TotalMotorSport All the latest Motorsport news, race reports and photographs from around the world. Alms, Touring Cars, Formula One & Le Mans 24 Hours

Sebring 2002

Presented by Dodge

16/03/2002

11/03/2002

Unofficial Practice

The factory Audi team that has won the previous two races at Le Mans, set the fastest time Monday as unofficial practice opened for the 50th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hour event at Sebring.

The Audi R8 Prototype driven by Frank Biela, Tom Kristensen and defending American Le Mans Series champion, Emanuele Pirro, was the fastest of the 37 cars that turned timed laps in Monday's session. The day's fastest lap on the 3.7-mile road racing circuit was 122.250 mph (1:48.957), just a whisker slower than Biela's track record of 1:48.825 that was set in 2000.

In addition to two consecutive wins at Le Mans, the trio have also won the Sebring event in 2000 and finished second last year. The remainder of the 60 cars that will compete in Saturday's race either did not get on the track Monday or ran without timing transponders in the unofficial day of testing.

The LMP 675 class for smaller Prototypes was led on Monday by the Reynard 2KQ-Volkswagen of the French ROC team, which won the class last year at Le Mans. The driving trio of Jean-Denis Deletraz, Christophe Pillon and Mark Smithson was clocked at 1:58.129 (112.758 mph) and was 11th fastest overall.

The Chevrolet Corvette C5-R of Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins and
Franck Freon led the GTS class with a lap of 2:00.510 (110.530 mph). The GT class was led by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS of P.K. Sport, Ltd., with a best lap of 2:08.784 (103.429 mph). Drivers were Robin Liddell, Fabio Babini and Giovanni Anapoli.

Testing will continue on Tuesday, with the first official day of practice on Wednesday. Qualifying will be held on Thursday. The 12-hour race starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Monday’s Times:
1. Biela/Pirro/Kristensen, Audi R8, 1:48.957 (122.250 mph).
2. Capello/Herbert/Pescatori, Audi R8, 1:50.661 (120.368).
3. Wallace/Lammers/Johansson, Audi R8, 1:50.805 (120.211).
4. Matthews/Smith/Goossens, Riley & Scott MkIIIC, 1:51.566 (119.391).
5. Bernard/Collard/Lehto, Cadillac LMP 02, 1:52.437 (118.466).
6. Taylor/Angelelli/Tinseau, Cadillac LMP 02, 1:52.489 (118.412).
7. Herta/Donohue/Auberlen, Panoz LMP-1, 1:52.999 (117.877).
8. Lienhard/Theys/Baldi, Dallara-Judd, 1:53.617 (117.236).
9. Lupberger/Bell/Kolby, Ascari-Judd, 1:56.290 (114.541).
10. Neuhaus/Macaluso/Brickell, Lola B2K10-Judd, 1:57.199 (113.653).
11. Delatraz/Pillon/Smithson, Reynard 2KQ-Volkswagen, 1:58.129 (112.758).
12. Collins/Vann/Wilson, Ascari-Judd, 1:59.908 (111.085).
13. Pilgrim/Collins/Freon, Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, 2:00.510 (110.530)
14. J. Jones/R. Jones/J.W. Jones, Reynard 2KQ-Volkswagen, 2:00.722
(110.336).
15. Fellows/O'Connell/Gavin, Chevrolet Corvette C5-R, 2:00.824 (110.243).
16. McKellar/Johnson/Erdos, Saleen S7R, 2:02.712 (108.547).
17. Konrad/Slater/Seiler, Saleen S7R, 2:03.532 (107.826).
18. Bingham/MacLeod/Rice, Saleen S7R, 2:03.832 (107.565).
19. Veilleux/Julien/Merzon, Lola B2K40-Nissan, 2:04.056 (107.371).
20. Mirro/Forgeois/O'Born, Norma-Ford, 2:05.186 (106.402).
21. Hezemans/Kumpen/Cappellari, Dodge Viper GTS-R, 2:05.285 (106.318)
22. Liddell/Babini/Anapoli, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 2:08.784 (103.429).
23. Buckler/Schrom/Law, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 2:09.448 (102.898).
24. Dumas/Amorim/Fertl, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 2:10.247 (102.267).
25. Rosa/Café/Riccitelli, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 2:10.374 (102.168).
26. Garbagnati, Ferrari 360 Modena, 2:10.591 (101.998).
27. Plumb/Collin/Bagnall, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 2:12.277 (100.698).
28. McMurry/Willman/Ehret, Pilbeam MP84-Nissan, 2:12.891 (100.233).
29. Wilson/Dawson/Gleason, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 2:13.559 (99.731).
30. Hindery/Baron/Borkowski, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 2:13.791 (99.558).
31. Schultheis/Kester, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 2:13.961 (99.432).
32. Vannini, Ferrari 360 Modena, 2:14.045 (99.370).
33. Masarati/Demeroutis/Alexander, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, 2:14.159 (99.285).
34. Kelleners/Franchitti, Ferrari 360 Modena, 2:18.427 (96.224).
35. Rydell/Menu/Enge, Ferrari 550 Maranello, 2:18.427 (96.224).
36. Hayden/Earle/Griffiths, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 2:19.583 (95.427).
37. Hawkins/Knight/Kane, MG Lola EX257-AER, 19:38.270 (11.305).