Sebring 12 Hours – Update After Three Hours

By Marcel ten Caat ⋅ March 19, 2011 ⋅

© Planetlemans – Brecht Decanc

After all the pre-race ceremonies the green flag for the 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh From Florida was given at 10:30 am. Franck Montagny took off into the lead, with the Peugeot of Wurz closing in on Allan McNish. Soon after the Peugeot Sport Total team was already into a 1-2.

Behind the LMP1 cars the battle for the lead in GT quickly turned into a four-way fight. Gavin, who had taken the lead at the start, was under pressure from Bruni and into turn 1 the Ferrari moved back into the lead, the Corvette and Ferrari then exchanging paint into turn 3.

Gavin was then put under pressure by the two BMW Motorsport cars. Dirk Werner quickly passed by Dirk Müller was unable to as he was hit by Bouchut in the #33 Level 5 Motorsport Lola into turn 1. The BMW lost time in the pit as the team changed the wheel.

Then at 10:52 Nicky Pastorelli parked his West Racing Lamborghini at the side of the road. The Dutchman’s Lamborghini suffered a rear wheel failure and Pastorelli decided to park his car for safety reasons – after it was returned to the pit it went behind the wall and was retired from the race. The stranded car caused a full course caution…but Loïc Duval still came into the pit, only to be held at the end of the pit lane after passing his pit box.

As soon as the pits were open most cars came in to get serviced before the green flag. That green flag was shown at 11:14 and despite being in the lead due to staying out the OAK Racing car only enjoyed leading briefly, before Franck Montagny and Alexander Wurz blasted through.

© Planetlemans – Brecht Decancq

Just before the one-hour mark Mike Rockenfeller came into the pit with a puncture and some damage to the wing. Minutes later he was back in again with another puncture and more damage to bodywork and rear wing. The car went behind the wall and was checked and repaired. The damaged wheel was quickly taken away by Michelin.

Fortunately for Audi their #2 car stayed within striking distance of the two Peugeots.
Then after just over an hour and a half of racing the yellow flags came out again when Ryan Lewis stopped on the track. The #52 PR1/Mathiasen Oreca FLM09 was unable to move under its own power and had to be towed in. Another ten minute full course caution was the result.

Racing after the restart lasted exactly one lap as at after exactly two hours of racing Patrick Long’s Porsche jumped over the bumps in the final corner and slid right into the side of Magnussen’s Corvette. Both cars spun and the Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferrari of Johannes van Overbeek was unable to avoid contact. The #001 clipped the Corvette, was send up in the air and slammed into the wall. A heavily damaged Ferrari as the result, the other two cars were able to continue their race.

At 12:47 the green flag was shown again and as the front of the field got their race underway the #004 Ford GT, the #04 Corvette and both Lizards Porsches came in to serve penalties.

After three hours of racing the two Peugeot Sport Total cars were still in control at the front of the field. The #7 with Anthony Davidson behind the wheel was leading after 80 laps – but due in for a pit stop, with Sarrazin in second place. The gap to the third placed Audi had gone up to just over forty seconds. Highcroft Racing was behind in fourth.

In LMP2 the Oreca 03 Nissan that started from pole position was still in the lead – a large lead over the two Level 5 Motorsports Lola’s. But as the clock showed 1:30 pm Ordonez came in – just after his rivals had done so.

BMW Motorsport was in first and second in LM GTE Am after three hours, with Toni Vilander in third. Hand was second, despite his cars earlier tire issues.

© Planetlemans – Brecht Decancq

After the demise of the Larbre Competition – which retired from the race, having been parked on the side of the track before and having had issues in the pit – and the Aston Martin Vantage suffering a broken ring gear and subsequent damage to starter and fly-wheel (it only appeared just before the three hour mark for its first lap) the small GTE Am category was now lead by Michele Rugolo in the Krohn Racing Ferrari.

In GTC the battle between the TRG Porsche of Spencer Pumpelly and the Black Swan Racing Porsche of Sebastiaan Bleekemolen continued.