round #4 2006 FIA GT: PROXIMUS SPA 24 HOURS(B),July 29-30

MASERATI BEATS ASTON MARTIN IN FINAL SPRINT

GT2: FERRARI F430 GTC REALISES 1-2-3.  PORSCHE: BIG DEBACLE

THE ENTRY - Entry in GT1 is restricted to 11 cars: 4 Aston Martins DBR9 (the 2 of BMS Scuderia Italia; Race Alliance's Red Bull and Team Modena's), 4 Corvettes (the traditional C6-R of GL-PK, the C6-R of PSI Experience and 2 older C5-Rs), the 2 Vitaphone Maseratis and the Zakspeed Saleen S7R. The Cirtek Aston Martin DBR9 is not here, Racing Alliance's second Aston neither. No Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT. In GT2 we have 15 entries: 8 Ferraris F430 GTC, 7 Porsches 996GT3-RS(R) and one Spyker C8 Spyder (seen earlier at the Sebring 12 hours and the Le Mans 24 hours). Among the Ferraris we find the 2 traditional Scuderia Ecosse cars, the 2 JMB cars and the 2 AF Corse cars. New are the #70 GPC Sport Ferrari and the #71 RSV Motorsport Ferrari. Except the two Ebimotor Porsches none of the other seems able to menace the Ferraris. More interesting are the 2 brand new semi works Porsches 997 GT2-RSR entered by Manthey Racing: they are much faster than the old 996s and able to beat the fastest Ferraris F430 GTC. They race in an apart class, called G2, where we find 8 cars in total, among them the traditional Vertigo Streiff, an old Chrysler Viper, a BMW M3 entered by Racing Alliance, the 2 semi-works Porsches of Manthey and some national machinery. The field is completed by 10 G3 cars added as field fillers. Here we find 5 Porsches GT3 Cup (2 of them being new 997s), 4 Dodge Vipers and the #115 Aston Martin DBR9 of BMS Scuderia Italia. Public expects a thrilling combat between the Maseratis, the Astons and the yellow #4 Corvette for overall victory. Another thrilling combat to follow could be that between the Ferraris F430 and the 2 Manthey Racing Porsches 997 GT2.

QUALIFICATIONS
There are three official qualification sessions. But already after the first free practice it was obvious that the German Phoenix Racing Aston Martin DBR9 was the fastest, improving the free practice times by nearly 3 secs. Eventually Andrea Piccini was the fastest over the 3 practice sessions with 2'14"871 as best time. That's slightly slower than last year's pole '2'14"845). Then follow the two Maseratis MC12 and the fastest BMS Aston (#23). On the third row on the starting grid we'll find the GLPK Corvette and the Zakspeed Saleen. The fourth row goes to the Red Bull Aston and the second BMS Aston. The 8 first cars are regular entrants at the FIA GT Championship. The fifth row goes to the two PSI Corvettes, with the C6-R preceding the team's C5-R. 
The two Manthey Racing Porsches 997 cause a stir by clocking better times than all Ferraris F430 GTC. With 2'21"420 Marc Lieb does seriously better than the fastest works Porsche last year, the 2'22"856 of Ortelli last year. The two Mantey Porsches are followed by no less than six Ferraris F430. Here the #62 Scuderia Ecosse is with 2'22"095 the fastest. In G3 the #115 BMS Aston Martin DBR9 clocks the fastest time in 2'28"606, followed by the old Red Racing Viper GTS-R and the fastest of the two Pouchelon Racing Dodge Vipers. the two fastest cars. At the start I'll find some friends who drove one of my Ferraris years ago at the Ferrari club. Among them Jean-Michel Martin (a former winner of the Spa 24 hours) who'll drive the #55 JMB Ferrari F430 GTC and Jean-Pierre Malcher, the former French champion, who'll drive the #56 JMB Ferrari F430 GTC. It seems thus that Jean-Michel Bourêche of JMB collects "oldies" to drive his cars this year, surely if one looks the age of Kutemann and Gosse as other drivers. So the top-20 after the qualifications is:

THE RACE: TWO FIRST HOURS
During the warm-up the #77 has its engine blown up, so that there will be 43 starters instead of 44. The #55 JMB Ferrari F430 was victim of a collision and need to be repaired during racing time. Start is given under a bright sun. It takes until Bus Stop for Jamie Davies (#2 Maserati) to pass Andrea Piccini in the German Aston Martin DBR9 of Phoenix Racing. During the second lap Andrea Bertolini (#1 Maserati) realises a similar move as Davies, so that we have the two Vitaphone Maseratis at the two first places. Piccini follows at 4 secs, ahead of Bert Longin (#4 Corvette C6-R) and Pescatori (#23 BMS Aston Martin DBR9). Initially the Manthey Porsches are leading the Ferrari F430 gang, but after 6 laps Lucas Luhr goes through the gravel at Les Combes, so that he is passed by Krkaldy in the #62 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari and Jaime Melo in the AF Corse Ferrari. After 30 minutes Andrew Kirkaldy can pass Marc Lieb in the other Manthey Porsche, leading now the combined GT2/G2 class. Luigi Moccia (#74 Porsche) has a puncture at Eau Rouge and needs nine minutes to come back in the pits. Ebimotors's sister car, in hands of Collard has problems too: a defect sensor which must be replaced. After 53 minutes we note the first regular pit stop: Philipp Peter who hands the #33 Red Bull Aston Martin over to Christophe Bouchut. Then Pescatori (#23 Aston Martin) stops to change his rubbers and to modify the set-up of the car. After 59 minutes Davies and Piccini pit at the same moment. Since Bertolini stopped earlier for refuelling Bert Longin (#4 Corvette C6-R) is first after one hour, followed by Biagi who took over from Davies and Piccini. Menten is an unexpected 4th in the PSI Corvette C6-R, followed by Bartels, who took over from Bertolini and Bouchut. Kirkaldi - Melo - Mullen - Salo are the F430 four taking ranks 8-11 after one hour.
During the second hour Piccini (#5 Phoenix Aston Martin) has no problems to pass both Maseratis, and Longin's Corvette, pitting after 67 minutes. Piccini goes on the lead. On the #111 Porsche 997 Lieb has a serious gear change problem. After 1h47 minutes big drama when the #2 Maserati enters the pits with its engine on fire. The car had no more oil pressure and is out. Similar situation for the Belgian Vertigo, followed some laps later by the #35 Corvette, abandoned along the track. Meanwhile the #55 Ferrari F430, having been involved in a collision during the warm-up, is eventually repaired, having lost 14 laps in the pits.
After 2 hours the Phoenix Aston Martin leads the #4 Corvette by 1'03" and the PSI Corvette by 1'50". All other cars are 1 lap or more down. The Saleen - victim of a stop and go penalty - is 4th, followed by the #1 Maserati MC12. Kirkaldy leads GT2/G2 in the Scuderia Ecosse 430 (9th).

The German Aston Martin DBR9 of Phoenix Racing was the fastest at the qualifications.

HOURS THREE AND FOUR
During the 30 first minutes of the third hour Eric van de Poele (#1 Maserati MC12) chases Marcel Fassler in the leading #5 Phoenix Aston Martin. Difference comes down from 45 secs to less than 1 sec, when at once the #118 Pilotage Passion Dodge Viper goes into the wall, writing off the car, so that the safety car comes out. For most teams it's a signal to make a pit stop. Bertolini replaces Van de Poele in the Maserati. Fassler goes for a double stint. On the first flying lap Fassler and Bertolini change places twice. At the 3 hour mark Fassler leads the Maserati by 2"492. The Corvettes C6-R of Hezemans and Bouvy follow as 3rd and 4th at 1 lap. Then comes a trio with Janis (Saleen), Wendlinger (#33 Red Bull Aston) and Malucelli (#24 BMS Aston) at 2 laps. Nathan Kinch is a strong leader in GT2/G2 with his #62 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari F430 one minute ahead over both AF Corse Ferraris (#58 and #59). In G3 the class leading #115 BMS Aston Martin DBR9 is victim of mechanical woes and will loose in the standings 6 laps, dropping from rank 22 to rank 35. After 3 hours 4 cars out of 43 are already out (#35 Corvette C5-R, #2 Maserati MC12, #101 Vertigo and #118 Dodge Viper), but none of them is officially retired.
When Nathan Kinch, at the wheel of the GT2/G2 leading #62 Ferrari F430, pits one discovers some damages at the rear of the car, loosing 6 laps in the pits. AF Corse takes now the class lead, its #59 Ferrari F430 being 12 secs behind the #58. The #63 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari F430 follows at 9 secs. The #24 BMS Aston Martin suffers a front tyre punction and looses 2 laps. In the leading German Aston, having now 30 secs over the Maserati, Fassler starts his triple stint. Just before the hour Simonsen suffers a broken driveshaft on the #63 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari. The car drops seriously in the standings. Due to the pit stops the Maserati and the #4 Corvette are one lap down at the end of the 4th hour.
Positions after 4 hours are: 1. #5 Phoenix Aston Martin 97 laps, 2. #4 GLPK Corvette C6-R at 1 lap, 3. #1 Maserati MC12 at 1 lap, 4. #9 Saleen SR7 at 3 laps, 5. #33 Alliance Aston Martin, 6. #34 PSI Corvette C6-R, 7. 24 BMS Aston Martin at 4 laps, 8. #23 BMS Aston Martin; 9. #36 PSI Corvette C5-R, 10. #58 AF Corse Ferrari F430 (1st in GT2), 14.#197 Manthey Porsche 997 GT2 (1st in G2) at 6 laps; 23. #105 Porsche 996 GT3 at 12 laps (1st in GT3); etc.

