2012 WEC, ALMS&ELMS News

[Rob]

The small town of Sebring in central Florida was founded in 1911 by George Eugene Sebring, a self-made millionaire from Ohio who made his fortune in the manufacture of pottery and porcelain. A quiet town throughout most of the year comes alive on the week of the 12 Hours of Sebring, held in March each year on the oldest road course in the United States.

Sebring has the nickname City on the circle because of the circular plan devised by its founder: the historic downtown area is positioned in the centre and the immediately surrounding streets form circles, like the ancient Egyptian city of Heliopolis. A century after its founding, unlike the rest of Florida, Sebring is relatively undeveloped.

Florida brings to mind white sandy beaches fringed with palm trees; things you will not find at Sebring. Located in the heart of the Sunshine State, the sea is more than two hours away, but fortunately, many lakes, including Lake Jackson, allow people to relax by the water with beaches made from scratch. Temperatures are certainly high in March compared with Europe, but it can get very chilly in the early morning, because of the central location.

The city of Sebring, which is part of Highlands County, being distant from tourist haunts, has a local industry based around the citrus groves and cattle ranches that border the national highway US 27 as you drive down from Orlando.

A sleepy city of 10,000 people, Like the small town of Augusta Georgia that hosts one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world, Sebring comes alive one week each year, in early spring, when a boisterous and festive crowd come to town, which sees its population increase tenfold! The crowd gives the 12 Hours of Sebring an special atmosphere, but that's another story ...

http://www.lemans.org/en/races/fia-w...medium=twitter

[Nova]

Great post Rob, about Sebring..I live about 2 hours from there...

[Rob]

Great post Rob, about Sebring..I live about 2 hours from there...

do you? 1 of my favourite tracks, bumpy and fast great challenge. Win lotto go next year for sure. It be good weekend, as Melbourne aswell whooop.

[Nova]

426784_335544166481500_105041136198472_772002_1305284261_n.jpg

Ferrari Lemans concept.

[Rob]

Ullrich believes Audi, Peugeot domination not down to diesel rules advantage

By Matt Beer Monday, March 5th 2012, 10:27 GMT

Audi motorsport chief Wolfgang Ullrich believes diesel technology's recent domination of sportscar racing happened because his team and Peugeot did too good a job, not because the rules favoured diesel power.

The balance between alternative engine types has been a contentious topic in Le Mans racing ever since Audi's first diesel LMP1 emerged in 2006, and diesels have been further restricted this year, when Audi will enter both the latest version of its diesel R18 and a new hybrid.

Ullrich believes the diesel advantage was accentuated in recent seasons because no major manufacturers were running petrol engines - making it impossible to judge how much of Audi and Peugeot's superiority was down to their status as the sport's largest teams, and how much due to them running diesels.

"The ACO and FIA are faced with a very difficult task here," said Ullrich. "The more different technologies there are in the game the more difficult it becomes to correlate them all.

"The biggest problem is that the Audi and Peugeot diesel cars were in a class of their own over the last few years - and not just because the TDI is the world's most efficient engine, but also because no other competitor developed an LMP1 car with a gasoline engine to a similar level of detail and know-how.

"For this reason the diesel was trimmed again for the 2012 season, so that from our point of view the diesel is now at a real disadvantage on paper.

"We are, however, prepared to face this challenge and are convinced that the ACO and FIA will make the right decisions for the future. As far as the hybrid issue is concerned we can easily assess the pros and cons through our two-pronged approach, since the base of the R18 ultra and R18 e-tron quattro really is identical.

"The hybrid system alone makes the difference. The ACO and FIA will receive particularly meaningful data from us."

He added that Audi still believed there was more to come from the conventional diesel engine, and that the R18 ultra remained the best bet for Le Mans victory.

"Quite simply, the TDI engine invented by Audi is still the most efficient drive in the world," said Ullrich. "We've also proved this at Le Mans since 2006. It's not a coincidence that turbo diesel engines are unbeaten there for six years now, even though the diesel cars were repeatedly limited.

