01.HOUR
TOYOTA TAKE EARLY LEAD
A start with a difference! Due to atrocious weather conditions with rain falling inc
minutes before the green flag, the formation lap was cancelled and the safety ca
action from the start of the race.
The two Porsche 919 Hybrids #2 and #1 led the field following behind the safe
Jani’s first lap was timed at 8:27.414, much slower than the pole-winning time of 3
on Wednesday night. The safety car was finally called in on the eighth lap to sta
in earnest. Once the cars had been unleashed, André Lotterer (#7 Audi R18) and
(#8 Audi R18) both overtook Sébastien Buemi in the #5 Toyota TS050 Hybrid. Mi
in the second Toyota (#6) moved up to second following some smart overtaking to
Bernhard in the Michelin chicane on the ninth lap, and then into the lead when he
Porsche on entering the Ford chicanes.