12 Hours of Sebring

12 Hours of Sebring
United SportsCar Championship
Venue Sebring International Raceway
Corporate sponsor Mobil 1
First race 1950
First USCC race 2014
Duration 12 hours
Most wins (driver) Tom Kristensen (6)
Most wins (team) Scuderia Ferrari/SpA Ferrari (8)
Most wins (manufacturer) Porsche (17)

The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, on the site of the former Hendricks Army Airfield World War II air base in Sebring, Florida. The event is the second round of the United SportsCar Championship and in the past has been a round of the now defunct World Sportscar Championship, IMSA GT Championship and American Le Mans Series. In 2012, the race was the opening event of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

History

The track opened in 1950 on an airfield and is a road racing course styled after those used in European Grand Prix motor racing. The first race was a six-hour race on New Year's Eve 1950, with the next race held 14 months later as the first 12 Hours of Sebring.[1] The race is famous for its "once around the clock" action, starting during the day and finishing at night. From 1953 to 1972 the 12 Hour was a round of the FIA’s premier sports car series which was contested under various names including the World Sportscar Championship and the International Championship for Makes.

In its early years, the Sebring circuit combined former airport runways with narrow two-lane service roads. The 1966 event was a turning point in Sebring history, as the facilities and the safety of the circuit were heavily criticized. Five people were killed during the race, which was more people killed than in the race's prior 15-year history combined. Bob McLean crashed while approaching the hairpin; his car rolled several times, struck a utility pole and then exploded, landing in a ditch and killing McLean.

In another incident Mario Andretti in his Ferrari 365 P2 tangled with Don Wester's Porsche 906 on the Warehouse Straight near the Webster Turns, killing four spectators and then crashing into a warehouse next to the track. Subsequent to these events, the facilities were upgraded and the circuit layout was changed, including eliminating the Webster Turns and creating the Green Park Chicane further down the track to move the straight further away from the airport warehouses. The circuit was made safer and there were no fatalities until 1980.

It is known as preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as the track's extremely bumpy surface, combined with south-central Florida's perennial hot weather, is a test of a car's reliability. In recent years, six overall victories have been achieved by the Audi R8, one fewer than the record seven wins of the Porsche 935.

Tom Kristensen has won the race more times than anyone else, with six victories  in 19992000, 20052006, 2009 and in 2012.

Race results

2008 overall winner Porsche RS Spyder.

The 1966 race had Dan Gurney leading at the last lap, when his engine of his Shelby American Ford GT40 Mk II seized near the end. Gurney pushed his car over the finish line, beaten only by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby. However, his actions were ultimately determined to be against the rules and he did not receive credit for his finish.[2]

In 2005, the Chevrolet Corvette C6.R and Aston Martin DBR9 made their race debut in the hotly contested GT1 class, with Aston Martin winning its class for the first time in 49 years at Sebring ahead of the two Corvettes. Corvette had dominated the class the past three years with its previous generation C5R.

The all-new Audi R10 TDI won the 2006 edition of the race, the car's first ever run in competition. The victory set the stage for an even more momentous win by the R10 in its next race, the Le Mans 24 Hours later in the year. The much-hyped Porsche RS Spyder campaigned by Penske Racing dropped to take 2nd place in its LMP2 class, behind the Intersport Lola car. The GT1 Corvette C6R team got their revenge against the Aston Martin, although the second Corvette came within 1/3 of a second of the podium in the closing laps of the race.

2007 saw Audi again winning in the R10 TDI despite requiring more frequent refueling due to changes in American Le Mans series rules intended to even the field between gasoline and diesel powered engines. In addition to an overall win, Audi also set a track record in 2007 with Marco Werner behind the wheel in qualifying.