HOURS FIVE TO SIX
At 8 in the evening it' hot and overcast. After the regular pit stops we find 3 cars in the same lap with Deletraz (#5 Phoenix Aston Martin) leading Kumpen (#4 GPLK Corvette C6R) by 20 secs and Eric van de Poele (#1 Maserati MC12) at 50 secs. The #115 Aston Martin (G3) spins at La Source and clouts almost the barrier. The clutch problem on the #63 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari made the car loosing more than 10 laps. It's getting quite gloomy now. After 5 hours we have the #4 always 20 secs behind the leading Aston Martin, the #1 Maserati being 40 secs behind.
Starting the 6th hour Jos Menten, then still 5th in the PSI Corvette C6-R, is stopped by the tyre wall at Blanchimont. He suffers a rear puncture and will drop into 12th position when he resumes.
Difference between the 3 cars in the lead lap remains extremely narrow. At the end of the 6th hour Van de Poele (#1 Maserati MC12) is 7.85 secs behind Deletraz in the leading Phoenix Aston Martin. Kumpen is third in the yellow Corvette C6-R at 16.83 secs from the leader. Then follows Janis in the Saleen at 3 laps. Splendid motoring in GT2 where the 2 AF Corse Ferraris F430 are never more than 3 secs apart, with the #197 Manthey Porsche, well recovered, one lap further. The four cars, no more racing since at least 4 hours are now all officially retired. The #194 Porsche 996GT3 of Penders/Lamot/Hemroulle, also in trouble since the first hours follows their example. We have still 38 cars in the race now.
Positions after 6 hours are: 1. #5 Phoenix Aston Martin 148 laps, 2. #1 Maserati MC12 at 7"85, 3. #4 GLPK Corvette C6-R at 16"83, 4. #9 Saleen SR7 at 3 laps, 5. #33 Alliance Aston Martin at 4 laps,  6. 24 BMS Aston Martin at 5 laps, 7. #23 BMS Aston Martin; 8. #59 AF Corse Ferrari F430 (1st in GT2) at 6 laps, 9. #58 AF Corse Ferrari F430, 10. #36 PSI Corvette C5-R at 8 laps, 11. #197 Manthey Porsche 997 GT2 (1st in G2) at 8 laps; 12. #70 GPC Ferrari F430 at 9 laps, 13. #34 PSI Corvette C6-R, 14. #80 Spyker C8 Spyder,  15. #62 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari F430 at 12 laps, 24. #105 Porsche 996 GT3 at 18 laps (1st in GT3); etc.

