The #99 Rowe Racing BMW continues to lead the 24 Hours of Spa as the endurance marathon enters its final third.
Rowe’s Maxime Martin/Alexander Sims/Philipp Eng M6 inherited the lead back from the #8 Bentley when the M-Sport run machine was hit with another drive-through penalty.
The Maxime SouletAndy Soucek/Wolfgang Reip combination breached the maximum allowable stint length for the second time in the race.
Having scored valuable Blancpain Endurance Series points for leading at halfway, the Bentley sits second to the BMW after its penalty.
The #6 WRT Audi also remains on the lead lap in third ahead of its sister #28 entry, which is a lap in arrears having lost time during the night when it hit the #114 Jaguar.
Shane van Gisbergen’s #58 Garage 59 McLaren ran in the top 10 throughout the race before contact between co-driver Come Ledogar and a slower car saw the BES points leaders garage bound for repairs.
The 650S is now mired 11 laps off the lead in 39th – two places behind Lago Racing’s Australian Lamborghini effort.
“We were unlucky with the full course yellows earlier in the race that put us a lap down,” explained McLaren GT sporting director Bas Leinders.
“We were fighting our way back and running in third or fourth before the 12 hour mark.
“But then Come got hit when he was trying to overtake a Lamborghini, who closed the door.
“We had to repair the damage and lost more than 10 minutes. That was very unfortunate.”
Aussie Matthew Simmons was at the wheel of the #22 Nissan as the two thirds distance mark was reached.
The GT-R is 46th in the order after losing time earlier in the race with electrical issues.
Liam Talbot’s #888 Kessel Racing Ferrari meanwhile remains in the thick of the battle for the Am Class victory, running second to the #51 AF Corse 488.
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