Porsche takes win in eventful Mexican race

Reigning World Endurance champions Mark Webber, Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley took victory in Mexico last weekend in a rain-interrupted race that featured delays for all six factory LMP1 cars.

The Porsche crew led for much of the race but briefly lost the lead at two-thirds distance after crossing the white line exiting the pits and being given a drivethrough penalty. Bernhard then glanced the wall late on but was still able to triumph.

Hartley said: “I always said that it would be tight and whoever executed the race best would be on the top step – and that’s what happened.”

Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler’s Audi eventually took second despite a brake issue when putting the leading Porsche under pressure.

The sister Audi of Lucas di Grassi, Loic Duval and Oliver Jarvis led initially but Jarvis went off when a front wheel bearing failed, meaning the Toyota of Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Stephane Sarrazin took third place at the flag despite a drivethrough for avoidable contact.

Rene Rast, Alex Brundle and Roman Rusinov were on course for LMP2 victory until a brake failure sent the G-drive car into the pits with 35 minutes remaining. This meant the RGR Ligier of Filipe Albuquerque, Bruno Senna and Ricardo Gonzalez triumphed.

The Aston Martin of Darren Turner and Richie Stanaway took the GTE Pro honours, while GTE Am went to the Porsche of Patrick Long, Khaled Al Qubaisi and David Heinemeier Hansson.