"We are convinced that the TDI has even more potential. This is why Audi not only supports the hybrid in motorsport and production, but in parallel also the further development of the conventional drive.

"The combination of TDI and hybrid is, however, without doubt particularly interesting and very promising. This is exactly what the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro stands for."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97849

[Rob]

426784_335544166481500_105041136198472_772002_1305284261_n.jpg

Ferrari Lemans concept.

be nice to have Ferrari build a LMP1, looooong over due

[Nova]

Isnt that pic something? Why would they build such a car? For photo's?
There has to be more to this..looks great!!!

[Nova]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdIDm...eature=related

[Rob]

LE MANS SERIES

ELMS official testing at Paul Ricard – 15 cars
BY SERIES UPDATE ⋅ MARCH 5, 2012 ⋅ E-MAIL THIS POST ⋅ PRINT THIS POST ⋅ POST A COMMENT
Next Friday and Saturday, fifteen cars will arrive at the Paul Ricard circuit for the two days’ official practice for the European Le Mans Series.

The LM P2 category will have the highest number of representatives with six prototypes beginning with the reigning champion, Greaves Motorsport, whose Nissan-powered Zytek will be driven by Martin Brundle! The former English F1 driver will be playing himself in in view of the Le Mans 24 Hours in which he will race in June. His son, Alex, will take over followed by Spaniard Lucas Ordonez and Tom Kimber-Smith who make up the team entered in no.1 for the rest of the season. Four Oreca O3s (Race Performance, Boutsen Ginion Racing, Murphy Prototypes and Thiriet by TDS Racing) as well as the Morgan-Judd in the hands of Jacques Nicolet, the boss of Oak Racing make up the rest of the LM P2 runners.

The organizers were hoping for a bigger turnout for the official practice session, but the proximity of the first round of the FIA World Endurance Championship on 17th March, the Sebring 12 Hours, has forced the constructors to supply the FIA WEC LM P2 teams in priority. The result is that some of the ELMS squads are still waiting for parts or cars and will not be ready to run by the end of the week. Sebastien Loeb Racing is a notable case in point.

The two Formula Le Mans of Boutsen Ginion Racing and Curtis Racing Technologies, a newcomer to the ELMS, complete the prototype line-up.
The GT category will include two Ferrari F458s in GTE Pro entered by JMB Racing and JMW Motorsport to which can be added the AF Corse entry in GTE Am. Also in this category are the Imsa Performance Matmut Porsche 911 RSR and the Gulf Racing Aston Martin Vantage. The latter will take advantage of this test session to give its McLaren MP4-12C GT3 a shakedown even though it is competing in another series.

[Nova]

Aussie GT, 2 rounds, Ferrari leading last lap, taken out by lapped Audi
Race 2, Ferrari headed for the win, taken out by a Merc. What, are these guys into Nascar?
Read on Speed site.

[scuderiafan]

[Rob]

GT Guide (4) : Aston Martin Vantage
09/03/201215h56 - Auto News - FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP


In this fourth and final part of the introduction to the GT that will contest the FIA World Endurance Championship, ​​is devoted to the Aston Martin Vantage, which hopes to join in the struggle for victory in LM GTE Pro with Ferrari and Porsche.

The road version. The name 'Vantage' was used for the first time on an Aston Martin in the early fifties, and was applied to improved versions of other models. Vantage as a distinct car was launched with the V8 Vantage in 1977. The current version was introduced in 2005, and has the silhouette of the DB9, whom it succeeded in endurance racing in 2010.

The 2011 season. The only GT representative of Aston Martin in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 2011, the Gulf AMR Middle East team, based in the UAE, was sixth in the teams ranking in LM GTE Am. In 2012, this team moves into prototypes (LM P2), with two Lola coupes powered by Nissan.

Outlook 2012. After the failure of its AMR-One prototype, Aston Martin Racing is back this year in GT (LM GTE Pro). The rich history of the British factory team, which won two consecutive victories in the former LM GT1 category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007 and 2008 with the DBR9, should mean it will be competitive.

