Audi R18 Takes 24 Hour of Le Mans Prototype Class Pole

Photo Credit: Audi AG

The 79th running of the oldest running 24-hour endurance race, the classic Le Mans event on the Circuit de la Sarthe brings some new look prototypes and a the recipe for a fierce LME category (better known last year as GT) fight. A prelude to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, qualifying for the race gives a sample to the sounds and speed expected for the race's 2011 edition.

For the first time since 2006, Audi Team Joest will lead the field of 56 sports cars to the start of the full day race. Taking the glory of the pole position, the #2 Audi R18 TDI prototype car piloted by Andre Lotterer flew around the Circuit de la Sarthe's 13.629 kilometer distance in 3 minutes and 29.939 seconds. Just one-hundredth of a second behind, the #1 Audi R18 TDI prototype sealed a strong front row for the German automaker. The third Team Joest Audi R18 TDI qualified 5th for the start of the 24 Hour of Le Mans.

Expected to want vengance for the defeat in the 2010 Le Mans race and now 2011 qualifying, Peugeot has the resources to reclaim their home endurance racing event. Three factory Peugeot 908 Le Mans prototype sports cars and an Oreca-fielded effort are planning to better endure the 24 hour distance for a second Le Mans victory in three years. In qualifying, the highest flying member of the Peugeot camp was the #9 car wheeled by Simon Pagenaud. Pagenaud is taking a departure from his regular ride competing in the American Le Mans Series for Highcroft Racing in a Honda Racing Development prototype. For Saturday, Simon Pagenaud is paired with Pedro Lamy and Sebastien Bourdais.

Factory Aston Martin vehicles in the LMP1 class were far from a figure in qualifying at Le Mans with their AMR-ONE cars failing to find speed. In fact, most of the LMP2 cars were faster than the Aston Martin racing team vehicles. The british-based race is still seeking a return to the podium since rejoining the sports car racing arena in the Le Mans prototype class. Aston Martin has two victories in the GT1 production car class in 2007 and 2008.

Prevailing in the production-based vehicle LME category in 2011, the BMW M3 GT took first and third in class qualifying sandwiching a Ferrari 458 Italia. Lapping the track at 3 minutes and 57.592 seconds, the BMW Motorsports cars is in a class where the top-9 vehicles are separated by 3.5 seconds in qualifying.   

A very pivotal part to setting up the 24 Hours of Le Mans, qualifying will quickly become less meaningful when the green flag to the 2011 endurance race drops.


Classes

LMP1            
LMP2            
LME Pro       
LME Am        



2011 Le Mans 24 Hour Starting Grid

1)(1) 2 AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST AUDI R18 TDI
Marcel Fassler/ Switzerland
André Lotterer Germany
Benoit Treluyer France

2)(2) 1 AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST AUDI R18 TDI
Timo Berhard/ Germany
Romain Dumas/ France
Mike Rockenfeller/ Germany

3)(3) 9 TEAM PEUGEOT TOTAL PEUGEOT 908
Sébastien Bourdais/ France
Simon Pagenaud/ France
Pedro Lamy/ Portugal

4) (4) 8 PEUGEOT SPORT TOTAL PEUGEOT 908
Stéphane Sarrazin/ France
Franck Montagny/ Switzerland
Nicolas Minassian/ Great Britain

5) (5) 3 AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA AUDI R18 TDI
Tom Kristenesn/ Denmark
Rinaldo Capello/ Italy
Allan McNish/ Monaco

6) (6) 7 PEUGEOT SPORT TOTAL PEUGEOT 908
Anthony Davidson/ Great Britain
Marc Gene/ Spain
Alex Wurz/ Austria

7) (7) 10 TEAM ORECA MATMUT PEUGEOT 908 HDI-FAP
Nicolas Lapierre/ France
Loic Duval/ France
Olivier Panis/ France

8) (8) 12 REBELLION RACING LOLA B 10/60 COUPE-TOYOTA
Nicolas Prost/ France
Neel Jani/ Switzerland
Jeroen Bleekemolen/ Netherlands

9) (9) 16 PESCAROLO TEAM PESCAROLO JUDD
Emmanuel Collard/ France
Christophe Tinseau/ France
Julien Jousse/ France

10) (10) 13 REBELLION RACING LOLA B 10/60 COUPE-TOYOTA
Andrea Belicchi/ Italy
J.Christophe Boullion/ France
Guy Smith/ Great Britain

11) (11) 15 OAK RACING OAK PESCAROLO - JUDD
Guillaume Moreau/ France
Pierre Ragues/ France
Tiago Monteiro/ Portugal

12) (12) 22 KRONOS RACING LOLA ASTON MARTIN
Vanina Ickx/ Belgium
Maxime MARTIN/ Belgium
Bas LEINDERS/ Belgium

13) (13) 20 QUIFEL - ASM TEAM ZYTEK 09 SC
Miguel Amaral/ Portugal
Olivier Pla/ France
Warren Hughes/ Great Britain

14) (1) 26 SIGNATECH NISSAN ORECA 03-NISSAN
Soheil Ayari/ France
Franck Mailleux/ France
Lucas Ordonez/ Spain

