Peugeot leads after 4 hours at Le Mans
Published 12:38 pm Saturday, June 13, 2009
LE MANS, France — Peugeot held the top two spots Saturday after four hours of the world’s most famous endurance race.
The French manufacturer hopes to snap Audi’s five-year winning streak at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Stephane Sarrazin’s Peugeot No. 8 had a lead of 2 minutes, 50.264 seconds over David Brabham’s Peugeot No. 9 after 66 laps.
Marco Werner’s Audi No. 2 was in third place, one lap behind Sarrazin on the 8.5-mile circuit, followed by defending champion Rinaldo Capello’s Audi No. 1.
Peugeot has the faster car but Audi is hoping that it has more endurance in the long and grueling race, which is won by the team that completes the most laps using up to three alternating drivers.
Alexandre Premat’s Audi No. 3 veered off the track on the third lap to land into the gravel bed. It was pulled back to the pits and then climbed back to 10th place, three laps behind Sarrazin.
Pedro Lamy lost 24 minutes for repairs after his Peugeot No. 7 collided in the pit road with Jean-Christophe Boullion’s Pescarolo No. 17 in the first hour. The Portuguese driver was in 21st place, seven laps off the pace.
Capello’s co-driver, Allan McNish, also wasted time in the pits after damaging the nosecone of his Audi No. 1 in the second hour.
McNish put pressure on the pole-sitting Peugeot No. 8 in the rolling start, but Franck Montagny held off the charge at the first curve to keep the lead.
A total of 55 cars started the 77th edition of the race, which will end Sunday at 6 a.m. PDT.