Statistics

Audi R8 winner 2000-2007
RankConstructorWinsYears
1Germany Porsche181960, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1976–1988, 2008
2Italy Ferrari121956, 1958-1964, 1970, 1972, 1995, 1997-1998
3Germany Audi1120002007, 2009, 20122013
4Japan Nissan41989–1991, 1994
5United States Ford31966-1967, 1969
6Japan Toyota21992-1993
Germany BMW1975, 1999
France Peugeot2010-2011
11United Kingdom Allard11950
United Kingdom Frazer-Nash1952
United States Cunningham1953
Italy O.S.C.A.1954
United Kingdom Jaguar1955
Italy Maserati1957
United States Chaparral1965
United States Riley & Scott1996
United States Riley2014
United States Coyote2015
France Ligier2016
RankDriverWinsYears
1Denmark Tom Kristensen699-00, 05-06, 2009, 2012
2Italy Rinaldo Capello501-02, 2006, 2009, 2012
3Germany Frank Biela42000, 03-04, 07
United Kingdom Allan McNish2004, 2006, 2009, 2012
5Belgium Olivier Gendebien31959, 1960, 1961
United States Mario Andretti1967, 1970, 1972
Germany Hans-Joachim Stuck1975, 1986, 1988

Overall winners

Year Drivers Team Car Tires Distance Championship
3.3 mile/5.31 km circuit
1950 D United States Fritz Koster
United States Ralph Deshon
United States Victor Sharpe/Tommy Cole Crosley HotShot 613.84 km (381.42 mi)
(Sam Collier Memorial Sebring Grand Prix of Endurance Six Hours) [3]
Non-championship
1951 Not held
5.382 mile/8.6 km circuit
1952 United States Harry Gray
United States Larry Kulok
United States Stuart Donaldson Frazer-Nash Le Mans Replica D 1,213.445 km (754.000 mi) American Automobile Association (AAA)
1953 United States Phil Walters
United States John Fitch
United States Briggs Cunningham Cunningham C4R-Chrysler F 1,447.766 km (899.600 mi) World Sportscar Championship
1954 United States Bill Lloyd
United Kingdom Stirling Moss
United States Briggs Cunningham O.S.C.A. MT4 P 1,405.923 km (873.600 mi) World Sportscar Championship
1955 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn
United States Phil Walters
United States Briggs Cunningham Jaguar D-Type D 1,523.083 km (946.400 mi) World Sportscar Championship
1956 Italy Eugenio Castellotti
Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio
Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 860 Monza E 1,623.506 km (1,008.800 mi) World Sportscar Championship
1957 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio
France Jean Behra
Italy Maserati Maserati 450S P 1,648.612 km (1,024.400 mi) World Sportscar Championship
1958 United Kingdom Peter Collins
United States Phil Hill
Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 250 TR 58 E 1,673.718 km (1,040.000 mi) World Sportscar Championship
1959 United States Phil Hill
United States Dan Gurney
United States Chuck Daigh
Belgium Olivier Gendebien
Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 250 TR 59 E 1,573.295 km (977.600 mi) World Sportscar Championship
1960 Belgium Olivier Gendebien
Germany Hans Herrmann
Sweden Joakim Bonnier PorscheRS-60 D 1,640.243 km (1,019.200 mi) World Sportscar Championship
1961 United States Phil Hill
Belgium Olivier Gendebien
Italy SpA Ferrari SEFAC Ferrari 250 TRI/61 D 1,740.666 km (1,081.600 mi) World Sportscar Championship
1962 Belgium Lucien Bianchi
Sweden Joakim Bonnier
Italy Scuderia SSS Republica di Venezia Ferrari 250 TRI/61 (2) D 1,723.929 km (1,071.200 mi) International Championship for GT Manufacturers
1963 United Kingdom John Surtees
Italy Ludovico Scarfiotti
Italy SpA Ferrari SEFAC Ferrari 250P D 1,749.035 km (1,086.800 mi) International Championship for GT Manufacturers
1964 United Kingdom Mike Parkes
Italy Umberto Maglioli
Italy SpA Ferrari SEFAC Ferrari 275P D 1,790.878 km (1,112.800 mi) International Championship for GT Manufacturers
1965 United States Jim Hall
United States Hap Sharp