15) (14) 24 OAK RACING OAK PESCAROLO - JUDD
Richard Hein/ Monoco
Jacques Nicolet/ France
Jean-François Yvon/ France

16) (2) 42 STRAKKA RACING HONDA PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT ARX 01 D
Nick Leventis/ Great Britain
Danny Watts/ Great Britain
Jonny Kane/ Great Britain

17) (3) 48 TEAM ORECA MATMUT ORECA 03-NISSAN
Alexandre Premat/ France
David Hallyday/ France
Dominick Kraihamer/ Austria

18) (4) 39 PECOM Racing LOLA B11/40-JUDD BMW
Luis Perez-Companc/ Argentina
Matias Russo/ Argentina
Pierre Kaffer/ Germany

19) (5) 49 OAK RACING OAK PESCAROLO - BMW
Shinji Nakano/ Japan
Nicolas De Crem/ Belgium
Jan Charouz/ Czech Republic

20) (6) 41 GREAVES MOTORSPORT ZYTEK NISSAN
Karim Ojjeh/ Saudi Arabia
Thomas Kimber-Smith/ Great Britain
Olivier Lombard/ France

21) (7) 40 RACE PERFORMANCE ORECA 03-JUDD BMW
Michel Frey/ Switzerland
Ralph Meichtry/ Switzerland
Marc Rostan/ France

22) (15) 007 ASTON MARTIN RACING ASTON MARTIN AMR-ONE
Stefan Mucke/ Germany
Darren Turner/ Great Britain
Christian Klien/ Austria

23) (8) 36 RML HONDA PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT ARX 01 D
Mike Newton/ Great Britain
Tommy Erdos/ Great Britain
Ben Collins/ Great Britain

24) (16) 5 HOPE RACING ORECA SWISS HY TECH-HYBRID
Steve Zacchia/ Switzerland
Jan Lammers/ Netherlands
Casper Elgaard/ Denmark

25) (17) 009 ASTON MARTIN RACING ASTON MARTIN AMR-ONE
Harold Primat/ Switzerland
Adrian Fernandez/ Mexico
Andy Meyrick/ Great Britian

26) (9) 44 EXTREME LIMITE AM PARIS NORMA M200P - JUDD BMW
Fabien Rosier/ France
Philippe Haezbrouck/ France
Jean-René de Fournoux/ France

27) (10) 35 OAK RACING OAK PESCAROLO - JUDD BMW
Andrea Barlesi/ Belgium
Frédéric Da Rocha/ France
Patrice Lafargue/ France

28) (11) 33 LEVEL 5 MOTORSPORTS LOLA COUPE-HONDA PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT
Scott Tucker/ USA
Christophe Bouchut/ France
Joao Barbosa/ Portugal


29) (1) 55 BMW MOTORSPORT BMW M3 GT
Augusto Farfus/ Brazil
Jörg Muller/ Germany
Dirk Werner/ Germany

30) (2) 51 AF CORSE FERRARI 458 ITALIA
Giancarlo Fisichella/ Italy
Gianmaria Bruni/ Italy
Toni Vilander/ Finland

31) (3) 56 BMW MOTORSPORT BMW M3 GT
Andy Priaulx/ Great Britain
Dirk Muller/ Germany
Joey Hand/ USA

32) (4) 73 CORVETTE RACING CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 ZR1
Olivier Beretta/ Monoco
Tommy Milner/ USA
Antonio Garcia/ Spain

33) (5) 89 HANKOOK - TEAM FARNBACHER FERRARI 458 ITALIA
Dominik Farnbacher/ Germany
Allan Simonsen/ Denmark
Leh Keen/ USA

34) (6) 74 CORVETTE RACING CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 ZR1
Oliver Gavin/ Great Britain
Jan Magnussen/ Denmark
Richard Westbrook/ Great Britain

35) (7) 77 TEAM FELBERMAYR-PROTON PORSCHE 911 RSR (997)
Marc Lieb/ Germany
Richard Lietz/ Austria
Wolf Henzler/ Germany

36) (8) 59 LUXURY RACING FERRARI 458 ITALIA
Stéphane Ortelli/ Monoco
Frédéric Makowiecki/ France
Jaime Melo/ Brazil

37) (9) 75 PROSPEED COMPETITION PORSCHE 911 RSR (997)
Marc Goossens/ Belgium
Marco Holzer/ Germany
Jaap Van Lagen/ Netherlands

38) (10) 79 JOTA ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE
Sam Hancock/ Great Britain
Simon Dolan/ Great Britain
Chris Buncombe/ Great Britain

39) (11) 66 JMW MOTORSPORT FERRARI 458 ITALIA
Rob Bell/ Great Britain
Tim Sugden/ Great Britain
Xavier Maasen/ Belgium

40) (12) 80 FLYING LIZARD MOTORSPORTS PORSCHE 911 RSR (997)
Jörg Bergmeister/ Germany
Patrick Long USA
Lucas Luhr/ Germany

41) (13) 58 LUXURY RACING FERRARI 458 ITALIA
Anthony Beltoise/ France
Pierre Thiriet/ Belgium
François Jakubowski/ France

