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Sebring 12 Hours 8-9 Collard handed the lead car over to Bernhard, but the Porsche team relinquished top spot to Tom Kristensen. That only lasted until the Audi entered the pits the next time around. It’s far from a routine stop as the nose section and a suspension pushrod have been replaced. The stop didn’t take long, but long enough that the No. 16 Dyson entry cycled around to the front. Indeed, Kristensen has now dropped off the lead lap. We now have three healthy Porsches, three healthy Acuras, and only one healthy Audi within striking distance. The No. 15 Acura of Adrian Fernandez had a slight bauble. There was apparently some minor contact that left a piece of dangling bodywork at the front left that was readily removed at a quick stop. The Mexican continued just off the lead lap in 7th place. Kristensen is continuing with a modest climb up the order. He’s up to fourth overall (first in LM P1 of course) and some 2 seconds per lap faster than those around him. The No. 26 Acura has been shedding some bodywork but remained out for quite some time, lapping well in the hands of Marco Andretti. It finally came in for a somewhat lengthy (2-3 minutes) change of the rear cover and wing. The team dropped behind the Audi to fourth spot. At about the 8-hour mark Kristensen brings in the No. 1 Audi. Allan McNish hops aboard but there are problems. The front cover is off and there is major work being done to the left front brakes. The rotor is being replaced. Meanwhile, Timo Bernhard stops in from the lead and a very routine stop. Bernhard exits, but not before Guy Smith slips past into the lead. The Audi lost close to four laps before McNish could return—now down in seventh place. The lead battle is a fine one between the two Porsches. One would expect that the factory car of Bernhard would have the advantage but it’s not the case. Indeed, Guy Smith has opened up nearly 5 seconds on the yellow Penske entry. The gap accordions a bit depending upon traffic, but there’s no real racing as the Dyson team soon needs to make a stop. That halt comes at about the 8:20-elapsed time mark and Bernhard has retaken the lead. As it nears 7 p.m. the sun s quite low, it’s a cooled a bit and the two Dyson Porsches are flying. Chris Dyson is now aboard No. 16, in which Guy Smith had recently set that car’s fastest lap. Meanwhile, one spot further back is No. 20. It had a one-lap delay very early in the race with a fuel rig problem. Now it is running very well and fast with Marino Franchiitti setting that car’s fast lap. The growing intensification of the overall battle comes to an interruption when David Robertson goes off hard into the barriers at Turn 13. He steps out with a bit of help, a bit groggy, but otherwise ok. This brings out our 5th full-course caution of the day. The race resumes with 5 cars having a realistic shot at overall victory-none of them P1 cars. They are the No. 7 Penske Porsche, both Dyson Porsches, and two Acuras, the Mexicans and Highcroft—although the latter has been assessed a stop-and-go to be served under green. Alexandre Primat via Motors TV via David Legangneux reports that there have been problems with the steering wheel on the Audis, at least the one of Marco Werner. There are also problems (again) with the No. 26 Andretti-Green Acura. It’s been in for a long stop with some work in the cockpit area. GT2 remains as sanguine as ever with Lizard 45 two laps clear of Lizard 44. On the restart Collard pulls out about 3.6 seconds on Dyson, who is another 12 clear of Franchitti. Diaz is the last man on the lead lap, another 15 seconds down. Fastest laps from the P2
cars as we approach the three-quarter point of the race. Hour 9
Positions (just after the green to conclude the caution for the Ford
going off) This is a Peugeot engine shot from earlier in the day.
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