24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual: tough night for 488 GTEs

Ferrari crews certainly didn't enjoy a night to remember in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual. Indeed, none of the 488 GTEs were still in contention for podium positions when the sun popped up this morning in the woods surrounding the Circuit de la Sarthe. Mistakes and poor luck played a key role.

Lots of trouble. Just before midnight, the first technical glitch afflicted the 488 GTE no. 51 of AF Corse. The car lost a lot of ground when David Perel had to stop due to steering wheel problems and is now ten laps back in seventeenth. Sim driver Kasper Stolze is at the wheel. Shortly after midnight drama also struck Ferrari no. 52. A problem with the connection and access to the server interrupted the stint of Italian driver Antonio Giovinazzi. It took seven laps to bring the 488 GTE back onto the server. The car is also driven by David Tonizza, Charles Leclerc and Enzo Bonito, who had done brilliantly to bring it up to second place. Currently, the crew is in sixteenth with Leclerc at the wheel. Among other things, the Monegasque was also forced off the road when lapped by the prototype of Fernando Alonso and Rubens Barrichello, losing even more time.

Cars no. 71 and 54. The night was relatively quieter for the other two Ferraris. AF Corse no. 71 held steady after losing two laps in the previous stage and is now eighth with Jordy Zwiers at the wheel. The 488 GTE no. 54 of Strong Together is one position further behind. After a great stint by sim driver Tony Mella, Felipe Massa hasn't put a foot wrong and is setting a fast and steady pace.