42) (1) 61 AF CORSE FERRARI F430
Pierguiseppe Perazzini/ Italy
Marco Cioci/ Italy
Sean Paul Breslin/ Germany

43) (14) 88 TEAM FELBERMAYR-PROTON PORSCHE 911 RSR (997)
Nick Tandy/ Great Britain
Abdulaziz Al Faisal/ Saudi Arabia
Bryce Miller/ USA

44) (15) 71 AF CORSE FERRARI 458 ITALIA
Robert Kauffman/ Italy
Michael Waltrip/ USA
Rui Aguas/ Portugal

45) (16) 76 IMSA PERFORMANCE MATMUT PORSCHE 911 RSR (997)
Raymond Narac/ France
Patrick Pilet/ France
Nicolas Armindo/ France

46) (2) 63 PROTON COMPETITION PORSCHE 911 RSR (997)
Horst Felbermayr Jr/ Austria
Horst Felbermayr Sr/ Austria
Christian Ried/ Germany

47) (3) 81 FLYING LIZARD MOTORSPORTS PORSCHE 911 RSR (997)
Seth Neiman USA Darren LAW/ USA
Spencer Pumpelly/ USA

48) (4) 70 LARBRE COMPETITION PORSCHE 911 RSR (997)
Christophe Bourret/ France
Pascal Gibon/ France
Jean-Philippe Belloc/ France

49) (5) 83 JMB RACING FERRARI F430
Manuel Rodrigues/ France
Jean-Marc Menahem/ France
Nicolas Marroc/ France

50) (6) 60 GULF AMR MIDDLE EAST ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE
Fabien Giroix/ Argentina
Michael Wainwright/ France
Roald Goethe/ France

51) (7) 57 KROHN RACING FERRARI F430
Tracy Krohn/ USA
Niclas Jonsson/ Sweden
Michele Rugolo/ Italy

52) (8) 50 LARBRE COMPETITION CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 ZR1
Patrick Bornhauser/ France
Julien Canal/ France
Gabriele Gardel/ Switzerland

53) (9) 62 CRS RACING FERRARI F430
Pierre Ehret/ Germany
Roger Wills/ Great Britain
Shaun Lynn/ Great Britain

54) (17) 65 LOTUS JETALLIANCE LOTUS EVORA
Jonathan Hirschi/ Switzerland
James Rossiter/ Great Britain
Johnny Mowlen/ Great Britain

55) (10) 68 ROBERTSON RACING FORD GT-DORAN
David Robertson/ USA
Andrea Robertson/ USA
David Murry/ USA

56) (18) 64 LOTUS JETALLIANCE LOTUS EVORA
Oskar Slingerland/ Germany
Martin Rich/ Great Britain
John Hartshorne/ Great Britain

2011 Le Mans Sports Car Preview: Peugeot 908 HDI LMP

Photo Credit: Peugeot Via Newspress UK

With the ACO (a French-based sports car sanctioning body) introducing new regulations for the upcoming 2011 24-Hour of Le Mans, auto companies competing in the now level LMP category has been sent to the drawing boards. Complying to new aerodynamic and technical specifications, Peugeot has unveiled their 2011 fighter in the ultimate goal to reclaim the highly-desirable French sports car endurance race.

Unlike the Audi Le Mans Prototype program that redefined itself with a new designation (ie. R8, R10, R15 and now R18), Peugeot has chosen to retain the 908 numbering for identifying the 2011 race car. Preparing for battle against the Audi R18, the 2011 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP comes with two major design changes over last season's 12 Hours of Sebring-winning vehicle. Continuing into this season as a closed cockpit race car, the most notable aesthetic difference between the old 908 and the new 908 is the ACO-mandated shark fin over the engine cover. Another special consideration for the 2011 Le Mans Prototype Peugeot 908 is that all four wheels are the same size.

Because of the before-mentioned ACO rule changes, the Peugeot 5.5 liter HDi V-12 engine which ran from 2007 through and 2010 is obsolete. Working to the maximum engine displacement allowable by ACO rules for a turbodiesel 8-cylinder, the new Peugeot 908 prototype features a 3.7 liter race powerplant. Using much of the same technology including turbocharging and a diesel emission particulate filter, the Peugeot 908's new 3.7 liter HDi V-8 features a 90 degree engine angle compared to the 100 degree V-angle of the outgoing V-12.

Announcing plans to compete the entire 7 rounds of the 2011 Intercontinental Cup, Peugeot Sport has also unveiled the driver lineup for the 3-car squad's attempt to take the Le Mans 24 Hours race. The following listing will be the 2011 pilots of the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP:

Car #7 – Alexander Wurz / Anthony Davidson / Marc Gené
Car #8 – Franck Montagny / Nicolas Minassian / Stéphane Sarrazin
Car #9 – Sébastien Bourdais / Pedro Lamy / Simon Pagenaud

Peugeot Sport's 2011 season starts with the first round of the Intercontinental Cup at the Mobil 12 Hours of Sebring on March 19th under the American Le Mans Series.



