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From speedarena.com Event Features The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring kicks off the American Le Mans Series season with a bang. Everything that has been said, developed or engineered in the off season gets verified or rejected in this race. The 3.7-mile track is well known for being very bumpy, and the weather conditions are often very warm. This leads to high attrition rates, and only the best engineered cars and most enduring drivers have a shot at victory.
Winter testing went well for Audi, and although the car faced some minor mechanical problems, the team completed its main goals. “I felt at home in the R10 after two laps,” said Capello who drove the new diesel sports car for the first time at Sebring. “The R10 has the typical DNA of Audi. After the bad season in the DTM, it was important for me to show that I’m still fast and hungry. I know, however, that the conditions were perfect today. The track had a lot of grip and temperatures were low. At Sebring, conditions keep changing all the time. Therefore, the results are difficult to judge - especially as our strongest competitors did not run anymore on the last day.” The R10 did indeed turn fast times, but Audi wanted to make sure the focus remained on testing. "We had a few small problems which cost us time. We worked through a lot of the things we wanted to. Therefore we can be satisfied. We came to Sebring in order to uncover teething troubles with the R10. That’s exactly what we did” Audi has enlisted truly legendary driving talent for the 2006 chase for the championship and victory at Le Mans. Six drivers will drive two R10s, and each of the drivers has won Le Mans or Sebring at least once, and as a group they have a total of 12 Sebring wins. The R10 also has very big shoes to fill. The Audi R8 of previous years was known as much for its reliability as its speed. Audi is betting the R10, and their crack team of drivers, have the kind of performance needed to keep the rest of the LMP1 competition off its heels. Dyson Racing spent much of the previous season just a short step behind the Audi team. Will things change this year? James Weaver, who tested the AER powered Dyson Lola at Sebring winter testing had this to say about his new ride. “Compared to the old car, it changes directions much better, it is easier to drive, the aerodynamics are much more benign and it is not as sensitive to ride height as the old car. Straight out of the box, it is easier to drive and doesn’t have any vices. The engine makes good power at the top end and the car is good over the bumps. We have some new Penske shock absorbers this year. We have always used Penske shocks, but we have a derivative of the dampers that McLaren and Renault used in Formula One on our car and the initial reaction is that it is a definite step forward.”
What are his thoughts on the car overall? “A beautiful piece of engineering. Lola and AER have done us proud. It is a quality piece of equipment. Very impressive.” Highcroft Racing is another contender in the LMP1 chase: “Sebring is the hardest 12-hour Endurance race in the world; the weather is always hot and the circuit is very bumpy. It is tough on cars and on drivers, and the attrition rate is always high. If we stay out of trouble during the race, we are in for a top ten finish… and if luck is on our side, we could be even further up at the end of the race!” Highcroft acquired their car straight from Dyson Racing and it is the same car that Dyson raced with good success last year. “Dyson was always at the front last year with this car and although we will be racing against the new generation of LMP1 and LMP2 cars in 2006, I cannot see why we shouldn’t stay at the front of the pack.”
