduled pitstop, leads from Miguel Amaral, now in the cockpit of the #40 ASM Ginetta Zytek. Third is the #24 Oak Racing Pescarolo, and Pirri fourth in the #29 MIK Racing Lola. Karim Ojjeh is fifth for Team Bruichladdich, and then Mike Newton currently sixth.

18:07
Sarrazin pits from the lead, his advantage almost two laps before he eased into the pitlane, one of the last stoppers in this round of refuelling. The #5 Beechdean Mansell Ginetta Zytek has been pitbound now for several minutes - reason unknown.

It has not been a kind race for the Formula Le Mans teams, and only one remains in the kind of position it's performance potential might warrant. The #43 leads from 13th overall.

18:14
Danny Watts makes his second, and long anticipated pitstop, taking on fuel and tyres before handing over the Strakka HPD to Nick Leventis. He had a huge advantage over Amaral, second in P2, but it may take a while for the new status to be established.

18:19
Nick Leventis now leads LMP2 for Strakka by 14 seconds from Miguel Amaral in the #40 Quifel ASM Ginetta Zytek. Jacques Nicolet has just made an unscheduled pitstop in the #24 Oak Racing Pescarolo, and may lose third.

18:20 SAFETY CAR
The Atlas eFX Saleen goes off in a big way at Turn 1. The orange and white car is buried deep into the tyres, and there's extensive debris distribution. The safety car is immediately deployed. It was a heavy impact for Carlo Van Dam in the Saleen, and the windscreen popped clean out. A few cars exploit the opportunity of the procession to make some extra pitstops, including Barry Gates in the #31 MG Lola, with Warren Hughes taking over.

18:25
Pitstop. (Mike Newton remains in the car. Splash and dash for fuel only)
Mike makes a very brief visit to the pitlane to take on extra fuel. He's stationery for just a few seconds, and soon back again. It takes him almost a minute, but he's soon latched on to the rear of the crocodile.

The timing screens are looking fairly neat and tidy just now,with the LMP1 leaders occupying first, second and third, the LMP2 front-runners 4th through to 8th, a slightly out-of-position Beechdean Mansell Ginetta Zytek in 9th, just ahead of Mike Newton, and then the sole remaining (un troubled) FLM car, the #43, eleventh.The first six in GT2 then occupy 12th through to 17th, where Jean Alesi leads for AF Corse in the #95, ahead of Tim Mullen in the #91, and Richard Leitz third in the #77 Porsche.

18:36 RACING RESUMES
The barriers have been repaired, and racing gets under way once again.

18:41
Problems for the #45 FLM car after a slight touch from one of the GT2 Ferraris, and there appears to be bodywork damage to the left rear. The carbon fibre is fouling the tyres, and the car is swathed in smoke. Delhez pushes on, but is forced to pit from 31st overall. The car is jockeyed into the garage for repairs.

The gap between Leventis, leading LMP2, and the third-placed 008 Lola Aston Martin is just over a minute. Leventis heads P2 by 38 seconds from Amaral, and at the moment the Portuguese driver is marginally quicker. Matthew Lahaye, still aboard the #24, is third, with Karim Ojjeh fourth for Bruichladdich. The gap between each is about a full lap.

18:48
A new fastest lap for the #31 MG Lola, with Warren Hughes setting a new best of 1:39.677. Although 31st overall, ironically, the car is now making progress back up through the tail-end. A lot of ground has been lost, but a reasonable finish could still be achieved.

Leventis' times in the #42 have started to drop,and he's now re-establishing the class lead. he now has about 45 seconds over Amaral in second.

18:52
The #13 Rebellion Lola has pitted from third, and is into the garage for what look to be electronic issues. The car is fairly quickly sorted, and back out, somewhere around 5th overall. Leventis and Amaral have both gone through as a result.