Photo Credit: Peugoet Via Newspress UK








Photo Credit: Peugoet Via Newspress UK





Photo Credit: Peugoet Via Newspress UK



24-Hour of Le Mans Weather Forecast

Photo Credit: Aston Martin Racing


Without stop for one full day, the most storied endurance sports car race will run the 13.65 kilometer Circuit de la Sarthe for its 78th time. With 56 cars expected to take green, those teams will find race preparations (which some like Audi were dedicated purely to Le Mans) will come down to chance. Mechanical and individual error could upset the entire work of one team, but weather could become a gauntlet for the entire sports car field.

Through past runnings of the 24-hour of Le Mans were made unforgettable by a solid rain shower sometime within the event. Inducing conditions which contributed to results class and even overall victories, the upcoming weather through the Saturday-Sunday within the French region is guaranteed to be a defining factor in 2010.


Weather Forecast for 2010 24-Hour of Le Mans (According to Weather.com)

Race Start (Approx. 2:22 P.M. Local Time): 23 degrees Celsius, 60% Chance of Rain
6-Hour Mark: 21 degrees Celsius, 40% Chance of Rain
12-Hour Mark: 12 degrees Celsius, mostly clear skies, only 10% Chance of Rain
18-Hour Mark: 12 degrees Celsius, sun with periods of cloud cover, 10% Chance of Rain
Race End: 21 degrees Celsius, cloud cover


For this year, expect another unsettled 24-hour run. Creating a challenge for drivers and crews, the rain in France will demonstrate the loyalty of the embedded Le Mans spectators. For fans at least, umbrella's and rain ponchos will be common wear for the first half but could be discarded as the race nears completion.

Peugeot on Pole for 24 Hours of Le Mans

Photo Credit: Audi USA

On a June, Saturday afternoon in France, more than 200 kilometers outside of the country's epicenter of Paris, the city of Le Mans becomes the center of motorsports for the 24-hour of Le Mans. Started in 1923, the race is now an treasured prized by drivers but also auto manufacturers. Last year's win by Peugeot over the Audi Sport Team Joest juggernaut was one example where the auto companies crave the honour of being the first car across the line after 24 hours.

In qualifying for the great endurance race, last year's overall winning manufacturer again bettered Audi. To the concern delight of the French crowd, the Peugeot prototypes swept the top four spots to lead the 2010 endurance event led by the driver pairing of Sébastien BOURDAIS, Pedro LAMY and Simon PAGENAUD in the #3 Peugeot 908.

Returning this to Circuit de la Sarthe year with a revised they call the Audi R15 Plus, Audi Sport Team Joest are stationed directly behind the French auto maker's efforts with their three-car effort in the 2010 Le Mans event. Looking to position their Audi R15 within the same winning circle where the R8 and R10 inhabited for eight 24-Hour of Le Mans races last decade, Audi has little concern about being outpaced during the qualifying runs. Predicting to find the edge within the 24 hour race, Team Joest is banking on the fuel mileage of their TDI engine and tire durability as sending their vehicles further between fuel stops.

Adding themselves as a darkhorse again for Le Mans success is Aston Martin Racing delivering two Lola chassis cars to 8th and 9th. Little more than 3 seconds slower than the third Audi R15 Plus, the gasoline-fueled Aston Martin engines are no less a legitimate third factory effort in prototype.

As a remaining protoype notable, the #12 Rebellion Racing car driven by Marco Andretti, Neel Jani and Nico Prost will start16th overall for the event.

The wildly diverse production-based GT2 class saw a qualifying at Le Mans resulted in action during and after the session. 2008 and 2009 Le Mans class winning team Risi Competizione flew to pole ahead of the Corvette racing pair. The #82 Ferrari F430GT in the hands of Gianmaria Bruni posted the fast lap around the Circuit de la Sarthe only to have it taken away in post race scrutineering. The class leading time was disallowed when an issue with the #82 vehicle's rear wing was found. With the #82 Ferrari dropped to 12th in GT2, Corvette Racing's #64 leads the #63 team in the class.

Leaving 2011, the current GT1 category will run their final 24 Hour of Le Mans race. With the Chevrolet Corvette C6R running GT2, the slighter faster GT1 cars were led by the Young Drivers Aston Martin Racing contending with a DBR9.

Peugeot Wins 2010 12-Hours of Sebring

Photo Credit: GM Media

After two times where the Peugeot 908 HDI FAP prototype came up short of the 12 Hour of Sebring victory in 2008 and 2009, the French marque claimed the prestigious victory through a triumphant effort by the two-car team. Piloted through the final laps by Alexander Wurz, the #07 Peugeot 908 crossed the line 13.817 seconds ahead of the #08 team car which was in the hands of Formula 1 driver and Champ Car champion Sebastian Bourdais. Joined by his co-drivers Anthony Davidson and Marc Gene, the #07 Peugeot team celebrated a picture perfect 12 hour run.


Photo Credit: Aston Martin

Behind the French-made diesel-powered prototypes, the #007 Lola-Aston Martin took third on the podium only 3 laps behind the indomitable Peugeot team. With long-standing corporate history at Sebring started with the first 12 hour race, Aston Martin toasted the podium finish. Aston Martin Chairman David Richards praised the team saying “Another immaculate performance by George (Team Principal, George Howard-Chappell) and his team in finishing here as fastest petrol car and a great start to the season.” Unlike the Peugeot squad, the Lola-Aston Martin is committed to running the second round in Long Beach with the American Le Mans Series.

