13.06.2004 As daylight floods the track, the no66 Prodrive Ferrari 550 Maranello emerges with a comfortable lead over the chasing pair of Corvettes: race update at 0700 from Le Mans

As 10pm approached an enforced clutch change dropped the no65 Prodrive Ferrari to 29th position overall, but once back on track with Darren Turner at the wheel, it began to lap faster than any of GTS cars ahead, as the Brit started a long climb back up the running order.

The real surprise was that by the end of the sixth hour the no64 Corvette and the no66 Ferrari, still only about a minute and a half apart, were running 5th and 6th overall, unusually early to find GTS cars so far up the field.

The 63 Corvette was working it's way up the leaderboard as it continued to recover from early race problems. However it was not making up any ground on the class leaders, and damage from either a flat or a possible altercation with the 37 Courage, cost the American car yet more time. As 11pm approached the steady pace of the Labre Ferrari was dented when it was wheeled into its pit garage for repairs.

Just after eleven there were more problems for the no65 Ferrari as the Colin McRae led car spun into the gravel at Dunlop and lost valuable minutes as it waited to be towed out.

At the front the GTS lead battle was hotting up as Peter Kox reduced the gap to the front running Corvette to just 27 seconds. These two were streets ahead of the rest of the runners, but positions were maintained until shortly after 1am when the GTS battle was blown wide open.

The leading no64 Corvette spun at the Ford chicane in an incident involving the race leading LMP Audi R8, the resulting repairs costing the yellow car four laps and catapulting the no66 Prodrive Ferrari into a clear GTS lead.

At the same time as the patched up Corvette was getting back onto track, around one thirty, the no62 Barron Connor Ferrari 575 GTC, which was having a steady race, spun at the Ford chicane, but rejoined without any arising issues.

The race was beginning to swing in the Ferrari's direction as the no64 Corvette was sandwiched by the Prodrive cars, but more drama hit the no65 car as it required a battery change on the stroke of 3am, and fifteen minutes later slid into the gravel at the Ford chicane.

At the same time Oliver Gavin took over the no64 Corvette, and after one lap, drove straight into the garage after he radioed in to say he had been hit. The team ran a quick check, topped up the fuel and he left apparently fine. He made another stop shortly after, the result of another gravel moment.

The no61 Barron Connor Ferrari then came into the pits with the front brakes on fire, it took several minutes to bring it under control, and the pit lane was for a while clouded in smoke.

The race's thirteenth hour saw more action and problems in GTS. After its spectacular brake fire, the Ferrari 575 GTC had its brake calipers and front uprights changed, allowing the no63 Corvette to move up a position. More drama then hit the third place no65 Ferrari which was pushed into its garage with gear selection problems. Just before the end of the hour, the recovering no64 Corvette drove straight into the garage after an off by Gavin damaged the nose.

7am, and as daylight flooded the track the no66 Prodrive car had a comfortable lead over the pair of chasing Corvettes, while further back the Barron Connor mechanics were being kept busy as the other no62 car made several pit visits to rectify problems.