For the second time in the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours, one of Audi's new R18 ca🃏rs has been forced to retire after a massive accident involving a GTE class Ferrꦓari.

Approaching 11pm local time, Mike Rockenfeller had just moved into second place overall at the wheel of the #1 ca🎶r when a GTE Ferrari - believed to be the #71 driven by Robert Kaufmann - moved across on the Audi on the high-speed kink leading to Indianapolis.

The resulting contact saw Rocken🌳feller tipped into a spin that saw the Audi impact the barrier at high speed on the left-hand side of the circuit before the car rebounded across the circuit and smashed into the barriܫer on the right.

Such was the extent of the dama𝓡ge that it wasn't immedi♈ately apparent which car had been involved before the reaction of the Audi crew told its own story.

According to Audi Motorsport boss Wolfgang Ullrich, Rockenfeller was able to climb from the car and get over the barrier on the side of the cﷺircuit before medical crews ar🦩rived.

Rockenfeller has now been taken away by ambulance from the scene of th🤪e accident.

Further updates to follow in due course.