Lahaye does a new fastest lap for the #24 at just under 1:39, and so too does Hughes in the #31, posting a 1:39.483, The gap between Leventis and Amaral continues to oscillate, with a string of good laps from the ASM driver narrowing the margin to 38 seconds. It's probably all a matter of traffic control.

18:59
Some possible misdemeanor in the pitlane and the #13 has been issued with a 1 second stop-go penalty.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

Hour 4 - 5 (19:00-20:00)

Half distance, and Olivier Panis leads overall for Oreca by almost two laps from the #008 Lola Aston Martin. That's the best of the survivors in LMP1, with the #13 Rebellion car 6th, but due to drop further behind when it serves that penalty. Fourth in P1 is the Beechdean Mansell Ginetta-Zytek, still gamely battling on from 8th overall. The final P1 runner, the #12 Rebellion, lies 30th overall.

19:06
Warning of debris on the track at the end of the pit straight. Mike does well to avoid it!

19:08
Miguel Amaral pits the #40 ASM Ginetta Zytek from second in class, fourth overall. Appears to be a fairly routine pitstop. He had closed to within 30 seconds of Nick Leventis, so the race is not won yet.

The sun has started to set here in Hungary, and there's a rosy glow building across the tops of the surrounding hills. It's also likely to be making visibility something of a challenge for drivers in closed-cockpit cars where windscreens will be smeared with oil, bit of rubber and dead insects.

19:12
Mailleux pits the 008 Lola Aston Martin, initially for a routine stop, but he's then straight back in again next time round. He had been holding a strong second, but Nick leventis will now inherit that, and take Miguel Amaral through with him a lap later. It's Peugeot leading overall, from Strakka second and ASM third.

19:16
Incident on track for the #45 FLM car, clipped across the nose by a GT2 Ferrari, and then caught a second time in the spin.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

Pitstop. (Mike Newton out, Tommy Erdos in.)
A fourth and scheduled pitstop for the RML Lola, with Mike handing the car back to Tommy, whose earlier stint was cut short. "Off you go Tommy. Drive it like you stole it!" is the parting command from Phil Barker.

Another pitstop for the Beechdean Mansell Ginetta Zytek - the second unscheduled stop for the #5, currently holding 7th. The 008 AM Lola is still in the pits, and continuing its downward spiral through the order. From second overall, the black and white car is now 8th, and heading on down.

19:22
Good to his word, but Erdos has immediately set a new fastest lap for the #25. His 1:38.438 is fastest time by anyone on track at the moment, even Panis in the lead. The leading FLM car, the #43, makes its third scheduled stop. The only FLM runner to have an untroubled run so far.

Incident between the #40 and #41, and there may have been a bit of damage. Amaral is third overall,second in LMP2. Leventis continues to lead the class, second overall. Erdos is taking seven or eight seconds each lap out of the two cars ahead of him.

19:29
Nick Leventis makes the Strakka HPD's third scheduled pitstops, taking on fuel and tyres. It's smooth and clean, and he's back out and racing again in a matter of moments.

19:36
Quick run-down on gaps in LMP2 - the significant ones between cars, that is.
1st (2nd overall) #42, Nick Leventis on 121 laps
2nd (3rd overall) #40, Miguel Amaral, just nine seconds behind after the Strakka pitstop.
3rd (5th overall) #24, Jacques Nicolet, 73 seconds behind Amaral.
4th (6th overall) #29 Piergiuseppe Perazzini, 2 laps adrift.
5th (7th overall) #41, Tim Greaves, 8 seconds behind the MIK Racing Lola.
6th (9th overall) #25, Thomas Erdos. 92 seconds behind Perazzini
7th (22nd overall) #27, Michel Frey, on 112 laps.
8th (26th overall) #35, Richard Hein, on 110 laps.
9th (29th overall) #31, Warren Hughes, on 108 laps.

