N24: No.29 Mercedes holds slim lead

The No.29 HTP-Motorsport Mercedes heads the Nurburgring 24 Hours field heading into the final six hours of the race.

Christian Hohental leads the race by just over 10 seconds, with he and Marco Seefried having worked their way to the front of a four-car Mercedes fight for victory.

After a slow first stint following Saturday evening's race restart - mandated after torrential rain and hail hit the circuit less than an hour after the start - the polesitting No.9 Black Falcon Racing Mercedes clawed its way back into contention overnight and led until the most recent pitstop phase, where the No.29 gained the initiative.

The No.88 Mercedes, which led for much of the drying Saturday evening and overnight periods, now holds fourth having cycled back in after serving its pitstop at the 18-hour mark, just behind the No.4 Black Falcon entry piloted by Adam Christodoulou who set the fastest lap of the race prior to the pitstop phase, before jumping the No.88 in the pits.

The No.100 Schubert Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 had been the only non-Mercedes in the top five and with a shot at victory, but just after exiting the pits the No.93 SP5 BMW 1M-Coupe GTR was nudged across the front of the No.136 Ford Fiesta and caught the No.100, trying to overtake around the outside, blindsided, sending fifth-placed Lucas Luhr into the barriers and out of the race.

Instead, the No.912 Manthey Racing Porsche holds the mantle of best non-Mercedes in fifth, with Michael Christensen at the wheel.

A tough race for Audi was not made any easier by an accident between the No.6 and No.28 R8 LMS machines that eliminated both cars from the race.

Team Phoenix driver Markus Winkelhock's closing speed on the approach to Turn 8 on the short grand prix loop was far greater than the No.28 Montaplast car driven by Connor De Phillippi and the former ran out of room, nerfing the rear of the No.28.

The No.2 WRT car is the marque's leading representative in seventh, one lap off the lead, although it's sister Audi Sport Team WRT entry that won the race last year stopped in the same hour as the No.6/No.28 crash, before returning to the race in the 16th hour.

Originally on Autosport.com