FIA WEC/ALMS, 12 Hours of Sebring - Hour Eleven We're getting down to crunch time here and the pressure is starting to build. TK has built a 50+ second lead overall. That is one of the larger leads of the day, but with almost 2 hours to go, that isn't all that much. Muscle Milk is still hanging in there, 1 lap back, but just can't get back on the lead lap. GT(E) is all that it was promoted as and more. Six cars on the lead lap and a very tight battle at the head on the class between BMW (first and third) being the bread of a Corvette meat sandwich. Earlier it appeared as if BMW didn't have what it took in the class, but it's not looking that way right now. With 1:40 to go, the 3rd placed 155 BMW pits. This drops him to 6th in class. P2 is now up to 5th overall, Barbosa leading Sarrazin, both HPDs. Spoke too soon - Sarrazin took the class lead back. The battle for the lead ALMS Porsche in GT is between Maassen (Paul Miller) and Law (044 Lizards), both on the same lap. Who would have thought that? Pla in the 24 Morgan pits from 3rd in class. Lead change in GT - Corvette (Milner) passes Hand and his BMW for the lead. 28 Nissan Lola slooowww down the pit lane. Again. 1:26 to go - TK into the pits. Keeps the lead. as the 3 also stops. Hand to the pits. Corvette also - Gavin in for Milner to take the battle to the end? Prost off in the 4th place Rebellion - stopped off track. GT is Berretta over Taylor - Ferrari over Corvette with 1:16 to go, but both are likey due a stop soon. Remember the old P2 class? The one that it seemed as if no body wanted to win. Forget that with the new regulations. These are proper cars now that can last a race. Even almost 11 hours of a 12 hour race. Sarrazin is starting to open up a lead over Pla (Morgan) and the fading Barbosa. Lieb (77 Porsche) pits. 1:08 to go. Can they make the distance? Taylor and Beretta pit together. Beretta stays in while Mags gets in for Taylor. A slight bobble leaving the pit does not stop Mags from staying in front, but on exit of the pitlane, the ex-Corvette drive blows by Mags. With just over a minute to go, Gavin pits the 4 ‘vette. He stays in and they’re set for the rest of the race. Hour 11 Summary - Green Looking at Checkers One of the best runners of the day, the No. 12 Rebellion Lola-Toyota, came to an end when Nicolas Prost pulled off with front end suspension problems. The lead Audi moved to nearly a lap clear of its teammate. Third overall was the best petrol car and Simon Pagenaud was nursing the No. 6 Muscle Milk HPD very steadily onward. For most cars and classes the hour saw the penultimate calls at the pits. Many of the positions are beginning to solidify. Stephane Sarrazin (No. 44 Starworks) has some 20 plus seconds in hand over Olivier Pla in the No. 22 Morgan-like car. A similar gap separates first and second in PC with E. J. Viso seemingly taking the No. 06 Core Oreca to the flag over Rudy Junco in the No. 21 PR1 car. The volatile GT contest had cycled back to the favour of the No. 56 BMW of Joey Hand, followed by a very good stint by Olivier Beretta in the No. 71 AF Ferrari. Beretta’s former team, the No. 03 Corvette of Jan Magnussen is close behind. Paolo Ruberti, No. 88 Felbermayr Porsche, has a solid lead in GTE Am while GTC also seems to be somewhat settled. There Damien Faulkner’s potential challenge ended with a lurid spin and Dion von Moltke seems to be in charge with the No. 023 AJR entry. JW
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