Like Highcroft, Autocon Motorsports is also using one of the ex-Dyson Lolas. Autocon Motorsports thinks they might have a shot at victory if any of the new cars face trouble. "The chassis-engine combination has proven it can be competitive with the best sports cars in the world," said Mike Lewis, Autocon Motorsports team owner. "We think that it will continue being a worthy contender during this period where teams are ebbing and flowing between the current generation and the next generation of cars. I don't think either Duncan's team or ours will be beating the R10 or Dyson's new cars on speed, but maybe we can catch them if they hiccup along the way." Many speculate that the Audi R10 is going to be a faithful successor to the winning ways of the Audi R8, we will see at Sebring, the first true test of the car’s ability. It will also be the first race for the new Dyson Lola. It is sure to be exciting watching how both of these new cars deal with real endurance race conditions. LMP2: In the LMP2 class, Porsche is looking to shake things up a bit, too. The Porsche RS Spyder is a brand new prototype car that will be under the direction of Penske Motorsports. They had an extremely positive debut at Laguna Seca last season with a start to finish win in their class, but the new racer faced some engine problems that kept it in the paddock for a good part of the winter testing period. However, they seem very confident in their new car. Following the test days, Penske Porsche GM John Erikson gave his thoughts on the teams upcoming goals. “If we can complete next month’s 12 Hours of Sebring third overall and first in class, we will be very pleased. We would have liked to run more laps this week, but we are confident that challenges that came up during this test are items we can correct so they don’t happen during the race” Quite a goal to set for the RS Spyder’s racing debut at Sebring, but the team’s confidence is not misplaced if the lap times they turned at the Sebring winter test have any credibility. In the short time that the car was on track, driver Lucas Luhr drove the Porsche very quickly and scored a lap time that was fastest in the LMP2 class, and second overall only to the LMP1 Audi R10! The car is definitely fast. The question will remain as to whether it will be there at the end of the 12 hours.
Intersport Racing is the 2005 defending team champion in the LMP2 category. Their Lola/AER was consistently the fastest car on the track in the class last season until the Porsche came along, and there is no reason to think they have slowed down any for 2006. Their battle with the Porsche is sure to be one to watch. This year Intersport Racing has enlisted the help of sportswomen, Liz Haliday, full-time to race along side Clint Field in their push for another American Le Mans Series team win. "I have won three races with Clint in an LMP2 car in the American Le Mans Series, and I really enjoy racing prototypes," said Halliday. "It will be a tough challenge battling with the two LMP2 cars of the Porsche works team, and I will have to up my game and work hard to compete alongside them, but I don't think it is impossible," added Liz. "We have a good car and great support from Lola, AER and Goodyear so I think we have a decent shot to at least be on the podium at every race, although we'll obviously be aiming to win a few races if we can! Miracle Motorsports is also sure to be a contender in the race. They won a team championship in 2004 and came in second place last year. With drivers such as Andy Lally and James Gue behind the wheel at Sebring, their chances are quite good to give the leaders a run for their money. Both Lally and Gue have proven themselves in many forms of professional motorsports, and James was part of the 2004 championship effort for the Miracle team. This is definitely a team that has a very good chance of standing on the podium. B-K Motorsports will also be returning with their Mazda rotary powered Courage. This car proved to be quite reliable last season, and while it wasn’t quite up to the speed of Intersport or Miracle, it did have some good showings based upon the endurance qualities of the car. They did not run Sebring last season, so this will be their first real test of the car for 12 hours, but if their record of reliability holds true, they could very likely be holding a trophy at the end of the day.
Along with the American Le Mans Series regulars there is also a small contingent of European teams that have made the trek to Florida in hopes of coming out on top. Teams such as Binnie Motorsports and Barazai Epsilon have also shown they can compete with their American counterparts. Both have raced on American soil before and are not to be counted out or over looked. There are a total of eight cars racing in the LMP2 class this year. Will the Penske Porsche team be able to overcome all their mechanical trouble from winter testing? Or will one of the other teams be able to slay the Penske goliath? Only 12 hours will tell. GT1: The GT1 class will be very exciting to watch this year. While it is has the smallest entry list of the four classes in ’06, the quality of the entrants will surely make up for any lack of cars. Corvette racing is sitting high on top of five back to back team championship victories. There is also very healthy competition going on between the two team cars. Last season, Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta were the more successful of the two Corvette squads and won the GT1 drivers championship, keeping Ron Fellows and Johnny O’Connell from their third straight championship. You can be sure that Ron and Johnny will want to take a win away from Sebring, reminding folks why they have been the number one Corvette team for several years. In addition to each other, the Corvettes will have to face Aston Martin, who returns to Sebring, where they took first place in GT1 in their first ever event for the brand new cars in 2005. George Howard-Chappell, Team Principal of Aston Martin Racing, said:
“Last year our performance at Sebring far exceeded our expectations but we’re not underestimating the challenge this time, especially from the factory Corvette team. I’ve no doubt it’s going to be a very tough race but I’ve every confidence that our drivers will give us the best possible chance of a good result.” The battle between the Corvettes and the Astons is sure to be tight and exciting. The Astons have shown in the past to have the speed, while the Corvettes the reliability and strategy. However, at Laguna Seca last year the beautiful green cars were never really on pace with the Chevy team. It will be interesting to see what progress has been made over the winter and if they have something for the thundering yellow C6Rs. While a fight between those four cars would normally be enough for any race fan, this year Konrad Motorsports will also be racing with two Saleen S7Rs in the class and can very well be a surprise to everyone. Konrad has been quite successful with his Saleens in the FIA GT and hopefully he can bring a little of that success to Sebring with him this year. Running the second of his Saleens will be Tom Weickardt who is well known to American Le Mans Series fans for keeping that beautiful Dodge Viper GTS on the grid the last few seasons. At this point we are not sure of their driver lineups, but we have heard that its possible Terry Borcheller, of ACEMCO Saleen fame, will be behind the wheel of one of them before taking over his duties with the upcoming Lexus team when they get their cars on track. If thats true, Terry knows how to hustle a Saleen around the track, so look for them to be strong and right there if any of the top runners run into any problems. While it’s very likely that Corvette Racing will continue their dominance in the GT1 class, if they slip up Aston Martin and Konrad Motorsports will be just a short step behind. The GT1 driver battle between O’Connell/Fellows and Gavin/Beretta will also be very hot. Even if this class does not have the numbers, it’s sure to put a smile on the faces of those watching it this year. GT2: There has been plenty of news being made in the off-season in the GT2 class. Peterson/White Lightning won the GT2 class last year with a very quick Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, upsetting Alex Job racing, who had won the team championships the previous three years. Peterson/White Lightning Racing just recently announced that drivers Patrick Long and Jorg Bergmeister would be back again this year to defend the title. “We’re glad to have Patrick and Jörg back this season,” offered team owner Petersen. “Although Patrick won’t be with us for the 10 and 12 hour races, it will be nice to have the family all back together again. We are all looking forward to defending our title and race victories. With the driver lineup we have, we are fairly confident. The competition should be very exciting for the fans and I think this will shape up to be a great year in the American Le Mans Series.” “It worked out pretty well last year so I am very excited”, said Bergmeister. “It is good. Patrick and I are not just teammates, I think we are also more friends. It isn’t just normal business but it is more fun. So that is really cool. I am really excited about this year.” “I’m elated to join Petersen for my third year, second full season,” commented Long. “It’s bittersweet that I won’t be running with the team in the long distance races but I feel like I’m still running for the championship. I’m a racing driver and any car, anytime, I’m going to be pushing for wins; especially with Petersen who has really become my racing family. It’s an exciting year with all the competition and I think it’s going to be one of the most challenging seasons ever in GT2.” Alex Job Racing has a big history at Sebring; the team has a total of six wins at the Florida track. They recently announced their driver line up for the 2006 season. “We have always done really well at Sebring. Last year we stumbled a bit, but we have studied our difficult 2005 race and we are more prepared than ever to add to our six victories here in three weeks. We are pleased to have Mike Rockenfeller, Klaus Graf and young Graham Rahal with us for Sebring. We have a great mix of speed, maturity and youth in our car,” continued Job. “Mike is a known commodity to us and Klaus and Graham will have a little learning curve with the team and the car, but both are professionals and we are planning to go after the GT2 championship this year. The GT2 category looks to be the strongest ever in American Le Mans Series. The new Ferrari will be very tough and the BMWs and Lexus’, although running for a separate GT2 title, will still be cars that every competitor must beat to feel proud about winning the championship come October.” Team Risi Competizione is fielding a brand new Ferrari F430GT to replace the F360GT. The team expects the car to be “very competitive". Managing director Giuseppe Risi: “This new car looks very promising. Intense chassis development by Ferrari has resulted in greatly increased stiffness,” he said, “and the car features a new larger displacement engine design with more horsepower. I'm really looking forward to joining battle with a stellar list of GT2 competitors, including Porsche, BMW, and Lexus. The competition on track will be great for everyone: manufacturers, teams, drivers, and fans, quite simply everyone. We expect to fly the Ferrari standard high this year.”
