Halfway through the Dubai 24 Hours, Mercedes retains the lead and its hold on the top five.
The 2011 winning BMW is still in the top three, Porsche has four cars in the top ten, and a lone Lamborghini is the only non-German car in the top ten; in fact, three Lambos are the only non-German cars in the top 20.
The top three cars are on the same lap; the leader, Thomas Jäger in the No. 3 Abu Dhabi by Black Falcon Mercedes SLS AMG GT3, has a minute-and-a-half on the second-place No.6 Heico Motorsport Mercedes of Christiaan Frankenhout, who is thirty seconds ahead of the Claudia Hürtgen in the Saudi Falcons by Schubert #1 BMW Z4 GT3.
The next car in line is Martin Ragginger in the No. 18 Fach Auto Tech Porsche 997 GT3 R, four laps down
Bernhard Müller in the No. 25 Reiter Lamborghini Gallardo,12 laps down, is running tenth.
Traffic—and likely fatigue—has led to a number of collisions; nothing dangerous, but a lot of mechanical damage which has sent a lot of cars to the pits for repairs.
In other classes:
997: the No. 41 Carworld Motorsport Porsche 977 GT3 Cup in 16th and 17 laps down, leads the class. The # 43 Förch Racing Porsche which led the class art the eight-hour mark, has dropped to 48th.
SP2: The #103 Las Moras Racing Renault Megane Trophy has moved back to the front of this class, which has seen its share of carnage. The Las Moras Megane, in 31st, is 46 laps down and five laps ahead of the second-place VDS Racing Adventures Mustang, despite being rammed by the No. 122 Borusan Otomotiv BMW. The VDS Mustang lost time in the ptis after a collision broke its steering. The GT3 Dodge Viper which led at eight hours, is now 38th, 58th laps down, after spending time in the pits after colliding with the AF Corse Ferrari, and then gearbox issues.
SP3: No. 116 Optimum Motorsport Ginetta G50 which had led early and fell far back, was back in the lead in 23 place and only 40 laps behind the leader. #54 JR Motorsport BMW E46 GTR which led at eight hours is now second in class in 26th, 45 laps down after a collision damaged the front suspension.
A2: In the only class in which the same car has led from the green flag, the #80 Besaplast Racing Team 2 BMW Mini runs 28th, also 45 laps down. It’s nearest competition, the #57 Lap57 Racing Honda Integra Type R, is a further eight laps down in 35th.
A5: In 49th, the No. 51 Le Duigou Racing BMW 130I Cup, 71 laps behind, leads the #50 Kuepperracing BMW E46 Coupe by 27 laps.
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