A great day's worth of racing: 1000km of Silverstone - a six-hour race of Le Mans Prototypes and GT cars around the new Silverstone configuration, and a chance for the top two cars of each class to be automatically selected for the 24h in June.

The support race was a round of the F3 Euro Series. Tight racing from a two-manufacturer formula (VW and Mercedes)


*DOINK*


Two and three abreast around Luffield was not uncommon!


Then at around 11.30am, the main race started. With 48 starters, the warmup lap was at that point in time the world's most expensive traffic jam.


Bumper to bumper racing from the Ferrari 458 of Bell/Walker


RLR Msport MG Lola EX265-Judd of Gates/Garofall/Hughes. Finished a commendable fifth in the LMP2 class


The No.16 Pescarolo-Judd LMP1 storms past a GT BMW M3.


The No.8 Peugeot 908 of Sarrazin/Montagny pranged a wall early in the race, and had to pit for lengthy repairs to comply with the lighting regulations. They finished 8/10 in the LMP1 class.


The Audi R18 of Bernhard and Fassler strives to catch...


...the leading No.7 Peugeot of Pagenaud and Bourdais. The two would trade the lead several times over the next few hours.


The Lotus Evora outbrakes itself taking on an Italia. Not sure if it was the brake set-up or the driver, but this car managed the same trick for each of the four or five laps we watched the Loop hairpin!


The lone Corvette looks on helplessly as the Rebellion Judd-Toyotas overtake at Club.

What is wrong in this pic?


Audi R18 #1 exits Club and onto the new start/finish straight.


This was weird walking here during a race... the view from the disused Abbey Chicane towards Bridge and beyond into the old Complex. Makes you realise how blind it was. Most race drivers would have a view about three feet lower...


R18 #1 detail shot.


...and into the pits. In the pit lane only two mechanics can work on a car at a time, so fuel and wheels all happens sequentially. For more serious work (and more mechanics) cars can be withdrawn into the garage.


Unfortunately while in the lead the #1 Audi lost the right-hand legality panel that satisfies the regulation that the wheels must be enclosed. The stewards were gracious in allowing the car to continue until a scheduled pit-stop, but wouldn't allow it to finish in that state. The pit-stop and repair - fuel, tyres and replacement undertray/panel in the garage - took a mere 1m26s! But it was enough to lose the lead.


Everyone loves Aston-Martin, especially in Gulf colours!


The #15 Oak Pescarolo-Judd finished well in fifth. Teammates in #24 came in for a very creditable third and podium, having maintained that position for almost the whole race.


Get. Out. Of. The. Way!


#50 Corvette for our American friends Having qualified badly, the determined C6 came fourth in class.


Wheel-to-wheel racing. The dream team of McNish and Kristensen in the #2 Audi failed to sparkle as several collisions and spins took them out of contention for most of the race. Nevertheless they finished seventh, just ahead of the second Peugeot in eighth following some epic scraps with each other and the remaining LMP1 cars.


The Peugeot mechanics celebrate a well-deserved win. Ten minutes later La Marseillaise blared over the tannoys. The French had won this time.

Excellent photos - looking forward to set #2.

Good stuff U-96 - nice to see a few familiar cars from earlier in the year when I went to Le Mans. For a moment there I thought the spinner was the same car I caught at the Dunlop Esses facing the wrong way too.

Very nice set of photos.


Wheels

A great second set. The "Get out of the way" shot really shows how high the wheel wells are compared to the rest of the car. It seems like it would block the driver's view in those cars.

Wicked shots Those Audi's are an evil looking rig.

Nice set of pictures U-96. This year's trip to Le Mans is sufficiently far enough behind that the memories of little sleep, bad food and warm beer are forgotten and I'm getting goosebumps about next June looking at the shots.

We'll be packing our gear up for Britcar 24Hr at Silverstone at the end of the month, can't wait now.

Glad to see that Bridge still actually exists, even if disused, as I was under the impression the tarmac had been taken up. I'll remember your tip and go down and stand on it during Britcar. One of my favourite corners.

I might see you there Goon, trying to get that one past the wife

Happy birthday too!

Thanks Adam.