19:43
Major drama as the leading Peugeot goes backwards into the garage. Leventis in the #42 Strakka HPD has three laps to make up, so it will depend how serious the #4's problem is as to whether or not history is in the making . . . again, here today. The first ever LMP2 overall pole in Europe this morning, and now gunning for an outright win too.

19:45
The engine cover is back on the Peugeot and Lapierre is into the cockpit. It rejoins having lost only a lap, but the car is not up to speed.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

It's very nearly completely dark now.

19:46 SAFETY CAR
The Audi safety car is out on track for the recovery of the #13 Rebellion Lola which has been stationery at Turn 1 for about five minutes.

19:48
The Oreca Peugeot is back in the garage again, under the safety car. The gap to Leventis has narrowed to one lap, while the margin to Amaral, under the slow-moving procession, has been squeezed to 10 seconds. Two safety cars are in service.

19:52
Nick Leventis leads the race overall! The Peugeot is still in the garage. Amaral is second and Nicolet is about to go third in the #24 Oak Racing Pescarolo.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

19:53 RACING RESUMES

Incredibly, Nick Leventis pits on the restart. It can't be scheduled, surely? The team refuel, and Jonny Kane climbs aboard. Amaral leads overall! This is a very bizarre situation.

Tommy through to 5th in LMP2, having passed the #41 Ginetta Zytek, which is now a few seconds behind. The gap to fourth, currently held by Perazzinii in the ##29 is 36 seconds, and dropping by five seconds each lap.

19:59
The #5 Beechdean Mansell Ginetta Zytek leads LMP1, from 4th overall. Kane has resumed in second.

Hour 5 - 6 (20:00-21:00)

We begin the fifth hour with a quite remarkable situation unravelling before us. Whatever now happens, it seems almost certain that an LMP2 car will win the Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres. The question is, which one? Amaral has yet to make the ASM Ginetta's fourth pitstop, and will probably lose position as a result, but even that's not clear.

The gap between Tommy and his next target, the #29 Lola, is 24 seconds. By the end of the next lap, it's only 19, and then just 13 seconds separate the two.

20:08
A mere eight seconds remain between the tail of the #29 Lola, and the nose of the #25. News that the unexpected pitstop by Strakka was at the request of Nick Leventis, who was suffering from the stresses of driving under such intense conditions, and the constant pressure of having to drive through such unremitting traffic. Wise decision.

20:09
Tommy Erdos moves through cleanly to take fourth in LMP2, 5th overall. His next target, should he decide to accept it, is Leo Mansell in the #5 LMP1 Ginetta Zytek, leading the class from 4th. On current pace, it's not impossible Tommy is three or four seconds quicker than Mansell.

20:16
Car #5 issued with a 1 second stop-go. This could be critical for RML if the #25 is to catch and take fourth.

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

20:19
Pitstop. (Thomas Erdos out of the car Ben Collins in. Fuel, tyres and windscreen clean)
Tommy into the pitlane as the #5 trundles out, having served its penalty. He hands over to ben Collins, who makes a smooth exit and rejoins the race, still fifth in class. The #5 is back in, this time for a routine pitstop for fuel and tyres. This race is so very far from over!

20:22
ASM Quifel into the pitlane for what should be a scheduled pitstop, and Kane sweeps through to retake the lead for Strakka. Spin for the #41. There's oil at Turn 13.

20:27
We have the visually unusual sight of a top six entirely filled by LMP2 cars. The #5 Beechdean Mansell car continues to lead the LMP1 class, which will delight Nigel (and perhaps make him wish he'd raced here on what he used to say was his favourite track!) and make up, perhaps, for the great disappointment of Le Mans.

20:28
The #4 Peugeot returns to the race, in 27th position overall. Sarrazin is back in the cockpit.