HOURS SEVEN TO NINE
During the 7th hour we see some splendid motoring between Stéphane Lemeret, now at the wheel of the #5 Phoenix Aston Martin and Andrea Bertolini, who took the #1 Vitaphone Maserati over from Eric Van de Poele. Difference comes down to less than 2 secs and after 6h30 of racing Bertolini catches the lead. Splendid motoring too between the two AF Corse Ferraris F430, one hour long less than 0.5 secs apart from eachother. Meanwhile the #33 Race Alliance Aston is in trouble, the car in the garage: the car is having a driveshaft replaced, the offending item had the bad manners to interrupt a fine session from Phillip Peter. The car tumbles down through the order to 30th position after 7 hours. At lap 163 Lemeret retakes the lead from Bertolini. One lap later the Maserati is again in front. The difference between both cars oscillates between 0 and 7 secs. When at 11:15 Emmanuel Collard goes off the track in the #75 Ebimotors Porsche, the safety car is out for the second time. The #33 Alliance Aston Martin resumes, 26 laps down to the leaders. When the SC retires we find Piccini at the wheel of the Phoenix Aston, pulling away from the Maserati. Trying to hold off Tomas Enge in the #23 BMS Aston, Malucelli spins and pits immediately for a very long stop. The #75 Porsche of Ortelli is beyond repair and retired. After 8 hours Piccini has 1'10"23 in hand over the Maserati and 1'40"50 over the GLPK Corvette. Both cars are thus always in the same lap. Shortly after the 8th hour the steering rack is broken on the #55 JMB Ferrari, and although it is fixable, the team reckons they would be 90 laps down by the time it was done - so the car has been retired. In checking it over, they also find a damaged brake caliper. The #24 BMS Aston is always in the garage after Malucelli's trip to the gravel. In front the gaps between the front three are easing out a little - but the three are putting on a superb race.
Positions after 9 hours are: 1. #5 Phoenix Aston Martin 219 laps, 2. #1 Maserati MC12 at 1'26", 3. #4 GLPK Corvette C6-R at 2',14" 4. #9 Saleen SR7 at 3 laps, 5. #23 BMS Aston Martin at 6 laps; 6. #59 AF Corse Ferrari F430(1st in GT2)at 10 laps, 7. #36 PSI Corvette C5-R at 11 laps, 8. #58 AF Corse Ferrari F430,  9. #34 PSI Corvette C6-R, 10. #197 Manthey Porsche 997 GT2 (1st in G2); 11. #70 GPC Ferrari F430 at 13 laps, 12. #80 Spyker C8 Spyder at 14 laps, 20. #105 Porsche 996 GT3 at 26 laps (1st in GT3); 21. #33 Alliance Aston Martin at 27 laps, etc.

Well driven by Eric van de Poele, Andrea Bertolini, Lemeret and Michael Bartels the #1 Vitaphone Maserati MC12 was the lonely car taking shortly the lead from the #5 Phoenix Racing aston Martin during houé 2 to hour 7.

HOURS TEN TO TWELVE
After nine hours of racing the leading car achieved one lap more than the 9-hours leader last year. The #115 BMS Aston Martin DBR9 (a G3), having gone out in the gravel with Stancheris at the wheel, resumes after replacement of the gearbox and a broken driveshaft. Out are the #56 JMB Ferrari F430 GTC and the #114 Dodge Viper. That means that 35 cars out of 43 are still in the race. The #194 Porsche of Hemroulle, told having retired, is again on the track. The #24 BMS Aston Martin is since two hours in the garage. Shall we see it back? In front the Corvette is lapped by the Phoenix Aston Martin. Only the Maserati rests in the lead lap, 1'29" behind after 10 hours of racing. The #63 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari F430 comes in the pits with a broken front splitter after a right front puncture. The crew does a necessary brake pad change.
Pedro Lamy has a strong run in the #111 Manthey Porsche 997, moving up towards the top-10, when at 2:15 in the night he goes off at turn 7, bringing the car in the pits with the right hand bodywork seriously damaged. The car drops in the standings from 12th to 19th position. Before mid-race the #24 BMS Aston Martin DBR9 is retired. After 11 hours Marcel Fassler, in the leading Phoenix Aston Martin has 1'16" in hand over Eric van de Poele in the Maserati. The GLPK Corvette follows at 1 lap, the Saleen at 3. The #105, having been leader in G3, is since several minutes in the pits with fuel pump problems. The new class leader is the #116 Dodge Viper of Chaillet/Nef/Deman/Geoffroy, closely followed by the #110 Porsche.
Shortly before mid-race the oil pressure goes down in the GLPK Corvette. At each pit stop oil was added. The car is loosing more and more oil, and a deficient piston ring is suspected. The car is now 2 laps behind the leader. Meanwhile Van de Poele comes in for an unscheduled pit stop: a punctured left rear on the Maserati. When the car resumes the race it is 1 lap and 27 down to the Phoenix Racing Aston Martin DBR9. In GT2 the 2 AF Corse Ferraris F430 are continuing their metronomic race, always a few seconds apart. The #11 Manthey Porsche 997 was since hours 1 lap and 20 secs behind the AF Corse duo, however, without winning field. Now the car comes into the garage with front damages. Shortly before mid-race the #33 Red Bull Aston Martin was again 14th, but at once the car passes no more.  The #70 Ferrari halts slowly  in the pits. Clutch problems? Positions at mid-race are:
1. #5 Phoenix Aston Martin 293 laps, 2. #1 Maserati MC12 at 1 lap, 3. #4 GLPK Corvette C6-R at 2 laps 4. #9 Saleen SR7 at 3 laps, 5. #23 BMS Aston Martin at 7 laps; 6. #34 PSI Corvette C6-R at 12 laps, 7. #59 AF Corse Ferrari F430(1st in GT2)at 13 laps, 8. #58 AF Corse Ferrari F430,  9. #36 PSI Corvette C5-R at 15 laps, 10. #197 Manthey Porsche 997 GT2 (1st in G2) at 18 laps; 11. #70 GPC Ferrari F430 at 18 laps, 12. #80 Spyker C8 Spyder at 18 laps, 13. #62 Ecosse Ferrari F430 at 22 laps, 20. #33 Alliance Aston Martin at 37 laps, 22. #110 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup (1st in GT3) at 38 laps, etc. 
We achieved at mid-race 2 laps more than last year. Around mid-race several cars are at once in troubles. The #197 Manthey Porsche is immobile in the garage with a cooling system leak. The Red Bull Aston is in the garage with serious engine woes. The #36 PSI Corvette C5-R is stationary somewhere along the track. And the #70 GPC Ferrari is always immobile in the garage. The Maserati achieves a lap in more than 4 minutes. What's going on???

