Le Mans 7 Hours

Subj:  PR - LE MANS - 6			Section: F-1/Internat'l News
  To:  ALL				Saturday, June 15, 1996 3:10:13 PM
From:  RIS/EUR-Jacquie Groom, 100045,3717#819639

24 Heures du Mans - 15/16 June 1996

Communique No. 6

Saturday 15th June 1996 -19H00 - 21H00

A run of punctures !

The duel between the Joest Racing entries and the works cars from Stuttgart continued with no. 7 
and no. 25 swapping the lead according to refuelling stops.  At 21h00, the Reuter-Jones-Wurz 
TWR held the upper hand with an advance of 1 mn 53 secs. The TWR emitted a worrying cloud of 
smoke in the first chicane on Les Hunaudieres but still set a new lap record of 3 mn 50.452 secs 
almost immediately beaten by van der Poele in 3 mn 50.452 secs.  The cooler evening weather 
favourised higher speeds.

There were numerous incidents.  First of all, the no. 77 Seikel Porsche stopped for 15 minutes on 
the pit entry before getting back to its pit and then regaining the track.  Brabham's McLaren and 
Freon's Mazda spun off in the Ford chicane without damage.  Patrick Gonin then lost a wheel in 
Les Hunaudieres but made it back to the pits on three wheels after 25 minutes.  The Oreca 
entered Chrysler Vipers lost time due to an oil pump change on no 50 and engine trouble for no 
51.  Warwick spun his no 4. Courage on the pit road entry.  At 19h 22 Stanley Dickens had a 
huge accident on the entry to Indianapolis destroying his no. 2 Kremer but luckily without injury to 
himself.

At 19h30, the Riley and Scott went into the gravel trap in the region of Indianapolis and Giroix's 
McLaren was delayed  by a drive shaft change,  The NSX Honda , already delayed by a puncture 
had to have the brake pads changed.  After a blow-out on Les Hunaudieres Coppelli managed to 
get his Callaway back to the pits in spite of extensive damage to the rear left-hand corner.  
Trevisiol also punctured the no. 15 WR.  The no. 83 Porsche came into the pits with a puncture 
just before quarter distance. In the GT2 Category the Roock Racing Porsche had a lap's lead over 
the Larbre Competition entry.

Transcribed by Jacquie Groom