The first round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship in Doha, Qatar is nearing its end. Porsche’s Kevin Estre is comfortably leading the race with a lead of over a minute against his main competitor, Mikkel Jensen from Peugeot. Throughout the race, the #6 Porsche 963 has proven to be the strongest car on the track. Despite some moments where the #93 Peugeot closed the gap, Estre has managed to extend his lead to a minute and 20 seconds in the final hour.
Meanwhile, Matt Campbell, Estre’s teammate in the #5 Porsche, is currently in third place. The first customer Porsche, driven by Callum Ilott in the #12 JOTA Porsche, is in fourth position, about a minute behind Campbell. Campbell, who secured pole position in qualifying, experienced a rare mistake when he nearly lost control of the car at one of the medium-speed corners, causing him to go off track and lose valuable time. Although he was able to recover quickly, it will be difficult for him to make up for the time lost.
In the LMGT3 category, Klaus Bachler is leading the race in the #92 Manthey Pure Rxcing Porsche 911 GT3.R. He has a lead of just over 20 seconds against Alex Riberas in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3. These two cars have been battling for the lead throughout the race, with Riberas spinning at one point, allowing Bachler to catch up. Bachler successfully overtook Riberas and has since increased his lead. The pro drivers in the pro-am class are also competing for the win in this category.
Maxime Martin is currently in third place in the #46 WRT BMW M4 GT3, one lap behind the leading LMGT3 cars. Despite starting in ninth position, the team has made progress throughout the race. The presence of Valentino Rossi, making his debut in WEC competition, has been impressive, showcasing his pace and ability to navigate through traffic alongside his teammate Ahmad Al Harthy. The #777 D’Station Aston Martin, driven by Marco Sorensen, is in fourth place, while the #31 WRT BMW M4 GT3, with Augusto Farfus behind the wheel, is in fifth place.