In the P2 category for prototypes, the Porsche RS Spyder once again found class victory at Sebring campaigned by the CytoSport team. Finishing 4th overall in the 12-Hours of Sebring, the driver lineup was a road racing all-star team consisting of Greg Pickett, Klaus Graf and Sascha Maassen. 14 laps behind the Peugeot 908, the CtyoSport group did finish 4 laps ahead of their P2 rival Patron Highcroft Racing opponent.

The third prototype class, the all-new Prototype Challenge took their first green flag torture-testing the Chevrolet-powered spec racers. While all but one car that started the Prototype Challenge class were running at the end, many of the teams faced interruptions such as Primetime Racing team which needed an extended time to replace a broken rear suspension piece. Overcoming the bad luck of fellow the Prototype Challenge, the #55 Level 5 Motorsports car co-driven by team owner Scott Tucker, Christophe Bouchut and Canadian Mark Wilkins rolled to victory in class and an impressive 10th overall finish.

Even before the race started, the GT class was guaranteed to be the most contested category in the 12-Hours of Sebring. This promise was fulfilled even before the race started as the fastest qualifying #90 Rahal Letterman Racing BMW M3 was bumped to the back of the GT2 class field after failing post-qualifying technical inspection. Having to start from pitlane, the #90 car did soldier through the event for a podium finish in class. Through the 12 hour race, the #17 Falken Tire Porsche grabbed the lead from the start of the race but the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 GT would be holding the lead through the second hour and for much of the remaining event.

As some in GT2 showed strength in the 12-hour duration at Sebring International Raceway, some of the production-based vehicles experienced less than desirable results. The early leading #17 Falken Tire Porsche would be drawn to pit road in two occasions for a rear wheel and tire flying off the vehicle on-track. In the second case, the rear wheel would damaging fellow Porsche, the #45 Flying Lizards car.

The #75 Jaguar XKRS GT2 car suffered a quick withdraw from the event due to engine overheating problem disappointing of team owner and driver Paul Gentilozzi. While the Jaguar averted a catastrophic failure, the Ferrari 430 GT of Scott Sharp's new Extreme Speed Motorsports experienced an extreme hot engine compartment late in the 12-Hour race. With Sharp at the wheel, he brought the Patron-sponsored Ferrari to a stop off the course. A fast-acting track worker with a fire extinguisher prevented the red hot fire from engulfing the whole car.

Another entrant in class, the Ford GT run for the 3rd year by Robertson Racing also fell on tough luck. After a Monday testing crash at Sebring, the #40 Ford GT was skillfully repaired in time for Friday qualifying. In the race, more misfortune found the Robertson Racing effort in the 9th of 12 hours. Running off-track, some comic relief could be found with a Florida Fresh track sign planted onto the front of the Ford GT once the #40 car returned onto the race surface. Repairs on the Robertson Racing #40 Ford GT allowed the team to finish rounding out 10th in the GT2 class.

The final GT2 hard luck story goes to the Corvette Racing team at the 2010 Sebring event. While the Peugeot Sport team enjoyed a near clockwork 12 hour race in the prototype category, the GT2 class saw the prominent Corvette Racing team suffer a rare mistake in pit road within the 3rd hour of the timed event. Reportedly caused by crossed radio communications, the #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6R was heading down pit road for service when the car made hard contact with the #4 Corvette Racing teammate. Not only embarrassing, this collision endangered the crew members of both teams. Fortunately, no one on pit lane suffered injuries as result of the American car tingle. While the #3 Corvette was already displaced deep in the GT2 standings with repairs for a fluid leak, the #4 car damage forced the car behind the wall for repairs taking Corvette Racing out of winning contention for the GT2 class at Sebring. The cars would finish the race 9th and 10th place in class.


Photo Credit: GM Media

The GT2 class winner from last year, he #62 Ferrari 430 GT waltzed to victory after a late race caution positioned the Risi Competizione car one lap ahead of the BMW M3 pair. Gianmaria Bruni, Jaime Melo and Pierre Kaffer shared the red Ferrari for a second-straight Sebring win.

Winning the GT Challenge class after scoring pole on Friday, the #81 Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car driven by Butch Leitzinger, Juan Gonzalez and Leh Keen ended the 12-Hours of Sebring race exactly where they started. A bonus for Alex Job Racing was the racing organization's sweep of the GT Challenge podium with the #23 in 2nd and #80 finishing 3rd at Sebring.

The story of the 2010 12-Hours of Sebring is of course the overall victory of the Peugeot 908 diesel prototype car. The French automaker now holds the sports car racing Triple Crown by winning at Le Mans, the Petit Le Mans in Road Atlanta and now Sebring.

Peugeot to lead 12-Hours of Sebring Race

Photo Credit: Aston Martin


Showing themselves to be indisputably fast through the previous two days of practice, Peugeot 908 HDI FAP racing vehicles established themselves as the rabbits for the 2010 12 Hours of Sebring. Between the two-car team of Peugeot Sport, the #07 Peugeot 908 of Marc Gene, Alex Wurz, and Anthony Davidson delivered a best lap 1 minute, 45.214 seconds around the 3.7 mile Sebring track beating the #08 car.

