Early problems for Aston, Lister, Creation.

The hot French temperatures is certainly taking its toll on the competing teams at Le Mans with more than half a dozen teams striking trouble in the opening 30 minutes of the race.

With the Audis and Pescarolos running untroubled at the head of the field, LMP1 rivals Creation Autosportif and Lister were both in the garage at the 30 minute mark with Creations Jamie Campbell-Walter reporting that a leaking rear brake calliper had left him bereft of rear brakes and Listers Jens Moller reporting potentially serious suspension troubles for Laurence Pearce's baby.

In LMP2 there were problems for the G Force Courage team, leaving teenager Ed Morris faced with nearly a full lap of the 13km circuit at nearly walking pace while the Liz Halliday driven Intersport Lola made several early pit calls as the team tried, so far unsuccessfully, to cure a misfire.

In terms of overall class impact, the disappearance of the #007 factory Aston Martin into the garage with an ominous trail of oil trickling behind it may have already reduced the GT1 battle to a three-car dice with Corvette holding the numerical advantage.

As the race creeps towards the three quarter hour mark, the Creation, the Lister and the Aston were all off track and losing time and laps rapidly.