[Rob]

GT guide (3): the Porsche 911
08/03/201214h08 - Auto News - FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP


The third force on the GT grid of the FIA World Endurance Championship is the Porsche 911, whose unique silhouette is instantly indentifiable on the race track and on the road.

The road version: Since its launch at the IAA 1963, the Porsche 911 spans almost half a century, in which has made an indelible mark on the history of the automobile. Among notable developments: the turbocharger (1974), four-wheel drive (1989) and water cooling (since 1998).

The 2011 season. Faced with fierce competition from the Ferrari 458 Italia, the BMW M3 and Corvette, the 911 won two titles in 'Le Mans' named series: Teams and Drivers titles of the LM GTE Am class in the Le Mans Series, thanks to Nicolas Armindo, Raymond Narac and the French team Imsa Performance.

Outlook for 2012. To challenge the supremacy of Ferrari 458 Italia in LM GTE Pro in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Porsche introduced a new version of its 911. It will also aim to bring a 99th victory to Stuttgart (all categories) in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

[Rob]

GT Guide (1): the Ferrari 458 Italia
06/03/201217h22 - Auto News - FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

To open the four part series of cars entered in the categories LM GTE Pro and Am in the FIA World Endutance Championship, we start with one of the big winners of the 2011 Endurance season: the Ferrari 458 Italia.

The road version of this car that was launched in September 2009 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Ferrari 458 Italia replaced the F430. Its rear-mid engine V8 layout is identical, and gives it its name: 45 for 4.5 liters, 8 for eight cylinders. It develops 570 hp.

In the 2011 season, having made its competition debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Ferrari 458 Italia score was near perfect in LM GTE Pro taking the manufacturer and teams' titles (for the Italian team AF Corse), in both Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and Le Mans Series. Add to that the title for LM GTE Pro drivers in the Le Mans Series by Gianmaria Bruni and Giancarlo Fisichella. It only just missed victory in its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, beaten by the factory Corvette.

The outlook for 2012: In LM GTE Am, where cars run with cars technical specifications of the previous year, the Ferrari 458 Italia this year will replace the F430 GT seen last year. Will the Prancing Horse continue to dominate the two GT categories in 2012? We will have our first answer to that question at Sebring on the 17th March.

[Rob]

Since its first laps on the Paul Ricard circuit at Le Castellet on the 11th of January, the Toyota TS 030 has had little rest with three practice sessions of three days each, including a 30 hour endurance test. This first series of testing allowed the Japanese manufacturer to store as much information as possible and drivers to get the best from the car.

Engineers are busy already on aerodynamics that will be modified before the first race of the hybrid car at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps WEC on the 5th of May, but before that, a new series of testing is scheduled in April to test the improvements in performance and reliability.

The much anticipated hybrid system was the main subject of attention. The energy produced under braking that is returned on the exit of corners to increase the performance of the car, but also to reduce fuel consumption. The system has already evolved from the early trials and the technical team has refined it.

"Much remains to be done at the team level, the development of the car and getting it ready, and we focus in part on the preparations for Spa", said Pascal Vasselon, Technical Director Toyota Motorsport. "There will be particular changes in the aerodynamics, which should improve performance and help us defend the title of fastest hybrid on the grid."

The Japanese automaker has a top quality driver line-up with Austrian Alexander Wurz, twice winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours and to fine tune-notch, Nicolas Lapierre, who won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2011 with Oreca, and Kazuki Nakajima, former Williams driver in Formula 1 and currently carrying the colours of Toyota in the very tough Japanese Super GT championship.

For the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the #7 car will be supported by the #8 car of Sebastien Buemi, former protégé of Red Bull and Toro Rosso driver in Formula 1, Hiroaki Ishiura, Super GT and Formula Nippon driver, and Anthony Davidson former driver for Peugeot Sport, with whom he had five victories in recent years. The latter is the only one who has not yet taken the wheel of the TS 030.