United States Chaparral Cars Inc. Chaparral 2-Chevrolet F 1,640.243 km (1,019.200 mi) International Championship for GT Manufacturers
1966 United States Lloyd Ruby
United Kingdom Ken Miles
United States Shelby American Inc. Ford GT40 X-1 Roadster G 1,908.038 km (1,185.600 mi) International Championship for Sports-Prototypes
International Championship for Sports Cars
5.4 mile/8.66 km circuit
1967 New Zealand Bruce McLaren
United States Mario Andretti
United States Ford Motor Company Ford GT40 MkIV F 1,991.724 km (1,237.600 mi) International Championship for Sports-Prototypes
International Championship for Sports Cars
1968 Switzerland Jo Siffert
Germany Hans Herrmann
Germany Porsche Automobile Company Porsche 907 D 1,983.356 km (1,232.400 mi) International Championship for Makes
1969 Belgium Jacky Ickx
United Kingdom Jackie Oliver
United Kingdom J.W. Automotive Engineering Ford GT40 MkI F 2,000.093 km (1,242.800 mi) International Championship for Makes
1970 Italy Ignazio Giunti
Italy Nino Vaccarella
United States Mario Andretti
Italy SpA Ferrari SEFAC Ferrari 512S F 2,075.410 km (1,289.600 mi) International Championship for Makes
1971 United Kingdom Vic Elford
France Gérard Larrousse
Germany Martini Racing Porsche 917K F 2,175.833 km (1,352.000 mi) International Championship for Makes
1972 Belgium Jacky Ickx
United States Mario Andretti
Italy SpA Ferrari SEFAC(5) Ferrari 312PB F 2,167.465 km (1,346.800 mi) World Championship for Makes
1973 United States Hurley Haywood
United States Peter Gregg
United States Dave Helmick
United States Dave Helmick Porsche Carrera RSR G 1,891.301 km (1,175.200 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1974 No race due to energy crisis
1975 Germany Hans-Joachim Stuck
United Kingdom Brian Redman
Canada Allan Moffat
United States Sam Posey
Germany BMW Motorsport BMW 3.0 CSL D 1,991.724 km (1,237.600 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1976 United States Al Holbert
United States Mike Keyser
United States Holbert Porsche-Audi Porsche Carrera RSR G 1,924.775 km (1,196.000 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1977 United States George Dyer
United States Brad Frisselle
United States George Dyer Porsche Carrera RSR (3) G 1,958.450 km (1,216.924 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1978 United Kingdom Brian Redman
United States Charles Mendez
United States Bob Garretson
United States Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 935 G 2,008.461 km (1,248.000 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1979 United States Bob Akin
United States Rob McFarlin
United States Roy Woods
United States Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 935 (2) G 2,000.093 km (1,242.800 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1980 United Kingdom John Fitzpatrick
United States Dick Barbour
United States Dick Barbour Racing (3) Porsche 935 K3 G 2,117.253 km (1,315.600 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1981 United States Bruce Leven
United States Hurley Haywood
United States Al Holbert
United States Bayside Disposal Racing Porsche 935/80 G 2,050.304 km (1,274.000 mi) IMSA GT Championship
World Endurance Championship
1982 United States John Paul, Sr.
United States John Paul, Jr.
United States JLP Racing Porsche 935 JLP-3 G 2,041.936 km (1,268.800 mi) IMSA GT Championship
4.7 mile/7.52 km circuit
1983 United States Wayne Baker
United States Jim Mullen
Canada Kees Nierop
United States Personalized Autohaus Porsche 934A F 1,765.853 km (1,097.250 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1984 Colombia Mauricio de Narvaez
Germany Hans Heyer
Sweden Stefan Johansson
Colombia De Narvaez Enterprises Porsche 935J G 2,057.031 km (1,278.180 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1985 France Bob Wollek
United States A. J. Foyt
