Navi Team Goh driver Seiji Ara emerged unharmed from a high speed accident while running second in class at Le Mans. Ara skidded on oil in the braking area for the first chicane on the Mulsanne straight.
"I had no chance," he said. "Two wheels hit the oil, which I hadn't seen, while braking."
The impact tore all the corners off Ara's Porsche Spyder. The Lola which had dropped the oil limped back to the pits but caught fire in the pit lane.
Even before Ara's accident, the Goh Porsche had already dropped out of the LMP2 lead battle due to a suspension problem. By contrast, Emmanuel Collard said his class winning Essex team had put in a faultless performance.
"We turned fast and steady laps," he said. "Only once in the night was there an unscheduled stop, to replace some body parts."