Le Mans 24-Hour Race off to smooth start

LE MANS, France (AFP) –

French Nelson Panciatici (front) drives his Signatech Oreca 03 – Nissan N°26, and Belgian Maxime Martin drives his Oak Racing Morgan – Nissan N°35 during the warm-up of the 80th edition of Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.

The 80th Le Mans 24-Hour race got underway on the dot of 1500 local time (1300GMT) here on Saturday with all bar two of the 56 car grid setting off without incident.

Two cars, the Pescarolo of Emmanuel Collard and the Honda with Briton Jonny Kane at the wheel started from the grid slip road due to last minute mechanical problems.

All the cars passed through the first chicane safely with the pack being led by German pole sitter, and last year’s winner, Andre Lotterer in one of the four Audis.

Despite grey skies overhead forecasters were predicting a dry Saturday afternoon and evening.

The start flag was waved by Takeshi Uchiyamada, vice-president of Toyota, who are represented by two cars driven initially by Stephane Sarrazine, who set off from the second row, and Austrian Alex Wurz.