Alexander Wurz seems confident about the capabilities of the car: "On development, we continue to optimize the interaction between all components, including the hybrid system. Thus, the car progresses." It will probably progress even more after the tests in April to be ready for the first race for Toyota in the FIA World Endurance Championship at Spa-Francorchamps in the Belgian Ardennes. The Japanese manufacturer has chosen to skip the 12 Hours of Sebring, for which they can not be ready in time.

Cécile Bonardel (Source: Toyota Motorsport press release)

[Rob]

Audi keeps testing despite Timo Bernhard crash at Sebring
Wednesday, March 21st 2012, 09:16 GMT

Audi is continuing its test at the Sebring International Raceway this week, despite a serious accident late on Monday that hospitalised Timo Bernhard.

The German manufacturer, which started its traditional test the week after the Sebring 12 Hours with four cars, concluded that the technical problem that put Bernhard into the barriers at Turn 17 would not reoccur on the other cars and resumed running on Tuesday.

Bernhard climbed from the wreck of the R18 unaided but was taken to hospital where he spent the night under observation.

Audi began the four-day test with two R18 e-tron quattro hybrids, one conventional turbodiesel R18 and the #3 R18 TDI that took part in the race at Sebring on Saturday.

Eleven of the the 12 drivers who will race for the German manufacturer at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June are present.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98219

[epiclyaddicted]

Wow, I heard Audi had a crash at the Sebring test, but didn't realise it was that big!

Hope Timo's ok.

[Rob]

After the opening race at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the FIA World Endurance Championship visits the Belgian Ardennes for the second round of the season. The Spa-Francorchamps 6 hours on the 5th of May will be an opportunity for some teams to do a dress rehearsal for the Le Mans 24 Hours 16th and 17 June, and for others to try out their new machines under race conditions for the 2012 season.

The magnificent rollercoaster circuit in the Belgian Ardennes will be the scene of great event in endurance racing: the presence of two hybrid cars officially entered by two different manufacturers. Audi has shelved its first generation R18 TDI diesel and introduces the new ultra R18, conforming to the 2012 regulations, but also the R18 e-tron quattro launched in Munich in February. The diesel hybrid prototype will face his rival petrol engined hybrid developed by Toyota TS030, to be run be the French team Oreca.

Pescarolo Team will be there with a new car replacing the venerable Pescarolo-Judd. The team is currently developing the Pescarolo 03, which unfortunately was not ready for the 12 Hours of Sebring. The new chassis will incorporate the famous shark fin, like that of Rebellion Racing who will soon take delivery of two new cars, the drivers of which we hope to know soon.

[Rob]

LE CASTELET 6 HOURS: GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES!


The new endurance season will kick off on the Paul Ricard circuit on 31st March-1st April under the name: the European Le Mans Series. Twenty-three cars have entered for the race, and as expected, LM P2, the new top category, has the most teams with twelve entrants ready to go head-to-head. Topping the bill is Greaves Motorsport whose aim is to clinch a second title on the trot with Alex Brundle-Lucas Ordonez-Tom Kimber-Smith in the Zytek-Nissan.

There are several other title contenders, however, starting with the eagerly-awaited team entered by 8-time world rally champion, Sébastien Loeb. The newly-created eponymous squad will debut with an Oreca-03 Nissan that was delivered late, and which will only have been bolted together a few days before the event. With drivers of the stature and experience of the ex-Peugeot Sport pair, Stéphane Sarrazin and Nicolas Minassian (22 Le Mans 24 hours between them), it will be hard to beat. The Morgan-Judd driven by Jacques Nicolet-Guillaume Moreau-Dominik Kraihamer is another potential front-runner and was quickest in the official tests on 9-10 March.