United States Preston Henn Porsche 962 G 2,197.817 km (1,365.660 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1986 United States Bob Akin
Germany Hans-Joachim Stuck
Austria Jo Gartner
United States Bob Akin Motor Racing Porsche 962 Y 2,244.745 km (1,394.820 mi) IMSA GT Championship
4.2 mile/6.85 km circuit
1987 United States Bobby Rahal
Germany Jochen Mass
United States Bayside Disposal Racing Porsche 962 G 1,971.092 km (1,224.780 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1988 Germany Klaus Ludwig
Germany Hans-Joachim Stuck
United States Bayside Disposal Racing Porsche 962 (4) G 2,103.380 km (1,306.980 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1989 Australia Geoff Brabham
Netherlands Arie Luyendyk
United States Chip Robinson
United States Electramotive Engineering Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo G 2,182.753 km (1,356.300 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1990 United States Bob Earl
Republic of Ireland Derek Daly
United States Nissan Performance Technology Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo (2) G 1,990.936 km (1,237.110 mi) IMSA GT Championship
3.72 mile/5.99 km circuit
1991 Republic of Ireland Derek Daly
Australia Geoff Brabham
Australia Gary Brabham
United States Nissan Performance Technology Nissan NPT-90 G 1,774.463 km (1,102.600 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1992 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio II
United Kingdom Andy Wallace
United States All American Racers Eagle MkIII-Toyota G 2,143.646 km (1,332.000 mi) IMSA GT Championship
1993 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio II
United Kingdom Andy Wallace
United States All American Racers Eagle MkIII-Toyota G 1,369.552 km (851.000 mi)B IMSA GT Championship
1994 New Zealand Steve Millen
United States Johnny O'Connell
United States John Morton
United States Clayton Cunningham Racing Nissan 300ZX Y 1,947.145 km (1,209.900 mi) IMSA Exxon World Sportscar Championship
1995 United States Andy Evans
Spain Fermín Vélez
Belgium Eric van de Poele
United States Scandia Motorsports Ferrari 333 SP P 1,548.189 km (962.000 mi)B IMSA Exxon World Sportscar Championship
1996 South Africa Wayne Taylor
United States Jim Pace
United States Scott Sharp
United States Doyle Racing Riley & Scott Mk III-Oldsmobile P 1,935.075 km (1,202.400 mi) IMSA Exxon World Sportscar Championship
1997 United States Andy Evans
Spain Fermín Vélez
France Yannick Dalmas
Sweden Stefan Johansson
United States Team Scandia Ferrari 333 SP G 1,628.012 km (1,011.600 mi)B Professional Sports Car Exxon World Sportscar Championship
1998 Belgium Didier Theys
Italy Gianpiero Moretti
Italy Mauro Baldi
United States MOMO Doran Racing Ferrari 333 SP (3) Y 1,925.178 km (1,196.250 mi) Professional Sportscar Exxon World Sportscar Championship
3.74 mile/6.02 km circuit
1999 Denmark Tom Kristensen
Finland JJ Lehto
Germany Jörg Müller
Germany BMW Motorsport BMW V12 LMR M 1,863.781 km (1,158.100 mi) American Le Mans Series
2000 Germany Frank Biela
Denmark Tom Kristensen
Italy Emanuele Pirro
Germany Audi Sport North America Audi R8 M 2,143.646 km (1,332.000 mi) American Le Mans Series
2001 Italy Rinaldo Capello
Italy Michele Alboreto
France Laurent Aïello
Germany Audi Sport North America Audi R8 M 2,203.192 km (1,369.000 mi) American Le Mans Series
European Le Mans Series
2002 Italy Rinaldo Capello
Italy Christian Pescatori
United Kingdom Johnny Herbert
Germany Audi Sport North America(3) Audi R8 M 2,060.282 km (1,280.200 mi) American Le Mans Series
2003 Austria Philipp Peter
Germany Frank Biela
Germany Marco Werner
Germany Infineon Team Joest Audi R8 M 2,185.328 km (1,357.900 mi) American Le Mans Series
2004 United Kingdom Allan McNish
Germany Frank Biela
Germany Pierre Kaffer