BMW returns to the American Le Mans Series this season with the BMW M3 in the hands of PTG. Drivers Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand and Justin Marks will all be returning to the PTG team they have raced for in the past and along with their partners, Ian James, Bryan Seller and Martin Jensen will be sure to give the Porsches something to think about. Hand said, "I’m very happy to be back with BMW again this season. It is all-new for me to race a GT car in the American Le Mans Series and I am really looking forward to it. In American Le Mans Series trim the M3 truly looks the business and it feels like the entire team is ready for this new challenge." The Panoz Esperantes return to Sebring this year run by Multimatic Motorsports who have taken over the factory effort for Panoz. These cars have often shown flashes of brilliance and can never be counted out. This year they have brought in David Brabham, Scott Maxwell and Gunnar Jeanette along with newcomer Tom Milner Jr. to challenge for the championship. Brabham has proven to be fast in just about everything he gets into and will be a real force in this car, bringing his vast endurance racing experience to the team. Of note is new driver Tom Milner Jr., who is the son of Tom Milner, team principal for the PTG BMW team. Is this a spy behind enemy lines for BMW? Not likely, but a way for Tom Jr. to make a name for himself out from under his father and a chance to prove that he deserves to be driving in this series. It will be interesting to watch his growth with the team. Two teams bringing two Porsches each to the show are Flying Lizard Motorsports and J3 Racing. Both teams have had their times in the sun and have shown they are capable of giving the top teams some competition. It’s not unusual to see a Flying Lizard car fighting with the top teams, and they are likely to do it again. J3 Racing, while not as likely to fight for the lead as Flying Lizard, has shown the capabilities to do so at times, and it will be interesting to see if they bring their A game to the track on March 18th.
We will also be seeing several teams cross the pond in this class, such as the Spyker Squadron with their Audi powered Spyker C8s, Team LNT, with their Panoz Esperante and Vonka Racing with their Porsche 911 GT3 RS. None of these teams are expected to fight for the podium, but all are more than capable of running mid pack and waiting to pick up the pieces if the leaders falter. If nothing else, the Spyker is a heck of a car to look at and one more American V8 to listen to. And who knows, we may just be surprised by their performance as well. One team that we have heard a lot about, but will not be seeing this weekend, is Team Lexus who are joining the series with a new Lexus IS350. The team has been very busy getting things organized and finalized for the up coming season and, unfortunately, are not ready for competition. We should see them in the near future though. However, the team is excited about the prospect of going head to head with some of the best sports cars in the world. Chuck Goldsborough, team owner and driver: “Developing and racing two brand new cars in a series new to us will be a major challenge, but one that we relish. We’ve been building our team along with the new cars this year and are looking forward to some of the most exciting and competitive road racing in North America.” All in all, there are a total of 16 GT2 entries so far, and everyone agrees this will be a very competitive field of race cars. Sebring has always been a marker for the start of the racing season in the United States. This year, we will see racing between some really top tier cars, even more so then in recent times. With the introduction of cars like the Audi R10 and the Ferrari 430, along with some new teams and drivers, this is sure to be one of the more interesting and exciting races we are likely to see. It’s sure to be a real screamer, and if you can spare 12 hours on March 18th you will definitely not be disappointed. TV coverage will be carried in live segments, starting at 10:30 am EST on March 18th on Speed Channel. © Copyright
2002 Speed Arena |
