Brendon Hartley is at the helm of the No.8 Toyota and 35 seconds behind the race-leading No.7 Toyota at the halfway mark of this year’s Le Mans 24 Hour.
Toyota has a stranglehold on this year’s race, and if either car avoids any serious trouble, the team will win this year’s race.
Besides the 35 second margin between Kamui Kobayashi in the No.7 and Hartley in the No.8, the next placed car is three laps down on the two Toyotas.
Alpine’s grandfathered LMP1 car slid into the gravel at the first Mulsanne straight chicane eight hours into the race.
The French outfit has risen back to third overall. However, they will need both Toyotas to strike misfortune to get back into race-winning contention.
Elsewhere, it is race done for Earl Bamber in the GTE-Pro class.
Bamber’s co-driver Cooper MacNeil crashed the No.79 WeatherTech Racing Porsche at the final chicane.
The car sustained damage to its front and rear, leaving the crew with a big repair job.
Ultimately, the car looks to be out for the rest of the race, and Bamber posted ‘Game Over’ with a picture of the crashed car on Instagram.
Jaxon Evans had a solid stint earlier in the night, and the No.77 Dempsey-Proton Porsche is fifth in the GTE-Am class.
The team have capitalised on several inter-class accidents and problems to put them in a top-five position.
Matt Campbell is currently in the car and one lap down on the class-leading Ferrari.