Among the other teams that have opted for the Oreca-Nissan combination is Thiriet by TDS Racing that has also impressed with its two young drivers, Mathias Beche and Pierre Thiriet, who can't wait to take the fight to their rivals. The Boutsen Ginion Racing squad has received some first-class support for the Le Castellet 6 Hours in the person of ex-F1 Toro Rosso driver (and this year's third Red Bull Racing driver), Sébastien Buemi who will back up Jack Clarke and Bastien Brière. The Pecom Racing entry driven by the experienced Soheil Ayari-Luis Perez Companc-Pierre Kaffer trio cannot be discounted either.

Five chassis constructors (Lola, Morgan, Norma, Oreca and Zytek) will do battle in the LM P2 category as well as two engine suppliers (Judd and Nissan) and drivers of eight different nationalities.

The LM GTE Pro category will be an all-Ferrari scrap with three F458s entered by Kessel Racing, JMW Motorsport and JMB Racing. AF Corse has entered an F458 in GTE Am where it will be up against the Porsche 911 RSRs (997) of Imsa Performance Matmut and Prospeed Competition and the Gulf Racing Aston Martin Vantage.

Rendezvous this coming weekend on the Paul Ricard circuit for the first pointers to this season's hierarchy.

http://www.europeanlemansseries.com/....php?news=2097

[Nova]

Looks like Ferrari may win the LM GTE Pro class this race..
Thx for the news Rob.

[Rob]

Looks like Ferrari may win the LM GTE Pro class this race..
Thx for the news Rob.

yeah hope so, looking good atmo.

[Rob]

Its the opening round of the ELMS today, 6 Hours of Castellet, Ferrari running well. Wells live stream link...

http://www.europeanlemansseries.com/...p09_videos.php

[Nova]

Hey Rob, that was the best link ever to see a race. Thank you so much!!!
Great race..wonderful seeing so many 458's!
Thanks again amigo.

[Rob]

JMW Motorsport won the opening GTE Pro class of the opening 2012 European Le Mans Series in thrilling fashion. Brave tactics and superb stints by James Walker and Jonny Cocker saw the 6 hour race come down to the wire, with JMW taking the lead in the final eight minutes! Great race, like Jonny Cocker good little racer. Shame ELMS has no LMP1 cars. But still, love enduros. Thinking about going to Donnington for the ELMS round there aswell.

[Nova]

Yea, I saw the finish...LeCastellet is a beautiful track especially with the blue around the track.
I think they started doing that back when Prost was with Ferrari.

On a side note, a 458 finished 2nd at Barber Motorsport Park yesterday, I think it was the only one entered.

[Rob]

AF Corse was founded by former driver Amato Ferrari (AF), who is not related to the marque of the same name. The team had a remarkable 2011 season in LMGTE Pro in the ILMC and the Mans Series with the brand new and (at that time) unproven Ferrari F458 Italia. In 2012, the team is racing on all fronts, both in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the ​​European Le Mans Series in three classes ...!

The ILMC team title in LMGTE Pro went to the very last race of the season in Zhuhai, but after Petit Le Mans, the points advantage of AF Corse was such that short of an extraordinary turnaround for BMW, the title seemed secure. Unlike the the 24 Hours of Le Mans, for the Italian team. "My worst memory of the season", said Amato Ferrari. "The last two hours of Le Mans 24 Hours were appalling. We thought that victory was at hand, but the car dropped to second place under the chequered flag because of a minor technical problem. However, Petit Le Mans will remain in my memory as a great victory that allowed us to take a big step towards the title in the ILMC. "

AF Corse have a strong driver line-up. Gianmaria Bruni, is a master in the art of pole positions (proven at the 12 Hours of Sebring) and former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella who achieved the feat of taking pole position at Spa in 2009 with the Force India team. The two Italians are joined this year by Andrea Bertolini, four times title winner in the FIA ​​GT with the Vitaphone Maserati MC12, and Olivier Beretta who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Corvette Racing in 2011 in the LMGTE Pro class.

