ALMS hour 6 report

RISI LEADS IN GT2 AT LE MANS AFTER SIX HOURS

Kaffer battling with two Corvettes for top spot in class

Risi Competizione's Pierre Kaffer led a wild GT2 battle at the six-hour mark during the 78th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours. A safety car period at quarter-distance left Kaffer a half-second ahead of Corvette Racing's Oliver Gavin in the first of the factory Corvette C6.Rs.

The Risi Ferrari F430 GT had started from the rear of the grid after its pole-winning time from Wednesday was disallowed in technical inspections. Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni are driving the Ferrari with Kaffer.

Jan Magnussen in the second Corvette sat third in GT2 as the trio of teams from the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron held the top three spots in class at dusk.

JaguarRSR's Jaguar XKRS retired in the opening hour with electrical problems, and Flying Lizard Motorsports' Porsche retired in the sixth hour with mechanical issues following its second punctured tire of the day.

Highcroft Racing's HPD ARX-01c was second in LMP2 with Marco Werner on the same lap as the race-leading HPD ARX of Strakka Racing with Nick Leventis in the lead. However Leventis went off during the safety car but was able to hold on to the lead by 30 seconds.

In the overall ranks, Peugeot held the top three spots with the car of Alexander Wurz, Anthony Davidson and Marc Gene - the winning trio at the Sebring 12 Hours - leading over the sister car of Nic Minassian, Franck Montagny and Stephane Sarrazin.

-source: alms