In hands of Bert Longin, Anthony Kumpen, Mike Hezemans and Kurt Mollekens the GLPK Corvette C6-R could stay during 10 hours in the lead lap.

Once more this year the Vertigo-Streiff could not make it. Gillet's car was the first to be retired after only 43 laps.

HOURS 13 TO 18
With the #36, #70 and #197 all in the garage, the Spyker, having had a troublefree race up to now, moves up in the top-10, being at once 9th after 13 hours. The #62 Ecosse Ferrari F430 is back in the top-10, 4 laps down to the Spyker. Although the #70 GPC Ferrari F430 lost 12 laps in the pits to change its transmission, the car maintains its 11th position. The Renauer Porsche, still 14th at mid-race is in the garage with or a broken driveshaft or a broken gearbox. The Red Bull Aston (broken exhaust) rejoins the race in 27th position, now ...57 laps down to the leaders. Difference between the GLPK Corvette and the Zakspeed Saleen is down to 1 lap. There is already dawn over the whole circuit when at 05:11 the #197 Manthey Porsche resumes: 21 laps were lost in the pits to fix the cooling system leak. No trace of the Finnish #36, dropping further in the standings, always stationary at turn 5.  Radiator problems on the G3 leading #110 Porsche make them loosing the class lead to the #116 Dodge Viper (20th). At 05:45, under heavy dawn, the #36 passes again after more than 90 minutes of inactivity. At the wheel: Kuismanen, now 22nd. In front Bertolini brings the Maserati back on 1 lap and 8.66" from the leading Phoenix Aston. It's 06:00 in the morning and the sky is cloudy, temperature already pretty warm. We have always 34 cars in competition.
At 06:10 Andrew Kirkaldy (#62 Ferrari F430) blows away the cobwebs by a fastest lap time in GT2 of 2'23"876. The sun comes up in a splendid colourful sky. Franco Groppi ends the #115 G3 BMS Aston's Spa 24 hours in the gravel. Or is it not the end? It is not. Still 34 cars in the race, among them 8 out of 11 started GT1 cars. 06:21: Alliance's #199 BMW GTR M3 enters the top-20. In front Van de Poele tries to bring the Maserati back in the lead lap. The GPLK Corvette is 3rd at 2 laps. At 07:02 the Renauer Porsche emerges from the garage, but then is pushed back in. Then the #52 is eventually back on the track with a new gearbox. 07:10 and the #115 Aston Martin is back from the graveyard, already for the second time. Of the 16 started GT2 cars still 14 are in the race at 07:45; only the 2 JMB Ferraris 430 are out. 07:50: collision between the #74 Ebimotors Porsche and the #63 Ecosse Ferrari. The Porsche has a twisted exhaust, an exploded tyre and a broken rim. The car will loose 2 places in the pits. 07:55: the Spanish #71 Ferrari rejoins the race after a long pit stop. The #194 is continuously going from the track to the pits. 08:00 The MST lap counter is blocked since already 1 hour. The gap between the 2 metronomic AF Corse Ferraris is at once 2 laps, since the crew had to work on the #58's brakes. 08:14: The Spyker, having had a troublefree race up to now is with Bleekemolen into the gravel. The car is towed out and goes to the garage for inspection. 08:30: MST lap counter failure persists. FIA GT comes 50 minutes late with results of hour 16. MST is totally dead. The Spyker looses no more than 2 laps in the pits.