United Kingdom Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx Audi R8 M 2,084.101 km (1,295.000 mi) American Le Mans Series
2005 Germany Marco Werner
Finland JJ Lehto
Denmark Tom Kristensen
United States ADT Champion Racing Audi R8 (6) M 2,149.601 km (1,335.700 mi) American Le Mans Series
2006 Denmark Tom Kristensen
United Kingdom Allan McNish
Italy Rinaldo Capello
United States Audi Sport North America Audi R10 TDI
(Diesel)
M 2,078.145 km (1,291.299 mi) American Le Mans Series
2007 Italy Emanuele Pirro
Germany Frank Biela
Germany Marco Werner
United States Audi Sport North America Audi R10 TDI
(Diesel) (2)
M 2,165.8 km (1,345.8 mi) American Le Mans Series
2008 Germany Timo Bernhard
France Romain Dumas
France Emmanuel Collard
United States Penske Racing Porsche RS Spyder M 2,088.45 km (1,297.70 mi) American Le Mans Series
2009 Denmark Tom Kristensen
Italy Rinaldo Capello
United Kingdom Allan McNish
Germany Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R15 TDI
(Diesel)
M 2,278.85 km (1,416.01 mi)C American Le Mans Series
2010 United Kingdom Anthony Davidson
Spain Marc Gené
Austria Alexander Wurz
France Team Peugeot Total Peugeot 908 HDi FAP
(Diesel)
M 2,185.328 km (1,357.900 mi) American Le Mans Series
2011 France Loïc Duval
France Nicolas Lapierre
France Olivier Panis
France Team Oreca Matmut Peugeot 908 HDi FAP
(Diesel) (2)
M 1,975.4 km (1,227.5 mi) American Le Mans Series
Intercontinental Le Mans Cup
2012 Denmark Tom Kristensen
Italy Rinaldo Capello
United Kingdom Allan McNish
Germany Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18 TDI
(Diesel)
M 1,933.8 km (1,201.6 mi) FIA World Endurance Championship
American Le Mans Series
2013 United Kingdom Oliver Jarvis
Switzerland Marcel Fässler
France Benoît Tréluyer
Germany Audi Sport Team Joest(3) Audi R18 e-tron quattro
(hybrid diesel)
M(15) 2,191.3 km (1,361.6 mi) American Le Mans Series
2014 United Kingdom Marino Franchitti
United States Scott Pruett
Mexico Memo Rojas
United States Ganassi Racing Riley Mk XXVI-Ford Ecoboost C 1,751.1 km (1,088.1 mi) United SportsCar Championship
2015 Brazil Christian Fittipaldi
France Sébastien Bourdais
Portugal João Barbosa
United States Action Express Racing Coyote-Corvette DP C 2,046.4 km (1,271.6 mi) United SportsCar Championship
2016 United States Scott Sharp
United States Ed Brown
United States Johannes van Overbeek
Brazil Pipo Derani
United States Tequila Patrón ESM Ligier JS P2-Honda C 1,432.51 km (890.12 mi)B United SportsCar Championship
^A The car was in fact, a Porsche 935 K3 that has been modified with a single plug cylinder head and a front nose to resemble a Porsche 934 to comply to IMSA GTO specification.[4]
^B These races were stopped for a period of time due to heavy rain and/or accidents. The race clock was not stopped for these periods and counted towards the 12 Hours.
^C Race record for most distance covered.
^D Technically the race "winner" in 1950 was the Crosley Hot Shot of Fritz Koster / Ralph Deshon, entered by Victor Sharpe Jr. of Tampa. While the Wacker / Burrell Allard did cover more distance, the race was run under the "Index of Performance" handicapping rules and the Crosley, with a much smaller engine than the Cadillac-powered Allard, is listed in the Official Sebring Record Book as the winner.

References

  1. McCluggage, Denise (February 20, 2012). "Racing Through History". Autoweek 62 (4): 66–67.
  2. Watkins, Gary (March 19, 2012). "Fab Five". Autoweek 62 (6): 77. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
  3. Sam Collier Memorial Sebring Grand Prix of Endurance Six Hours, www.racingsportscars.com Retrieved on 31 July 2012
  4. Starkey, John. 930 to 935: The Turbo Porsches. Renwick & Starkey Ltd. ISBN 0-9665094-1-2.

External links

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