Time for another run-down on the order, overall, and in LMP2:

1st, #42, Jonny Kane, on 151 laps (of 229 or, more likely now, 6 hours)
2nd, #24, Jaqcques Nicolet, 150 laps
3rd, #40, Olivier Pla, 29 seconds behind
4th, #41, Thor Ebbesvik, 148 laps
5th, #25, Ben Collins, 147 laps
6th, #29, Marcos Cioci, 39 seconds.
7th, #5, Leo Mansell, leading LMP1, 3 seconds and closing fast.

20:36
Leo Mansell regains some LM<P1 pride, and one position, by moving through to take sixth from Marcos Cioci. Gap between Pla and Nicolet has narrowed to 21 seconds.

Ben Collins is picking up his pace now, and is posting regular 1:40 laptimes, and closing on Ebbesvik by two seconds each time around. Leo Mansell is 41 seconds behind him, but on a similar pace.

20:47
Pla has closed to within four seconds of Nicolet, so we anticipate an exchange of places between second and third any moment now. Mansell is still 37 seconds behind Ben Collins, who's 26 seconds behind Ebbesvik for 4th.

Update in GT2, where the #91 leads for CRS (Tim Mullen driving) but my just nine seconds from Marc Lieb in the #77, and then Raymond Narac third (#76) another 45 seconds further back down the track. As always, GT2 is offering a race-long package of close-fought entertainment. They're 8th, 9th and 10th overall, and as I write. Mullen pits from the lead, allowing Lieb through.

20:52
Ben has narrowed the gap to 13 seconds on Ebbesvik, and is pushing hard. Anticipated, Pla has surged through to second overall and is already pulling away from Nicolet at a rate of knots.

20:56
The gap has narrowed again, and now stands at just eight seconds between Ben and fourth place. There is, of course, still an hour to go . . .

Hour 6 - Finish (21:00-22:00)

21:02
Pitstop for the #24 Oak Racing pescarolo, which has always been out of sequence with the rest, ever since that early pitstop on the half-hour. Change of driver this time, with Matthieu Lahaye back in the cockpit, his pink and black helmet toning perfectly with the colour scheme on the car. That's the sixth stop for the #24.

21:05
What should be the last pitstop for Jonny Kane and Strakka. Fuel, tyres and no dramas.

21:06
Ben Collins is through to fourth place.

Richard Lietz has taken the lead in GT2, after Mullen's last pitstop, and is fair romping into the distance, setting new fastest laps for the #77 Porsche. He's holding 8th overall.

Mansell doing well in the #5 and closing on 5th. There's barely 20 seconds between him and Ebbesvik now.

21:19
Pitstop. (Ben Collins stays in. Fuel only)
It's a last pitstop for Ben Collins, and he completes it smoothly. He'll have to catch Ebbesvik, and possibly Mansell, again, but both should have pitstops yet to do.

Ben has come out fifteen seconds behind Mansell, but on the next lap round Leo pits the #5 for fuel, tyres and a driver swap with Greg. That will effectively knock them back to perhaps 7th overall. Ben is left chasing Ebbesvik, again, and has 34 seconds to make up.

The battle for GT2 has been resumed. Lietz must have encountered a problem, although he's up to speed again now, but the gap back to Kirkaldy is less than three seconds.

21:27
Pitstop for Olivier Pla in the #40 from second, and Ebbesvik follows him in for a splash-and-dash, confirming Phil Barker's assurance to ben of a few minutes ago that the #41 car would have to make one last pitstop. Ben is through to fourth again.

Off for the #45 at Turn 123, but it resumes. Kraihamer in the FLM car.

Just over half an hour to go, and Jonny Kane presses on for Strakka, leading not only the class, but also this extraordinary race. He has a lap in hand over Olivier Pla, who is two laps to the good on Lahaye, third for Oak Racing. Three further laps, give or take a few seconds, separate Lahaye from Ben Collins, and despite the RML driver's generally superior pace, there seems little likelihood of that changing. Similarly, there's a good 75 seconds back to Ebbesvik on fifth.

