The Le Mans 24 Hours lead battle was reduced to two cars in the 13th hour of the race as the #1 Audi of Tom Kristensen hit trouble and then sensationally the race-leading #7 Toyota stopped on the track at Arnage, allowing the #2 Audi of Benoit Treluyer into the lead and promoting Kiwi Brendon Hartley to second.
Kristensen - who had been keeping the second R18 on the lead lap behind the #7 Toyota and the #2 Audi - suddenly slowed on the Mulsanne straight with a loss of drive. The car almost came to a halt before Kristensen was able to find some power and tour back to the pits, losing nearly four minutes. After a stay of nearly seven minutes in the pits the Audi crew carried out a fuel injector change, and the #1 entry rejoined the action with Lucas di Grassi at the wheel, having lost third place to the #20 Porsche. The Brazilian was then forced to make an unscheduled stop just a few laps later due to a puncture.
In Porsche No.20, Kiwi Brendon Hartley is putting in another solid stint and has now moved up to second overall.
In LMP2, the #35 OAK-run Ligier continued to control the race, with Jann Mardenborough taking over from Alex Brundle and picking up the laptimes battle with the chasing #36 Signatech car of Paul-Loup Chatin. Mardenborough has set a new LMP2 fastest lap of 3:38.576
