Sportscars Features

Rob Bell and Gianmaria Bruni secured a dramatic win for the Virgo Motorsport team at the Nurburgring, despite its yellow Ferrari 430 being severely damaged in a fire during Friday practice.

1. Sarrazin/Lamy Team Peugeot Total Peugeot 908 HDi 5hours 44mins 58.174 seconds 195 laps LMP1 2. Gene/Minassian Team Peugeot Total Peugeot 908 HDi +16.161secs LMP1

He may already be known as a record-breaker, but 'Mr Le Mans' Tom Kristensen has admitted that he is now a rule-breaker too, after claiming that Audi overcame three unwritten rules to triumph in the 76th edition of the round-the-clock French classic this year.

Though he may have finished in the runner-up spot in only his second appearance in the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours, Jacques Villeneuve insisted he was far from satisfied, and has vowed to return to finish the job off.

France's only ever F1 World Champion Alain Prost has underlined the importance of his country hosting a grand prix - and he argues the key to the race's future there is Paris.

The Tokai University team was denied a finish in its historic debut in the Le Mans 24 Hours after a transmission problem forced the Japanese team to retire from the 76th running of the famous race at La Sarthe.

Larbre Competition team boss Jack Leconte says his team will seek revenge in the Spa 24 Hours after a problem early on in the Le Mans 24 Hours prevented his team from fighting for honours in the GT1 class.

The Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans has added another famous name to the pantheon already recognised for their exploits at La Sarthe, and given race fans a new section to conjure with by adding the Corvette Curves to the likes of Tertre Rouge, Mulsanne, Arnage and Indianapolis.

Porsche may have come out on top in the LMP2 class at Le Mans 2008, but the same could not be said for GT2, where it resumed its annual battle with Ferrari - and lost heavily.

David Brabham has admitted that he has never had to work so hard for success, particularly in a race already as arduous and competitive as the GT1 class at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Le Mans 24 Hours success will now be compared to buses by Aston Martin Racing for, having had to wait 48 years to add to its 1959 overall triumph, the team racked up a second GT1 class win in as many years.

Peugeot continued to fly out front as the Le Mans 24 Hours entered the witching hour, holding a steady advantage over the best of the Audis which provides its closest opposition.

Rain over the Circuit de la Sarthe produced the first real change at the head of the field, as Audi finally came into its own in the battle for supremacy with Peugeot with 15 hours in the books.

Little changed at the head of the field as a damp dawn greeted the remaining runners at Le Mans, with Audi continuing to best Peugeot and the rain continuing to come and go, hampering the French team's efforts to regain the lead.

The #2 Audi continues to lead the Le Mans 24 Hours going into the final three hours of competition at La Sarthe, but continuing changing conditions and a quick Peugeot behind will ensure there is no resting on laurels for the team in the run to the flag.

For the second successive year, Audi held off the challenge of Peugeot to secure victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours despite another late rain shower in the final three hours that threatened to put a spanner in the works.

1. Capello/McNish/Kristensen Audi Sport North America Audi R10 TDi 24hr 00m 24.085s LMP1 381 laps 2. Gene/Minassian/Villeneuve Team Peugeot Total Peugeot 908 HDi +4m 31.094s LMP1

Tom Kristensen maintains the lead in the Le Mans 24 Hours but only after a huge scare in the 22nd hour. Kristensen was continuing to lead the way in the #2 Audi when he came up to put a lap on the Barazi-Epsilon Zytek of Juan Barazi approaching the Dunlop Bridge.

Despite a brave effort to fix the car after its earlier accident, the Chamberlain Synergy team was forced out of the Le Mans 24 Hours shortly before midnight.

Amanda Stretton endured a baptism of fire in the Le Mans 24 Hours on her out lap in the Chamberlain Synergy Lola.

Audi leads the Le Mans 24 Hours at the three hour mark after a dramatic start to the 76th edition of the race that saw main rivals Peugeot run into problems at La Sarthe.

Peugeot rebounded from its problems in the opening three hours of the race to hold the top two positions at the quarter distance point in the 76th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Peugeot remains out front in the Le Mans 24 Hours as the clock strikes midnight to signal the nine-hour mark with the #7 car now leading the way in the hands of Nicolas Minassian.

The Virgo Motorsport team hit early problems in its debut Le Mans 24 Hours after Rob Bell was involved in an incident on pit lane.