American Le Mans Series

Sebring 12H – Hour 1 & 2 Report

After two laps behind the pace car the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida started at 10:30 am Florida time. Even before the race had started Joel Feinberg already spun his #11 Oreca FLM09. The American driver returned to the pit to have his right-front tyre replaced…and returned to the pit again quickly afterwards to serve a stop and go penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

The race was not even 15 minutes old when the Jaguar XKR was already seen coming into the pits for what would be a long stop. The front hood was opened as soon as the car came to a stop, with steam coming from the car. It would be in and out of the pit more than once in the first half an hour.

At the front the Peugeots were lapping quick, but the Drayson Racing Lola Judd kept close. Behind in LMP2 Chris Dyson came into the pit, the Dyson Racing Lola Mazda went behind the wall instantly.

Thirty minutes into the race Jörg Bergmeister managed to pass Wolf Henzler and reclaimed the lead, which he had lost to the Team Falken Tire driver at the start. Soon after both Corvettes also passed Henzler. Behind them Emanuele Pirro passed Sebastien Bourdais for second place, the Italian ace using his experience and the traffic to get by the French driver.

Pirro pitted after 40 minutes and by that time the RSR Jaguar was also back in. The battle in GT2 kept going, with the several cars close to each other.

Just before the one hour mark other teams also started to come into pit for tyres, fuel and driver changes. But while some teams were pitting, the first full course caution when the Primetime Oreca FLM09 went off at Turn 4. The safety car, a Jaguar, came onto the circuit…just when the RSR Jaguar was officially announced as the first retirement of the 2010 race.

One hour into the race Peugeot was in the lead with the #08, ahead of the Drayson Racing Lola and the second Peugeot. Highcroft lead in LMP2, #55 Level 5 Motorsports in LMPC, #92 BMW in GT2 and #80 Alex Job Racing in GTC.

Fifteen minutes after the safety car came out the track went green again, Bourdais had no problem at the restart and got away from the rest of the pack.

In GT2 the battle heated up with Bruni putting full pressure on Auberlen in the BMW. At the final corner the Italian outbraked the American and moved the Risi team into the lead.

Behind the leaders the LMPC cars kept battling, with the Bouchut and Hunter-Reay fighting for the lead. The teammates did not give way to each other and fought as if they were fighting for victory in the final hour.

At 12.13 pm the Green Earth Team Gunnar Oreca FLM09 spun, but managed to continue. Minutes later there were also problems for the BMW of Joey Hand, losing several places.

Heading into the pit lane was the #3 Corvette. When it stopped the front hood was opened and mechanics checked out the car. Shortly after it had gone out it was back in to serve a stop and go penalty. But rather than going out on to the track after serving it the Corvette went behind the wall.

After two hours it was still a Peugeot 1-2. The #08 of Lamy/Bourdais/Minassian way ahead of the #07 of Gene/Wurz/Davidson.
The Lola Aston Martin of Primat/Mucke/Fernandez was third overall.
Patrón Highcroft Racing was leading LMP2 at the two hour mark, Level 5 Motorsports had a 1-2 in LMPC, with the #55 car leading the #95. In the GT2 category the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F430 GT2 was ahead of the #92 BMW E92 M3 and the #45 Lizards Porsche. Alex Job Racing #81 in first place in GTC.