American Le Mans Series

Sebring 12 Hours - Seventh and Eighth Hour Report

© American Le Mans Series

Having passed the halfway mark of this years Sebring 12 Hours there is still six more hours left, including some of them in the dark. The previous hour was marked by a lengthy caution period and then, moments after the track had gone green again, a collision between the leading GT2 cars of Risi Competizione and Farnbacher Loles Racing. As we head into the seventh hour this means the Flying Lizards are leading in GT2.

Now back to the Planetlemans live coverage of the Sebring 12 Hours as we do not want you to miss a minute of the action at the Sebring International Raceway.

16:05- We still have five cars on the lead lap at the halfway point. Three of them are LMP2 cars.

16:06- The GT1 leader (#3 Corvette) is in the pit for yet another regular pit stop.

16:10- Marco Werner will get into the pit next time by for a pit stop. Fuel and tyres for the R10.

16:13- More serious problems for the #2 Audi! Marco Werner has driven the leading Audi behind the wall.

16:14- Werner mentions “no power” on the team radio. Not looking so good, the car sounded (more) stationary while trying to overtake the slower GT cars.

16:18- Tom Kristensen is getting ready for his stint. Audi is getting ready to bring the #1 car in.

16:20- Capello is in and hands over the wheel to Kristensen. The Audi crew is changing the nose on the car as well as giving the car a full service.

16:21- Chris Dyson in the Dyson Racing Porsche RS Spyder has taken the overall lead now that the Audi made its (early) pit stop. Second overall is now Bryan Herta’s AGR Acura and Collard in the Penske Porsche third.

16:25- Patrón Highcroft Acura in for a stop. Checking out reports about a vibration in the car. As the #9 Acura gets out the leading Dyson Porsche comes onto pit lane.

16:27- The GT2 leader, Flying Lizard #45, is in for a regular stop, same for the Bell Motorsports Aston.

16:30-Serious problems for the Ford GT-R. The left rear tyre has come off and the #40 Robertson entry has to work its way back to the pit on three wheels.

16:32- Andrea Robertson has managed to get back in the pit. Marco Werner is still in the car in the Audi tent, reports are that they have a turbocharger problem. Not looking good at all for the full-season entry.

16:34- Tom Kristensen is trying to restore the order at the front. He is 30 seconds behind Collard in the Penske Porsche, the other LMP2 cars are already back behind the Audi.

16:40- Marco Werner is back in the pit lane and returning to the Audi pit box. Lucas Luhr takes over the wheel as the team services the car. It took the Audi team almost 30 minutes to solve the problem.

16:44- Kristensen needed 10 minutes to get 10 seconds back as he is now 20 seconds behind Dumas.

16:48- Third place GT2 car VICI Racing has entered the pit for a regular stop.

16:50- Yet another battle on the track between Audi and Peugeot, only shortly interrupted when overtaking one of the Corvettes. Big spin of the #44 Lizards Porsche, lots of run-off though so Neiman does not damage anything…apart from some flat spots on the tyres.

16:51- Another Corvette being passed by the Audi-Peugeot train. Minassian manages to get by Kristensen this time coming out of the last turn.

16:55- Jim Tafel has pushed the VICI Racing Porsche out of the top 3. His Tafel Racing Ferrari is now the lead Ferrari, but he still has the two Lizard Porsches ahead.

17:00- The top 8 is almost completely LMP2 at the moment. Penske is leading the race, 15 seconds ahead of the #1 Audi and 51 seconds ahead of the #16 Dyson Racing Porsche. The #4 Corvette is in the pit.

17:05- Ron Fellows has taken the wheel of the #3 Corvette after it made its pit stop as well. The Krohn Risi Ferrari is also in for a stop.

17:07- Kristensen was back to 12.5 seconds a lap ago, but has lost some ground again and is now back at 15 seconds. The Audi really needs a clear track to catch up with the Porsche.

17:08- After 12 minutes we are back to a Porsche top three in GT2 again. Craig Stanton in the VICI Racing Porsche has passed Jim Tafel’s Ferrari.

17:11- Pit stop time at the front. First it was the Team Penske Porsche, handing over the lead to Tom Kristensen, but the Dane has also come in now.

17:13- The nose is off the Audi R10 as mechanics scramble to work on the steering rods. The wheels are off as well. This will play into the hands of the LMP2 teams.

17:15- Guy Smith and Timo Bernhard have passed the Audi, so we have a Porsche RS Spyder 1-2 at the moment. Bryan Herta is now in third.

17:16- The damage to the R10 is assessed and the car is sent out. Left headlight not working at the moment on the Audi.

17:17- In comes Herta. He gets out of the car and hands over the Acura to Marco Andretti.

17:19- Andretti is out of the pit lane again as the Highcroft Acura comes in. And as that one goes out again it is the Fernandez Acura that comes in for a full service.

17:21- Guy Smith is about to get back in the pit lane, which would more than likely hand over the overall race lead back to Penske. At the moment the top five cars are all LMP2s!

17:23- The leading Porsche in GT2 comes in for a pit stop. No stop for the Dyson Porsche yet though.

17:24- Problems for the #46 Lizard Porsche. Slow on the track. Butch Leitzinger has gone in to the pit lane for his stop, Franchitti takes over the car.

17:26- In comes race leader Guy Smith. Smith stays onboard, the car is being refueled and new tyres are fitted on the Spyder.

17:28- Patrick Pilet has been able to get his troubled #46 Porsche into the pit lane. No luck for this car so far.

17:30- Right front damage for the Fernandez Acura. Even though it does not seem to hamper the Acura Fernandez comes in to have the damage repared. Tyres and fuel are added in the process.
17:33-Two cars remain on the lead lap, both Porsche RS Spyders. With Penske in first place at the moment are we in for a shocking (for LMP1) result this weekend?

17:36- Andretti in trouble? The left rear bodywork of the car is damaged with the rear fender and rear light bouncing around.

17:39- The third placed LMP1 car, the Intersport Lola, is in the pit for what seems to be a regular stop. In GT2 the Krohn-Risi #61 has moved up into fourth place.

17:40- Alex Davison takes the wheel of the #44 Flying Lizard Porsche. He will retain his second place in the GT2 class.

17:43- Staying with the GT2 category: Craig Stanton is reporting low fuel, so a pitstop for the VICI Racing car is imminent.

17:44- Marco Andretti is showing his talents. Despite being third he is fighting with the Penske Porsche as if it is for the lead. Andretti wants to unlap himself. Tom Kristensen is closing in behind them, currently 2 seconds a lap quicker than the LMP2 cars.

17:46- Instead of overtaking the Porsche Andretti is in the pit. The engine cover is coming off, just like the wing section. The team tries to change the rear wing section in record pace. Having lost some ground to the cars in front of him Marco Andretti will probably push even harder.

17:50- Andretti’s problem means Tom Kristensen and the #1 Audi are back in third place again. Craig Stanton in the VICI Racing Porsche, still third in GT2, is in for his pit stop.

17:54- The #5 VICI Racing Porsche will have to come in for a stop&go penalty. They were speeding in the pitlane (25kph too fast).

17:57- It has served the penalty and the Porsche is back out of the track again.

17:59- Kristensen unlaps himself on the long straight, the Diesel powered car just flies past the Penske Porsche.

18:00- At Audi four brand new brakediscs are being prepared for the next stop for the #1 car.

18:03- A spin for the #2 Audi, Luhr immediately dives into the pit.

18:04- The overall top three is now #7 Team Penske - #16 Dyson Racing - #1 Audi Sport North America. With four hours to go this race is far from over.