In addition to two cars in LMGTE Pro in the FIA World Endurance Championship, AF Corse have entered a car in LMGTE Am, as they did last year in the ILMC. A second car will be at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMGTE Am, with the crew Piergiuseppe Perazzini and Marco Cioci who will contest the European Le Mans Series. So four cars in the Le Mans 24 Hours? In reality, they will be five if you include the Oreca-Nissan of Pecom Racing, Luis Perez-Companc (Pecom) entrusted job of running the car to the team of Amato Ferrari.

The results obtained by AF Corse demonstrate professionalism. Third in the GT class at the Sebring 12 hours, but first competitor in the FIA World Endurance Championship. What is the recipe for success? "The goal is always the next race", said Amato Ferrari. "If I am asked the question today, I would say that the goal is victory in the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, but if I'm asked the question after Spa, the answer will be to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and so on. The new challenge for 2012 will be to run the Oreca-Nissan of Pecom Racing to victory in LMP2. We learned a lot last year and we are now ready for the challenge in a higher and more professional class. "

For now, we associate AF Corse with Ferrari, but perhaps before long, that name will be in LMP2 in 2012 and why not? After seventh place overall and fourth in the LMP2 class were the reward for the Argentinian team. One thing is certain, the driver crew of Pecom Racing (Soheil Ayari, Pierre Kaffer and Luis Perez-Companc) did not made the trip to the United States for the Sebring winter test for nothing.

[Rob]

2012 calendar change
During a meeting held on Saturday evening (31st March) at the Paul Ricard circuit, theatre of the first round of the European Le Mans Series, Pierre Fillon, (Automobile Club de l'Ouest Vice President), Gérard Neveu (FIA World Endurance Championship General Manager), Patrick Peter (European Le Mans Series promoter) and Vincent Beaumesnil (ACO Sports Director), decided to cancel the second ELMS round scheduled for Zolder (Belgium) on 18-19-20 May after consulting all the teams involved.

This decision, the outcome of a long discussion, was taken because the number of entrants (19) for the Belgian round was judged to be insufficient to ensure that the race unfolded in the best possible manner to ensure media fallout worthy of a 6-hour event. The various partners involved in the European Le Mans Series have given themselves the time to assemble a field of 25 cars minimum for the Donington round on 13-14-15 July.

To achieve this objective, discussions have begun between the different partners to find solutions to attract more entrants for the various categories, in particular GTE, FLM and GTC. For the latter widening the range of eligible cars is being studied, and will be confirmed as soon as possible according to the results of the technical assessment carried out by the ACO.

Pierre Fillon (Automobile Club de l'Ouest Vice President) has renewed his interest and his determination to see the European Le Mans Series develop. Its vocation is to prepare teams and drivers for the top level of endurance, the pinnacle of which is the Le Mans 24-Hours race, which accepts 55 starters. Thirty come from the FIA World Endurance Championship, the others from the American Le Mans Series and the European Le Mans Series whose aim is to have 35 entries next season.

In the meantime, and subject to a waiver on the part of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile for later entry on the calendar, a certain number of ELMS teams who want to have more track time before the Le Mans 24 Hours may be accepted for the Spa-Francorchamps round of the FIA WEC on 4-5-6 May. They will be informed next week.

After the Le Castellet 6 Hours and following the cancellation of the Zolder event, the 2012 ELMS calendar consist of 3 further rounds: Donington 13-14-15 July, Brno 7-9 September and Algarve 2-4 November.

http://www.europeanlemansseries.com/....php?news=2132

[Rob]

Hollywood star Dempsey targets Le Mans LMP2 2013 entry
By Pablo Elizalde Wednesday, April 4th 2012, 12:04 GMT

Dempsey Racing has confirmed it will compete in the American Le Mans Series with a Lola B12/80 LMP2 car.

The team, owned by the star of TV show Grey's Anatomy Patrick Dempsey, is preparing for a "possible" debut at Laguna Seca in May before competing in more races during the 2012 season.

The Lola B12/80 LMP2 coupe will be powered by a Judd engine.

Dempsey Racing, established in 2003, is aiming to take part in the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours.