At 09:00; with 7 hours to go the difference between the leading Phoenix Aston Martin and the runner-up Maserati is 2'00"7. The GLPK Corvette follows at 3 laps, the Zakspeed Saleen 1 lap further. The Renauer Porsche eventually retires. Up from 09:20 the #70 GPC Ferrari passes no more. It's stopped out on the circuit. After their mutual pit stops the GLPK Corvette and the Saleen are at once only 17"23 apart. Van de Poele, in the Maserati, brings the gap with Fassler, in the Phoenix Aston, down to 1'41" with still 6 hours to go. Meanwhile MST live results are again on the screen. 
Positions at 10am after 18 hours of racing are: 1. #5 Phoenix Aston Martin 441 laps, 2. #1 Maserati MC12 at 1'41", 3. #4 GLPK Corvette C6-R at 4 laps 4. #9 Saleen SR7 at 18"12, 5. #23 BMS Aston Martin at 9 laps; 6. #34 PSI Corvette C6-R at 16 laps, 7. #59 AF Corse Ferrari F430 (1st in GT2)at 20 laps, 8. #58 AF Corse Ferrari F430 at 22 laps,  9. #80 Spyker C8 Spyder at 29 laps, 10. #62 Ecosse Ferrari F430 at 33 laps, 11. #111 Manthey Porsche 997 at 39 laps (1st in G2), 12. #63 Ecosse Ferrari F430 at 44 laps, 13. #66 Felbermayr/Reid Porsche 996GT3-RSR at 45 laps, 14. Ebimotors Porsche 996GT3-RSR, 15. #197 Manthey Porsche 997 at 48 laps, 17. #36 PSI Corvette C5-R at 53 laps; 18. #70 GPC Ferrari F430 at 18 laps, 22. #116 Dodge Viper (1st in GT3) at 55 laps, etc.  Still 33 cars out of 44 are in competition. The leader achieved after 18 hours one lap more than the 2005 leader after 18 hours.

HOURS 19-21
During hour 19 the Zakspeed Saleen can pass the GLPK Corvette for the 3rd place. 10 minutes late the gap is already 42"27. At 10:20 the #63 is in the pits with front damage. A radiator will be changed. At 10:45 the Ecosse Ferrari rejoins, close behind the Ebimotors Porsche. Meanwhile the #62 sister car is closing up to the #80 Spyker, immobile in the pits with a broken gearbox cable. Just before the the end of the 19th hour the Spyker looses its 9th place overall and its 3rd rank in GT2. With 5 hours to go differences in front are 11"582 between Piccini in the lead and his furious hunter Van de Poele and 27"247 between Kumpen, again 3rd, and Montermini in the Saleen. At 10:46 the GPLK Corvette looses its 3rd place after a regular pit stop: the car drinks oil like a student beer. All 40 minutes the Corvette needs to come in. 11:00: The #111 Porsche 997 enters the top 10. The #70 has been abandoned, however not officially retired. Piccini can stabilize the gap with Van de Poele around 12 secs. The Spyker resumes after 9 laps lost in the pits. Now the #33 Red Bull Aston passes no longer. In front Bertolini wins now 1.5 thru 2 secs per lap from Piccini. Since Piccini has to pit first, the Maserati will take the lead. It happens shortly before noon. Then Fassler takes over from Piccini and in less than no time he takes the lead back. Pit stop strategy, however makes that the Maserati leads again at the hour mark.The Zakspeed looses 2 laps in the pits with on overheated engine, so that the GLPK Corvette is again 3rd. With 3 hours to go, positions after 21 hours are:
1. #1 Maserati MC12 514 laps, 2. #5 Phoenix Aston Martin, 3. #4 GLPK Corvette C6-R at 6 laps  4. #9 Saleen SR7 at 9 laps, 5. #23 BMS Aston Martin at 9 laps; 6. #34 PSI Corvette C6-R at 20 laps, 7. #59 AF Corse Ferrari F430 (1st in GT2)at 23 laps, 8. #58 AF Corse Ferrari F430 at 26 laps, 10. #62 Ecosse Ferrari F430 at 37 laps, 10. #80 Spyker C8 Spyder at 44 laps,  11. #111 Manthey Porsche 997 at 49 laps (1st in G2), 18. #116 Dodge Viper (1st in GT3) at 68 laps, etc. 

