Mechanical problem prevents McNish win

Allan McNish was forced to settle for third in the latest round of the American Le Mans Series in Detroit.

Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard clinched their fourth successive overall victory, and sixth of the season in their lighter, more agile LM P2 category Porsche RS Spyder at the Belle Isle street circuit situated on a parkland island in the Detroit River.

Dumas and Bernhard finished 5.948secs clear of Emanule Pirro and Marco Werner in the LM P1 class Audi R10 TDi, with the sister car of McNish and Dindo Capello a further 12 seconds down.

Again, though, victory was in sight for McNish and Capello as the 37-year-old handed over to the Italian leading after 90 minutes of the 165-minute race.

That was courtesy of the second of four full-course cautions due to accidents on the tight, narrow and temporary 2.096-mile track.

However, a wheel-nut problem led to the demotion to third, with McNish conceding: “That cost us valuable seconds and dropped us into the pack.

“But second and third places overall for Audi, on possibly the least suited circuit for our car, is a positive result.”

The one-two finish in the LM P1 class – Audi’s ninth of the season – guaranteed Audi Sport North America an eighth successive manufacturers title in the ALMS.

With two rounds remaining, with the next race the 1000-mile ’Petit Le Mans’ at Road Atlanta on October 6, McNish and Capello have a strong 22-point lead ahead of Pirro and Werner.