While the presence Peugeot 908 prototypes on the front row is hardly a surprise, the more amazing story of the class comes behind the French team (very closely, in fac). After Friday qualifying at Sebring, the competing prototype Aston Martin-powered Lola has been running on the race favourite Peugeot team. Settling in 3rd place, the Lowes-sponsored LMP #007 car clocked a relatively strong lap 0.8 seconds slower than the lead Peugeot. Even more of a confidence builder for the one-year old Lola-Aston Martin is that they were only 0.238 seconds back of the second diesel-powered Peugeot. The Lola-Aston Martin Team's Principal George-Howard Chappell commented "Third position is exactly where we hoped and expected to be.". Chappell also expresses confidence in the reliability of the #007 car.

Rounding out the top 5 for the prototype class is the Drayson Racing #8 Lola-Mazda 1.246 seconds slower and the Patron Highcroft Racing HPD ARX-01c sitting 2.470 seconds behind the leader's time.

In the GT2 class the #90 Rahal-Letterman Racing BMW M3 leads the category with a lap time of 2 minutes, 0.782 seconds. However, through post-race inspection the BMW M3 failed a stall test causing their top time to be disallowed. Thereby, the #45 Flying Lizards Porsche 997 RSR inherited the pole in the GT2 class after running 6/10th of a second slower than the disqualified BMW M3.


Photo Credit: GM Media


Also with the exclusion of the Rahal Letterman Racing BMW M3, the starting positions of other GT2 cars have been bumped up. With Porsche 997 RSRs starting 1-2, 3rd place in GT2 sees the #62 Risi Competizione vehicle leading the large contingent of Ferrari 430 GT race cars. Struggling for speed through the week against German and Italian-built challengers, the American Chevrolet Corvette C6Rs could only pull off a 4th and 5th place showing on Friday. Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan stated after qualifying "We've still got a lot of work to do and we are climbing a steep learning curve. As a testament to the highly-competitive fight shaping by for the GT2 class in Sebring (and likely the entire ALMS season for 2010) 1st through 8th in the class is separated by under 1.1 seconds.

As for the two Challenge classes running for the first time at Sebring, the #99 Green Earth Team took the Prototype Challenge series' first pole narrowly beating the #95 Level5 car. Gunnar Jeanette drove the #99 car in the lap which vaulted the team over the #95 car being hustled by IndyCar regular Ryan Hunter-Reay added as a co-driver for the Sebring event. An exciting on track battle for Friday qualifying, the class' main source of heart race occurred on Tuesday. A loss to the new Prototype Challenge class, the ALMS mainstay Intersport Racing team needed to withdraw from the 12 Hours of Sebring after their car wrecked dramatically following a right rear suspension failure. While driver Jon Field was not seriously hurt, their Oreca prototype went airborne and flipped several times.

The 7-car GT Challenge field will be led by an #81 Alex Job Racing-owned Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. To be driven by Butch Leitzinger, Juan Gonzalez and Leh Keen on Saturday, the #80 Alex Job Racing teammate secured the full front row for the GT Challenge.

With ambient temperatures in Sebring, Florida slated to peak at 80 degrees Fehrenheit, a hot Florida weekend will heat up the racing surface promising to challenge every driver with a slick race track. The 2010 12 Hours of Sebring starts at 10:30 AM on Saturday.

ALMS for 2010 Starting with 12-Hour of Sebring

Formulated from an World War 2-era US Army Air Force B-17 training base, 3.7 mile Sebring International Raceway on southern Florida is the holy grail site of sports car racing in the United States. As a race which has run once around the clock 57 times, past winners of America's most prestigious sports car event includes racing legends Mario Andretti, AJ Foyt, Sir Sterling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio. Coinciding with the reputed all-stars of auto racing, equally as memorable is the cars which have triumphed after the 12 hour distance with names plates Ferrari, Porsche and most recently Audi being sprayed with the champagne of victory. For the 12th full season, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) will act as the sanctioning body to the 2010 12-Hour of Sebring supplying a 34 car field of International sports car contenders.

The fastest P1 class group only consists of 5 cars for the 2010 Sebring 12-hour race with two of those vehicles visiting from across the Atlantic Ocean. Two Peugeot 908 HDI FAP prototype cars return for the 3rd time in order to capture the win in the 12-Hour of Sebring (the last remaining sports car racing crown jewel left for the Peugeot 908 to capture). In Wednesday testing and Thursday practice both Peugeot 908s, the #07 and #08, have been easily finding top speed around the Sebring track.

For the first time since 1998, an Audi will not be present among prototype contender at the 2010 12-Hour of Sebring. Winning the event 9 of the past 10 times, Audi Sport has decided to further condense their 2010 race schedule for the Audi R15 prototype race car to just the 24-hour of Le Mans in France and the Petit Le Mans race to run September in Road Atlanta.

