Audi Takes Top Four Spots 18 Hours Into Le Mans 24

After 18 hours of racing at the Le Mans 24, Audi runs 1–2–3–4.
Audi Takes Top Four Spots 18 Hours Into Le Mans 24
Giancarlo Fisichella, who wrecked the #51 AF Corse Ferrari, is now driving it in the GTE-Pro lead. James Fish?The Epoch Times
Updated:
<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/4444Audi3.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-253032" title="WEC - 24h Le Mans 2012" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/4444Audi3-672x450.jpg" alt="Lôic Duval set a string of fastest laps in the #3 Audi R18 Ultra." width="750" height="502"/></a>
Lôic Duval set a string of fastest laps in the #3 Audi R18 Ultra.

After 18 hours of racing at the Le Mans 24, Audi runs 1–2–3–4 but the final result is still wide open: will the Audis take the top four spots, or take each other out?

The Audis have started racing each other and hitting other cars in the course of it. Marcel Fässler in the #1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro came around a corner and found the #70 Larbre car facing him. Fässler went through the gravel trap and clipped the wall, damaging the left rear bodywork.

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Webbed12Rebel.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-253059" title="Webbed12Rebel" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Webbed12Rebel.jpg" alt="Nic Heidfeld	in the #12 Rebellion Racing Lola is the best-placed privateer in fifth. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)" width="450" height="129"/></a>
Nic Heidfeld	in the #12 Rebellion Racing Lola is the best-placed privateer in fifth. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)

Second later, Fässler passed, cut off, and spun Tom Milner in the beleaguered #74 Corvette, spinning him into the tires with considerable damage.

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/WEBBEDstrworks.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-253063" title="WEBBEDstrworks" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/WEBBEDstrworks.jpg" alt="Tom Kimber-Smith in the the #44 Starworks HPD-Honda continues to lead in P2. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)" width="450" height="134"/></a>
Tom Kimber-Smith in the the #44 Starworks HPD-Honda continues to lead in P2. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)

Not to be outdone, Tom Kristensen in the #2 Audi e-tron clipped the #55 JWA-Avila Porsche.

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/WEBBEdLarbre50.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-253045" title="WEBBEdLarbre50" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/WEBBEdLarbre50.jpg" alt="Pedro Lamy retook the GTE-Am lead in the #50 Larbre Corvette. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)" width="450" height="179"/></a>
Pedro Lamy retook the GTE-Am lead in the #50 Larbre Corvette. (James Fish/The Epoch Times)

Fässler eventually had to hit the garage for new rear bodywork, which gave Kristensen a chance to take the lead. While these two were racing Lôic Duval was setting a string of fastest laps in the #3 Audi R18 Ultra.

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Webbed51Ferrari.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-253052" title="Webbed51Ferrari" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Webbed51Ferrari.jpg" alt="Giancarlo Fisichella, who wrecked the #51 AF Corse Ferrari, is now driving it in the GTE-Pro lead. (James Fish?The Epoch Times)" width="450" height="164"/></a>
Giancarlo Fisichella, who wrecked the #51 AF Corse Ferrari, is now driving it in the GTE-Pro lead. (James Fish?The Epoch Times)