Vasser Sullivan wins hard fought GTD PRO class
The race itself proved to be truncated by many caution periods, which kept most of the field very close throughout the entirety of the 12 hours and meant keeping on the lead lap and strategy proved to be crucial.
6 teams in the lead
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2024. #64 Ford Mustang GT3
6 teams (out of 12 entries) took the lead of GTD Pro class with #64 Ford Mustang GT3 leading the race for a string of 25 laps during the 3rd hour.
Chris Mies said: “Leading at one point today was really nice, especially when we did it in Daytona as well.It’s nice seeing the car back on top. This was the best handling car we’ve had so far. I’m very positive on that point. With three hours to go, everything went a little down with all the contact. There were no technical issues on either car and that’s also reassuring. Now, we need to work even harder to fight for podiums.”
BMW M GT3 #1 also lead during 26 laps but in different phases until 5th hour.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2024. AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) #77
The AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) #77 was in the lead mostly during the third quarter of the race also clinching the maximum Michelin Cup points at the end of the 8th hour.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2024. #3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R
The #3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R did spend a total of 42 laps in the lead at various moments of the race.
Before the race, Antonio Garcia said: "After coming to Sebring for more than 15 years, the race still amazes me. It really is unlike any other event we do with the combination of the track, the bumps and the fans that turn out every year. I'm fortunate to have won many races at Sebring in different categories and generations of the Corvette and I hope that continues with the Z06 GT3.R. Already we have some notes and data from testing over the bumps late last year so that should help us arrive with a good baseline. We were fast at Daytona and immediately competitive, so let's see if all that together will mean more success for Corvette at Sebring."
The dominant team throughout the race was #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RF C GT3 with 133 laps. The Ferrari #62 did lead the GTD Pro class during 7 laps ahead of the last cautious.
A very muscular end of the race
In the final hours as the sun set, there was a decent amount of racing under green until a caution came with 80 minutes to go. This allowed all the cars to make their final pitstop and putting everyone on the same run to the chequered flag.
History shall remembers that Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat and Kyle Kirkwood with Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F won the GTD PRO class at the 72nd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Cadillac but what about causing aero damages to the Corvette and Ferrari after « hard fought » overtaking. A little earlier, the #3 Corvette (then third) and the #77 Porsche (fourth), made contact which pitched the Corvette out of the race, while the Porsche was given a time penalty in lieu of a drive-through.
#14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus wins GTD PRO
After « fully dive-bombing » Juncadella’s #3 Corvette who was second behind Serra’s #62 Ferrari, Hawksworth (#14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3) past Serra in the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 with a daring move into Turn 1. The pass worked, and Hawksworth held Serra the remaining 20 minutes.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2024. #14 Lexus RC F
“It’s just amazing,” Hawksworth said. “To win this race – such a special race – it’s so hard on the cars and so hard on the drivers. This team is so amazing. We had some issues at Daytona – wrong place, wrong time – but today, boy did we bounce back.” Source: IMSA
Daytona winning Ferrari 296 GT3 second
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2024. #62 Ferrari 296
Daniel Serra and co-drivers Davide Rigon and James Calado finished 0.121 seconds behind in the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3.
Lamborghini first podium finish
Iron Lynx secured its first podium finish of the IMSA Sportscar Championship season at the Sebring 12 Hours, coming through third with #19 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo in a frenetic GTD Pro battle which lasted the entirety of the race. While the #14 Lexus and #77 Porsche were slightly quicker, the #19 Lamborghini held third for much of the race against the #62 Ferrari and the #3 Corvette.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2024. #19 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo
In a dramatic last couple of laps, the third and fourth-placed cars, the #3 Corvette and the #77 Porsche, made contact while Mirko was running fifth. This pitched the Corvette out of the race, while the Porsche was given a time penalty in lieu of a drive-through. This elevated the #19 to round out the podium, just three seconds away from the victor.
Andrea Piccini, Iron Lynx Team Principal & CEO, said: "To come away from Sebring with a podium is a fantastic result for everybody in the team and is a great reward for all the hard work over the recent weeks. It is not an easy circuit, and each of the cars showed great potential which offers a lot of optimism. We learned a lot through this week and have other positives to take, so our aim is to carry this momentum going forward.” Source: Iron Lynx
P4 for #1 BMW M4 GT3
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2024. #1 Paul Miller BMW M GT3
Paul Miller Racing narrowly missed the podium with the #1 BMW M4 GT3 driven by Madison Snow, Bryan Sellers, and Neil Verhagen finishing fourth in the GTD-PRO class.
GTD Pro Race Official Results
Source: IMSA
Related Info
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Sebring 2024. Louis Delétraz charges to victory at Sebring.
📷 Courtesy of IMSA. Sebring 12 Hours: hours 1 - 4
📷 luc Warnotte at Sebring 2023. Cadillac, Lexus, Ferrari top qualifying.
📷 luc Warnotte at Sebring 2023. Phil Hanson tops Thursday combined practices