Left with the chore of providing a fight against the powerhouse French sports cars will be 4 Lolas (running Mazda, Aston Martin and Judd V-10 powerplants), a Porsche RS Spyder, as well as a Honda-powered ARX-01C car campaigned by 2009 ALMS overall champion team Patron Highcroft Racing. On Thursday, the #8 Lola-Judd of Drayson Racing ran 6/10th of a second slower than the fastest Peugeot but has a serious chance at victory with a strong driving pairing which includes long-time Audi prototype driver Emanuelle Pirro. While three prototype cars are registered as smaller-engined P2 entries, increased air restrictors sizes will allow the P2 cars to favourably compete for overall victory through 2010.

The 2010 12-Hour of Sebring, a new class of prototype race cars will be debuting with a cost-friendlier model for ALMS racing. The Le Mans Prototype Challenge class features common race chassis from Oreca, engine power from a LS3 Chevrolet V8 and a Xtrac transmission. In this first competition for the class will consist of a 6 Oreca-Chevy racers. In practice, these spec prototype racers performed best laps 10 seconds slower than the lead Peugeot.

Two classes will also be running under the GT banner for the Sebring 12 hour race. In GT2, a rich flavour of cars features the two-car General Motors factory-support Chevrolet Corvette C6Rs , the Rahal-Letterman BMW M3s, and a four-car Ferrari 430 GT grouping consisting of 2 cars each from Risi Competizione as well as the new Scott Sharp-owned Extreme Speed Motorsports along with highly competitive Porsche 911 RSRs. Making its first Sebring start in GT2, the Jaguar XJRS will be put through its paces.

In the first practice for the GT2 cars, the BMW M3s had an edge over the Extreme Speed Motorsport Ferrari. However, with the top-6 GT2 teams separated by 0.7 seconds, the GT2 battle is likely to be the hottest contended category through qualifying on Friday and through Saturday's main event.

Much like the newly-devised Prototype Challenge class, the GT Challenge category has also been an attempt by the American Le Mans Series to increase the overall field with a less-expensive class of vehicle. The GT Challenge or GTC is exclusive to Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racers this year but talks surround the possible expansion as Audi has expressed interest for the 2011 season.

With Qualifying set to run Friday, the 58th annual 12-Hour of Sebring coverage is set to start on television at Saturday morning 10 AM on Speed. Announced today, XM Radio subscribers will also be able to follow the 12-Hour of Sebring as well as the entire ALMS schedule on Channel 245. Sirius satellite radio customers can listen on channel 127 .

ACO Plans to Unify Le Mans Prototype with Intercontinental Cup

While the 24 hour of Le Mans has long been the pinnacle event for defining sports car greatness, the organizers of famous day-long French auto race have been working hard to bring unified rules and even cars to across the world. The ACO (Automobile Club de l'Ouest or Automobile Club of the West of France) has been influential in sanctioning much of the world's sports car racing action. In cooperation with Don Panoz, the American Le Mans Series has enjoyed the ACO's backing since 1998 establishment of the racing calendar. The ACO later formulated a successful European-based tour known simply as the Le Mans Series and are currently engaged in effectively launching an Asian tour under the same rules format.

For 2010, the ACO is undertaking the first step into a bold, new move into establishing a world honour for prototype competitors. Called the Intercontinental Cup, this series within the three Le Mans series will consist of one race from each tour.


2010 Intercontinental Cup for Le Mans Prototypes

Le Mans Series Silverstone 1000 km event- September 13th
American Le Mans Series Petit Le Mans 1000 mile - October 2nd
Asian Le Mans Series Round Circuit Okayama 500 km- November (Rumored)

To be eligible for the Intercontinental Cup, the ACO attached some provisions to guarantee prototype teams will not cherry-pick the 3 races in the tour. Entrants will be required to run 5 races in every of the Le Series sports car series (the Le Mans 24 hour race can not be counted).

Shortly upon the announcement, Audi Sport Team Joest pledged their pair of R15 prototypes will campaign in quest for the inaugural Intercontinental Cup. 2009 Audi rival and 24-Hour of Le Mans successor Peugeot has yet to express a firm commitment to running their 908 HDi FAP the new prototype Cup for 2010. However, Peugeot does intend to compete once again for the 24-hour of Le Mans podium, defending last year's crown. Besides Audi and Peugeot, it is likely that those two auto makers will be the only 2010 Intercontinental Cup contenders. Though Acura Motorsports had made a dominating stand through the 2009 American Le Mans Series circuit, their commitment to the 2010 schedule was in doubt until Patron Highcroft Racing locked up plans to compete in the 2010 American Le Mans Series. With an Asian round in the Intercontinental Cup, it remains to be seen if this might reinvigorate the Honda-based brand's interest in a future with sport car prototypes. Entrants for the upcoming season must be affirmed by February of 2010.

With the inaugural Intercontinental Cup planned for only 3 races in 2010, the ACO has already mentioned a desire to expand the tour in 2011 and beyond to at least double the events.