21:40
The battle for GT2 is going right down to the six-hour wire, with two-tenths of a second now between Lietz and Kirkaldy. They're nose-to-tail through Turn 1.

Ben's advantage has grown to 90 seconds, so Phil suggests he eases off just a little. His pace is more than good enough to secure the position, and fourth would give the team valuable points heading into the final round at Silverstone.

Kirkaldy has trouble in traffic, and drops back on Lietz.

21:47
Roughly ten laps to go. The finish will be at 22:00, and some 20 laps short of the 1000 kilometre distance.

21:54
Jonny Kane clocks 200 laps.

21:57
Jani in the #12 Rebellion Lola has just put down the fastest first two sectors that the car has done all race, and he crosses the line in 1:35.957, with five minutes of the race remaining. He's running 8th overall, but six laps down on Leo Mansell.

The race will end at 22:03. Time for two more laps.

Finish

In a simply breathtaking performance, Jonny Kane takes the chequered flag for Strakka Racing, recording the first ever LMP2 overall win in Europe, and possible the first clean sweep by LMP2 anywhere in the world. LMP1 goes to the mansell brothers, without Nigel ion the cockpit, from 7th overall, but interestingly, using Strakka Racing's LMP1 chassis from 2009.

Ben crosses the line in fourth position, delighted with the result, and expressing his thanks to the team for the opportunity.

GT1, inevitably, goes to the sole surviving Larbre Competition Saleen, with GT2 being disputed, almost to the line, by the #77 Felbermayr Porsche and the #91 CRS Ferrari, with the German marque narrowly clinching honours in the final minutes.

History has been made here this weekend. Quite extraordinary. More to follow, but thanks for sticking here with us, if you have.

Race Result - LMP2

 #
 o/a
 Team  Car  Drivers
Laps/Gap
1
42
1
Strakka Racing HPD ARX -01c Leventis, Watts, Kane
206
2
40
2
Quifel ASM Ginetta-Zytek 09S Amaral, Pla
205
3
24
3
Oak Racing Pescarolo - Judd Lahaye, Nicolet
204
4
25
4
RML AD Group Lola HPD Coupé Erdos, Newton, Collins
202
5
41
5
Bruichladdich Ginetta-Zytek 09S Ojjeh, Greaves, Ebbesvik
201
6 29
6
MIK Racing Lola - Judd Cioci, Perazzini, Pirri
200
7
35
9
Oak Racing Pescarolo - Judd Hein, Moreau
192
8
31
18
Team RLR MG Lola EX-265 Garofall, Hughes, Gates
189
1
43
22
DAMS Oreca FLM Barlesi, Cicognani, Chalandon
187
9
27
24
Race Performance Radical SR9 - Judd Frey, Buncombe
182
10
30
25
MIK Racing Lola - Judd Babini, Geri, Leo
179
2
46
26
JMB Racing Oreca FLM Kutermann, Basso, Hartshorne
178
3
47
29
Hope Polevision Oreca FLM Moro, Zacchia, Lombard
156
4
45
30
Boutsen Energy Oreca FLM Kraihamer, de Crem, Delhez
147
11
36
34
Pegasus Racing Courage-Oreca AER Schell, Da Rocha
77
5
49
36
Applewood Seven Oreca FLM Toulemonde, Beche
35
6
44
37
DAMS Oreca FLM Manning, Firth
25
7
48
38
Hope Polevision Oreca FLM Pillon, Capillaire, Verdonck
0

High resolution images will also be added to the Hungaroring gallery.

Radio & On-line: The team from Radio Le Mans offered extensive coverage of the race in Hungary. Click the button below for access to podcasts of the vital moments.

Click here to open the Radio Le Mans home page

Le Mans Series 2010

Round 4, Hungaroring
August 22nd 2010

Sunday - Race

The Race

RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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RML AD Group | Hungaroring 1000 Kilometres 2010 | Photo: Peter May, Dailysportscar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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