McNish crashes out of Le Mans lead

Allan McNish has lost the lead in the Le Mans 24 Hours after an astonishing spell where two of the Audis crashed within minutes of each other in the 22nd hour of the Le Mans 24 Hours.

McNish led the race after a tense battle with Benoit Treluyer in the sister R18 e-tron Quattro but then went off into the barriers at the Porsche Curves while trying to negotiate a backmarker - damaging the front of the car and forcing the car into the pits for an unscheduled stop.

Repairs were completed in double quick time as the race went behind the Safety Car due to damage to the armco, enabling the Scot to return to action still in second place; albeit a lap down on Treluyer out front.

Amazingly, mere moments before McNish went off, Marc Gene had put the #3 Audi R18 Ultra into the tyres at the exact same spot as Romain Dumas earlier in the race, with the car also requiring work in the pits before resuming in double-quick time.

The #3 car has now dropped back behind the leading Rebellion Lola into fifth place.