The Phoenix Racing Aston Martin DBR9, here at midnight in the pits for a regular stop.

Shared by Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer, Thomas Gruber, Klaus Engelhorn and Armand Fumal, the Austrian BMW GTR M3, entered the top-20 at 06:21 in the morning.

The Phoenix Racing Aston Martin DBR9, having realised the pole at the qualifications was out in front during already 18 hours, when the difference with its direct opponent, the #1 Vitaphone Maserati, was only 1'41". In 2005 the 3rd after 18 hours was already at 11 laps laps. This year the gap was down to 4 laps. A wrong pit stop strategy - and the great talent of Eric van de Poele in the Maserati - will make that Aston is defeated for the 4th time in a 24 hour race. This time they were very close: 11 secs with 6 minutes to go!

HOURS 22-24
With less than 3 hours to go it's all trouble and affliction for the Porsches. The 2 Manthey Porsches are in the pits (just as the Saleen) when the #74 Ebimotors Porsche comes smoking in the pits. For them the race is over. On the #197 a jammed wheel nut enforces Manthey's crew to replace the complete rear upright (14 laps lost). The lonely vaillant Porsche on the track is the #66 Fel-bermayr/Proton in 11th position. After the Maserati's pit stop Dele-traz takes the lead, followed at 56 secs by Van de Poele. The Belgian goes faster than the Phoenix Aston. Some really grey clouds are approaching and at once the first drops of rain are announced. On pitting just before the end of hour 22 the Aston looses the lead. Piccini takes the wheel and now we witness a thrilling combat between him and Van de Poele, motoring consistently faster. 14:09 and now there is heavy rain in the paddock. Several cars go for intermediate tyres, but not the leaders. With 1h30 remaining the Maserati comes in for its one but last pit stop. On rejoining the track Van de Poele is 9.8 secs behind the Aston Martin. He cuts the lead down to 3.1 secs. If it's correct that the Aston has only one pit stop to do, the German car has the best winning chances. With one hour to go the Aston comes in for its pit stop and Van de Poele takes the lead. Fassler takes the Aston over for the last stint. On resuming he's 1'25" behind the Maserati, having still to make a stop. Van de Poele is now motoring at the limit and he succeeds that the Maserati holds the lead after its final pit stop where Bartels takes the car over. On rejoining the track he has 8.9 secs in hand over Fassler. A 24 hour race ends in an extraordinary thrilling sprint between the 2 cars. Meanwhile the Zakspeed suffers an overheated engine and drops in the standings. Rain is still pattering down.
With 39 minutes to go Fassler brings the gap down to 5.9 secs. The Saleen is in trouble in the pits with coolant spewing out, so that after the #23 Aston, also the #34 Corvette can pass the Zakspeed. Later the 2 metronomic AF Corse Ferraris will do the same. 23 minutes remaining and the gap is 10.1 secs. Six minutes remai-ning and an 11 secs gap. Which of the 2 cars will need a last splash & dash? Can the Maserati hold it until te finish? Three minutes left ... and not Bartels but Fassler comes in for a splash & dash. Maserati win the race. Bartels & Van de Poele won already last year at the wheel of the same car. In GT2 it's 1-2-3 for the new Ferrari F430, with the Spyker as 4th. G3 is won by the #116 Sigma RFacing Dodge Viper. [JPVR]

At their first 24 hour race the AF Corse Ferraris F430 proved that they are extremely reliable. The new Porsches 997 were no match for them. First Porsche was only 12th.