With changeable weather and strenuous opposition from the likes of Ferrari and Porsche, Aston Martin Racing have claimed the lead of LM GTE Am in the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the four hour mark. The #98 V8 Vantage GTE held the lead thanks to Christoffer Nygaard at the first major landmark of the race.
The first hour of the race was punctuated by heavy rain which soaked the Mulsanne straight. A safety car for an accident which eliminated the #81 AF Corse Ferrari, one of the Am class rivals slowed the pace. Pedro Lamy held the car during this phase of the race and handed over to Nygaard in a position to take the lead.
Nygaard continues to lap at the head of the LM GTE Am field. “The team did a great job with the tyre choices today,” commented Lamy. “The plan was to do my stint and stay out of trouble as it is a long race. With so much happening on track this wasn’t easy but the engineers and I worked together to make some good decisions and make the most of the pit stops.”
In LM GTE Pro the lead Aston Martin is the car shared by Darren Turner and Bruno Senna. Turner started the car which completed the fourth hour in fifth place. All three of the cars drivers have taken part in the race already after the rain based confusion offered a chance for Aston Martin Racing to put Stefan Mucke into the car.
Turner said, “This is a long race. We are staying out of trouble and playing the long game.”
The #95 Young Driver AMR V8 Vantage GTE, known as the Dane Train, held fifth in LM GTE Am but claimed the fastest lap of the race in class thanks to Nikki Thiim. David Heinemeier-Hansson is currently at the wheel. The fourth Vantage, the #99 of Fernando Rees, Daryl O’Young and Alex MacDowall was withdrawn from the race following a significant accident in qualifying.
