FIA le mans

2020 Le Mans: Toyota lead early, Rebellion duo chase

Toyota No. 7 led the field from pole position after a long pace lap and stayed ahead for the first hour of the 88th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, round 7 of FIA WEC Season 8.

Bruno Senna kept the second place in the Rebellion after fending off a feisty attack from Toyota’s Sebastien Buemi.

Here is the overview after the first hour of track action at Circuit de la Sarthe:

LMP1 – Toyota chased by Rebellion duo

  • LMP1 category is led by pole-sitting No. 7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid with Mike Conway at the wheel
  • Second and third place occupied by Rebellion Racing No. 1 and 3 Rebellion R13 Gibson cars after a relatively trouble-free opening hour for the Swiss team
  • No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing car fourth, the car losing time with a rear-left puncture towards the end of the first hour
  • ByKolles Racing rounding out the top five

LMGTE Pro – Aston Martin looking strong

  • No. 97 and No. 95 Aston Martin Racing entries currently first and third in LMGTE Pro
  • No. 71 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo splitting the Aston Martin Vantage AMR cars with Miguelo Molina holding second after 60 minutes of racing
  • Porsche GT Team currently sixth and seventh

LMP2 – United Autoports lead from pole

  • Pole-sitters No. 22 United Autosports leads the 24 LMP2 crews with Filipe Albuquerque currently driving the ORECA 07 Gibson
  • No. 33 High-Class Racing second after strong opening hour with Kenta Yamashita at the wheel
  • Third out of the WEC entrants (and sixth overall) is JOTA on Goodyear tyres
  • No. 29 Racing Team Nederland car lost time after it was forced to enter the pits with an over-heating engine
  • No. 36 Signatech Alpine Elf entry forced to pit in opening laps due to loss of water pressure but now back on track and climbing the leaderboard

LMGTE Am: Aston Martin one-two

  • Ross Gunn leads the LMGTE Am category at the wheel of the No. 98 Aston Martin Racing Vantage
  • TF Sport holds second position with Charlie Eastwood in another Aston Martin
  • Currently third is Team Project 1 in the Porsche 911 RSR
  • Drama after 40 minutes as No. 61 spun, making contract with No. 88 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR causing it to go off the track
  • No. 70 MR Racing dropped down the leaderboard with gearbox issues