17 June 2017
Le Mans, 17 June 2017 – At 3pm precisely Formula 1 boss Chase Carey waved the flag to signal the start of 85th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
GTE-Pro. In the GTE-Pro class Alessandro Pier Guidi, in the 488 GTE no. 51 of AF Corse, took command of the race ahead of the Aston Martin of Nicki Thiim, while no. 71 slipped back a few positions with Sam Bird at the wheel. Toni Vilander in the 488 GTE of Risi Competizione held onto eleventh place. Thiim and Darren Turner, with the Aston Martins, which are very fast on the straights, overtook Pier Guidi but the group is still fairly compact. Pier Guidi had a great battle with the 91 Porsche and finally kept third place giving the car to James Calado few seconds before the 2 hours bell.
GTE-Am. The only Ferrari to suffer a problem was DH Racing no. 83 in the GTE-Am class. The car, entrusted to Krohn Racing, suffered a puncture and had to return to the pits after just three laps. The highest placed Ferrari is no. 62 of Scuderia Corsa, in third with Townsend Bell. Marco Cioci is fifth in Spirit of Race car no. 55, Stevens is seventh in the 488 GTE of JMW Motorsport, while Alessandro Balzan, who set off last in the 488 GTE of Scuderia Corsa, has climbed to tenth after a disastrous qualifying.