In LMGTE Pro the race started in spectacular fashion after pole sitter Gianmaria Bruni in the No.51 AF Corse Ferrari 458 stopped on the track after leading the very early stages. An electrical issue meant Bruni and team mate Vilander lost several laps in the pits, after Bruni was eventually able to get the car running again but all chance of a top result was effectively over.

This handed the lead to the No.91 Porsche Team Manthey 911 RSR driven by Danish ace Michael Christensen. The Dane completed a brilliant double stint and handed over a useful lead to team mate Richard Lietz, who stretched the lead to over 40-seconds.

Behind the leading Porsche came the No.71 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia which was started by James Calado. The British driver fought back after losing some positions after the first Full Course Yellow (caused by Bruni’s stoppage) taking Richie Stanaway’s Aston Martin, before settling in to second place.

Calado came under increasing pressure from the second of the Manthey Porsche 911 RSR cars driven by Frederic Makowiecki and engaged in a fantastic battle with the Frenchman. It was resolved after the two made contact when a Full Course Yellow came out just before half distance. Calado’s Ferrari suffered a puncture, while the Porsche had a small amount of front bodywork damage. 

The LMGTE Pro-Am class saw the No.77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche 911, driven by Patrick Long take the lead after the Abu-Dhabi Porsche driven by Earl Bamber was spun out at turn two. 

After the second pit stops, the No.98 Aston Martin Racing car, started by Pedro Lamy and then taken over by Paul Dalla Lama led from the Dempsey Porsche. Patrick Dempsey completed a solid stint before handing over to local ace Marco Seefried, and as three hours was completed, Patrick Long was back in the cockpit and in a solid second place in class.

Third in class was the pole sitting SMP Racing Ferrari 458 Italia which had been started by Victor Shayter. The Russian fought gamely with the Dempsey-Proton Porsche of Patrick Long early on but a brief excursion dropped it back before Alexei Basov and then Andrea Bertolini brought the Le Mans winning car back in to contention.