An Audi R8 LMS trio holds the lead in the 43rd ADAC Zurich 24h Race. At 00:00hrs, #1 leads, followed by #28 and #4. The leader and the third placed car represent the Audi Sport Team Phoenix Racing colours, with the runner-up racing for Audi Sport Team WRT. Behind the three Audis, the BMW Z4 GT3 (#25) entered by BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS holds fourth position, the Falken-Porsche (#44) follows in fifth. Meanwhile, the reason for the crash of the Frikadelli Porsche (#30) has been found. In the Karussell section, Patrick Pilet was involved in an accident with another car. The 911 GTR is a write-off. For safety reasons, the French driver is taken to the medical centre for examinations.
1 – Haase / Mamerow / Rast / Winkelhock (Audi R8 LMS)
23:24hrs
The leader crossed the line at the end of their last lap so far in 12:12.900 minutes. The rain is heavy and the track extremely wet.
23:44hrs
The Phoenix-Audi extends its lead. On lap 49 alone, the WRT-Audi #28 loses 10 seconds on the leaders.
23:46hrs
‚Mamerow: “We played it safe and came in for an early switch to wets. And it proved to have been the perfect decision.”
4 – Basseng / Fässler / Rockenfeller / Stippler (Audi R8 LMS)
23:58hrs
Pit stop with driver swap. Stippler for Fässler, switch to slicks.
6 – Adam / Stanaway / Lauda / Mücke (Aston Martin Vantage GT3)
23:23hrs
Pit stop for fuel and a switch to wets.
7 – Mücke / Turner / Lamy / Stanaway (Aston Martin Vantage GT3)
23:42hrs
Pit stop for fuel and wets. Pedro Lamy stays in the cockpit.
17 – Laser / Cerruti / Edwards / Keilwitz (BMW Z4 GT3)
23:53hrs
Pit stop. Switch to slicks.
19 – Müller / Sims / Werner / Wittmann (BMW Z4 GT3)
23:26hrs
Following a heavy impact in the crash barriers with Dirk Werner at the wheel, the left front of the car is damaged and it is repaired in the garage.
23:31hrs
Dirk Werner: “I spun at the Döttinger Höhe in the wet, went off and hit the crash barriers. We will repair the car but our chances for securing a good result arguably are over. This will cost us 30 minutes at least.”
21 – Schulze / Schulze / Strauß / Tresson (Nissan GT-R nismo GT3)
23:24hrs
Pit stop for fuel and wets.
23:47hrs
Pit stop for slicks.
23 – Graf / Hohenadel / Bastian / Jäger (Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3)
23:39hrs
With a 10:39.273-minute lap the currently fastest car.
26 – Farfus / Müller / Catsburg / Adorf (BMW Z4 GT3)
23:14hrs
The team switches to wets.
28 – Mies / Sandström / Müller / Vanthoor (Audi R8 LMS)
23:31hrs
The second placed Audi’s gap to the leaders amounts to 2:15.003 minutes.
29 – Thiim / Joens / Kaffer / Vanthoor (Audi R8 LMS)
23:05hrs
Pit stop. Switches to wets.
30 – Schmitz / Huisman / Pilet / Bergmeister (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
23:22hrs
Data engineer Erik Meyer talks about the radio contact with Patrick Pilet. The car was seriously damaged following a crash in the Karussell section and has to stop. Meyer: “I assume that we won’t be able to continue. This is a real shame as the car was running really well. Due to this incident, the lead was inherited by last year’s winners, the Audi #1.”
23:41 hrs
Subsequent entry regarding the retirement of the Frikadelli Porsche: Before hitting the crash barriers, the Porsche was involved in a collision with the Car Collection SLS #31.
23:56hrs
According to race control information, Patrick Pilet was taken to the medical centre for examinations, following the accident.
31 – Schmidt / Mattschull / Ehret / Rice (Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3)
23:28hrs
Is towed away by the DMSB-Staffel in the Wippermann area.
33 – Huff / Heyer / Frommenwiler / Krognes (Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3)
23:29hrs
Switches to wets.
85 – Smith / Kane / Meyrick / Arnold (Bentley Continental GT3)
23:01hrs
The Bentley is repaired and rejoins the race.
