After twelve consecutive hours of green-flag running in this year’s edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ferrari has continued to struggle to maintain pace of its competitors as dawn rapidly approaches.
LMGTE Pro. James Calado is at the helm of the no. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE, soldiering through the small hours of the night, and running nine seconds adrift of the next car as the category cycles through pit stops at the half-way mark of the contest. Since the drive-through penalty incurred by Alessandro Pier Guidi earlier in the race, the no. 51 has struggled to close back up to the class leaders, and currently sits around three minutes adrift of the leading no. 92 Porsche. Meanwhile the no. 52 Ferrari carries on one place further back but is off the lead lap at this point in the running. Miguel Molina is currently behind the wheel in the middle of a double-stint run. Felipe Fraga meanwhile is at the wheel of the no. 74 entry having just stopped for fuel as they too continue to double-stint their tires, but run two laps off from the leader.
LMGTE Am. Ferrari’s charge in the Am category is now led by the no. 54 AF Corse entry, driven at this point by Francesco Castellacci, currently sitting in 7th position and one lap behind the leading Aston Martin. Like the Pro category, much of the Am. field is preparing for pit stops at the half-way mark of the race as drivers get ready for the dawn push. Come Ledogar follows in the no. 59 Ferrari in 8th while the no. 61 which previously led the Ferrari effort now runs in 14th with Vincent Abril behind the wheel.