Rain soaks the 2009 Petit Le Mans race; Peugeot takes victory

At 4:09PM, the red flag dropped on the American Le Mans Series crucial Petit Le Mans round. While the American Le Mans Series vehicles are equipped to run in rainfall, the rate of the precipitation on the 2.54 mile road course made racing too unsafe for the various sport car classes. As several cars lost traction even under a yellow flag pace, the call was well-warranted but nonetheless disappointing. At 8:00pm, IMSA and the American Le Mans Series announced that the standings at the moment of the race stoppage were the final standings for the 2009 Petit Le Mans.

Taking their first win on American Le Mans Series schedule, the #08 diesel-powered Peugeot 908 piloted by Franck Montagny and Stephane Sarrazin took victory over their #07 team car driven by a Lamy/Capello duo. Before the rain fell, the Audi R15 had the perfect chance to capture what could have been their 9th victory during the Road Atlanta. In the last race stint Allan McNish had the lead until the wet track caused the Audi R15 and its driver to become unsettled. The Audi R15 received a third place finish. Both Audi Sport and Peugeot are wrapping up their 2009 American Le Mans Series season after competing in only two races.

Another 1-2 team finish at the Petit Le Mans occurred inside the P2 class as the Mazda B09/86 fielded by Dyson Racing. The Chris Dyson/Guy Smith #16 appeared in the top position while the #20 car, who started on the P2 class pole, came second for the category.

With the diverse class of GT2 in the American Le Mans Series, Risi Competizione can take enormous pride keeping their Ferrari F430 GT ahead as the downpour soaked the Road Atlanta circuit. The grouping of Jaime Melo, Pierre Kaffer and Mika Salo celebrates for a second straight year on the top spot of the Podium with the red #62 car. Rahal Letterman Racing trio of Dirk Müller, Jörg Müller, and Andy Priaulx settled with second place in their BMW M3. Rounding out the top five in GT2 were the #87 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR campaigned by Farnbacher Loles Racing, the #4 Chevrolet Corvette C6R, and another Porsche 911 GT3 RSR from Flying Lizards.


With only 4 of the race's 10 hour timed distance ran on the track, the force of mother nature has proven stronger than the forces of race-prepped engines. The hindered running of the Petit Le Mans of Road Atlanta is minor disturbance caused for what has been an disastrous ongoing weather event which the citizens of Georgia state are enduring. With record of more than 5 inches rainfall damaging and destroying property, the Petit Le Mans feels a little less smaller in 2009.

Petit Le Mans Running this weekend

Seemingly arriving earlier every year, the American Le Mans Series is running their crown race at Road Atlanta called the Petit Le Mans. Close to the American Le Mans Series founder Don Panoz's hometown of Atlanta, the Petit Le Mans competitors have been tempted by the additional incentive since the races inception through a guaranteed spot at the next 24-hour Le Mans race in France.

With the flag having dropped at 11 am Saturday morning, this race runs 1,000 miles or 10 hours (whichever marker comes first). Remembering the race having been initially run during the second week of October, the first time of the race being run on September 26 would likely have caught a lot of sports car fans off guard. While running earlier this year, the 2009 Petit Le Mans is racing around a misfortunate scene caused by widespread flooding in the state of Georgia which has been estimated to cause up to $500 million dollars in damage. Nonetheless, as the American Le Mans Series most significant event on the schedule, the 2009 Petit Le Mans started under cloudy, ominous conditions.


Having taken the overall win in a thrilling 2008 Petit Le Mans race, Audi Sport held off a strong Peugeot as well as a LMP2 Penske Porsche with the now obsolete R10 prototype. This is only one of two occasions to see the radical Audi R15 prototype racer in North American sports car competition following the earlier season win at the Sebring 12-hour event. However, as the flag fell today on the Petit Le Mans 2009, French automaker Peugeot took the pole with one of their 24-hour of Le Mans winning 908 closed cockpit sports cars. Having previously taken pole in 2008, the Peugeot 908 competes as a stronger car manned with a more experienced, seasoned team of crew members and drivers.

In the P2 class consisting of slightly detuned prototype racers, the Porsche RS Skyder returns with Team Cytosport, not with Penske Racing. Lowes Fernandez Acura and the pair of Dyson Mazdas are going to be firm challengers for the 2009 P2 win.

In GT2, the league of Porsches will attempt to take their 9th category win in 11 previous Petit Le Mans races. Defending their 2008 GT2 win will be the #62 Rizi Competizione Ferrari F430 GT racer with Mika Salo rejoined Rizi's Jaime Melo and Pierre Kaffer. Worth honourable mentioning is Rahal/Letterman Racing's BMW as well as the pair of C6R prepped by Corvette Racing.

As of the 4 hour mark, the Peugeot 908 prototypes hold both first and second overall with the #2 Audi R15 on the lead lap in hot pursuit. The Dyson Mazdas handily holds onto P2 top positions with fellow P2 competitors struggling around the wet Road Atlanta circuit. GT2 is being led again by the Ferrari F430 GT fielded by Rizi Comptizione by a full lap over a heat consisting of two Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, a BMW M3, and a Chevrolet Corvette C6R.

As 4:09PM, the Petit Le Mans has been red flagged due to continuing harsh rainfall. Putting a damper on the race, this precipitation is likely to rage hard on the already disaster-struck areas in the United States. More than an hour later, racing activities for the American Le Mans Series are still halted by the rain adding to record-setting levels.