Photo : D.R. - Audi Sport

 

René Rast - fourth in the LM P2 class at Le Mans with the Oreca 03-Nissan of the Sébastien Loeb Racing team -Markus Winkelhock and Laurens Vanthoor succeeded in preserving their advantage over the BMW Z4 of Lucas Luhr, Markus Palttala (retired in LM GTE Am at Le Mans) and Dirk Werner despite a brake pad change less than three hours from the finish.

The two cars battled on the track for 24 hours, exchanging the lead in function of refueling. At the last pitstop, BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS went for broke by not changing the Z4's tyres. The decision allowed Dirk Werner to stay in the lead but not for long: with fresh tyres, René Rast managed to climb to the top spot with more than an hour to go and to create a several second margin, sufficient to pass under the checkered flag in first place.

The Belgian team Audi Club Team WRT was decidedly in the groove this weekend, its second Audi R8 reaching the third step on the podium thanks to Christopher Mies, Frank Stippler and James Nash, penalized for a drive-through at the beginning of the race.

The trio Marcel Fässler-André Lotterer-Benoît Tréluyer, victorious for the third time at Le Mans in June, did not have the same success in the Belgian Ardennes, the victim of a collision with another competitor, who received a penalty. The trio still managed to finish in 12th place, whereas Stéphane Ortelli, former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, failed to reach the podium with another Audi R8 LMS Ultra and Guy Smith, winner in La Sarthe in 2003 with Bentley, had to settle for 13th place at the wheel of a...Bentley.

The first car in the Pro-Am class, AF Corse's No. 53 Ferrari 458 Italia, victorious in the LM GTE Pro class at Le Mans, finished sixth overall thanks to Niek Hommerson, Louis Machiels, Marco Cioci, third in the LM GTE Am class at Le Mans, and Andrea Bertolini (retired at Le Mans). BMW also scored second place ahead of another AF Corse Ferrari, Fabien Barthez, World Football Champion in 1998, crossed the finish line in 11th position.

The Gentlemen Trophy class was also dominated by an AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia in the hands of Peter Mann (retired at Le Mans), Alexander Talkanista, Francisco Guedes and Cédric Mézard.

Cécile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

PHOTO: FRANCORCHAMPS (LIEGE, BELGIUM), SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS CIRCUIT, 24 HOURS OF SPA, SATURDAY JULY 26 2014, RACE. Audi won a 24-hour race for the third time in six weeks.