"It is no secret that I really enjoyed my experience at Le Mans in 2009," said Dempsey. "Lola is a famous name throughout the world of racing. I kind of knew what they did at Indy and in sports cars from when I was a kid. I am relishing driving this brand new LMP2 design."
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98592

[Rob]

Record holder for participations as a driver in the Le Mans 24 Hours, Henri Pescarolo is now a team manager. The French driver had six entries in the Sebring 12 hours in the 70s, then in the 90s before returning to American soil for new adventures with the Pescarolo Sport team in 2001 and Pescarolo Team this year. He shares his memories ...

Henri, has the the Sebring 12 Hours changed?

"Not at all, I feel to be back forty years ago! At the time, the circuit and paddock were already anachronistic by European standards and nothing has changed. There are still no grandstands and it's completely crazy to see race cars make their way among the spectators to go from the pit lane to service truck. Only the size of trucks has changed: they are much bigger! "

What are the peculiarities of the Sebring circuit?

"Drivers have no reference point because of the flatness. At night, some drivers have become completely lost and don't know where they are going! The track is so wide that it is difficult to anticipate the manoeuvers of slower cars. Traffic management is not new at Sebring. Moreover, the alternation of concrete and asphalt makes adjustments very difficult to determine, particularly in terms of shocks. The circuit is very bumpy and if we make the car comfortable to drive, performance suffers. It's all about compromise. "

What are your memories of the race?

"I have good and less good memories. The last time I took the start of the race, I ended up KO! At the time, the bridge that is at the beginning of the pit straight was not protected. I was driving the Joest Racing Porsche 962 of which hit the bridge support. The car bounced and slid all the way to my pit where Madie Pescarolo (his wife) was waiting for me. I was unconscious and I woke up in hospital. I also had a great time, especially in the 70s because we discovered America. With Avec Andrea de Adamich and Rolf Stommelen, my team at Autodelta (Alfa Romeo), we would first go to Daytona and stay in the United States until the Sebring 12 Hours, to our delight. It was great! "

The 12 Hours of Sebring in 2012 also remains in the memory of Henri Pescarolo Pescarolo. The venerable old Pescarolo 01-Judd, at its final race, finished in sixth place overall, and third place in the LMP1 class. This bodes well for the rest of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

I have always liked Pescarolo, legend of Le-Mans, and hope he and his team have good year in the WEC and at Le-Mans.

[Rob]

Viper set for factory return in the American Le Mans Series in 2012
By Pablo Elizalde Wednesday, April 4th 2012, 16:32 GMT


Chrysler will return to endurance racing later this year after the manufacturer announced a new racing programme for the SRT Viper in the American Le Mans Series.

SRT Viper Racing is set to make its debut mid-season with an SRT Viper GTS-R, officials announced at the New Your Auto Show on Wednesday.

Chrysler has partnered with Riley Technologies to design and build the car over the past two years, while the car maker also confirmed that it had already signed Kuno Wittmer, Dominik Farnbacher and Marc Goossens as its three drivers.

"Racing has been a significant part of the illustrious history of Viper not only with significant wins on the track, but also in the continued development of the street cars - and our new 2013 SRT Viper models are proof of those lessons learned," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of Chrysler's SRT group.

"Now with our new team and the launch of the GTS-R, we're excited and proud to begin writing more chapters in the racing history of the Viper later this summer."

The Viper dominated GT racing in the ALMS and at Le Mans for over a decade, winning the 24-hour race each year from 1998 to 2000 in the category.

The original Viper GTS-R made its racing debut back in 1996.

"I don't think it's possible to overstate the significance of the SRT Viper returning to the top level of professional sports car racing," said ALMS president Scott Atherton.

"The Chrysler Group has a long, storied and very successful history of competing with the American Le Mans Series. We would be hard-pressed to come up with a better scenario than having the brand return with the simultaneous introduction of both the new production car and the competition version. What a great way for SRT Viper to come back to racing."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98595