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Audi holds control in closing hours

Audi Sport Team Joest is on its way to its first Le Mans Series victory of the year, in the season-ending Silverstone 1000km. The German factory squad comfortably holds the top two positions with 55 laps remaining in the endurance race. Leaders Mike ...

Audi Sport Team Joest is on its way to its first Le Mans Series victory of the year, in the season-ending Silverstone 1000km. The German factory squad comfortably holds the top two positions with 55 laps remaining in the endurance race. Leaders Mike Rockenfeller and Alexandre Premat in the No. 2 Audi R10 TDI enjoy a one-lap margin over the sister No. 1 machine of Allan McNish and Dindo Capello, which has rebounded following an early race collision with a Peugeot.

Audi is also on its way to snatching the drivers', teams' and manufacturers' championships away from Peugeot. It's certainly been a race to forget for the French Lions. An early crash by Nicolas Minassian eliminated he and Marc Gene's championship hopes, and a collision between Capello's No. 1 Audi and Stephane Sarrazin in the No. 8 Peugeot created a lengthy delay for the 908 HDi-FAP.

Sarrazin and co-driver Pedro Lamy rejoined in the third hour and have now moved up to 24th overall, 16 laps back from the leading Audi. However, the car sits in 11th in LM P1, meaning that it's unlikely to score any championship points.

Charouz Racing System has enjoyed one of its best races of the season, as Jan Charouz led the race outright for a portion of the second hour. The Aston Martin-powered Lola B08/80 now runs in third after a delay in the pits, which dropped it two laps behind.

The Van Merksteijn Motorsport Porsche RS Spyder of Jos Verstappen and Peter van Merksteijn continues to lead LM P2, with Horag Racing's Porsche now in second. Fredy Lienhard drove his final stint before handing over to Jan Lammers in the third hour. Lienhard announced his retirement from driving this weekend.

In LM GT1, Team Modena has been in control of the race from the get-go, with Antonio Garcia and Tomas Enge holding a one-lap lead over the IPB Spartak Lamborghini Murcielago in second. Rob Bell and Jamie Melo continue to pace LM GT2 in their Virgo Motorsport Ferrari F430 GT, ahead of the No. 77 Team Felbermayr-Proton Porsche 997 GT3 RSR and the No. 90 Farnbacher Racing Ferrari in third.

Less than two hours remain in the 1000km battle, which has gone in favor of the silver rings for the first time this season.

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