Endurance resumes at Sebring

How long the off-season is for endurance enthusiasts. And despite the Sebring Winter Tests and the official LMS tests, it is this weekend in Florida that will be the real start of a year that promises to be exciting, although the event will only host ?a small part of the main protagonists.

In fact, the prototypes are not popular across the Atlantic. The leaders of the ALMS were even forced to allow the LMP2s to fight for the overall victory to ensure the spectacle, except at Sebring and Petit. Le Mans, two races still holding a special place in the calendar since they welcome several European teams.

The premier category of prototypes is reduced to nothing with five units with the Lola Intersport package. In the absence of Audi (the “R15 Plus” not being quite ready yet), Peugeot is the arch-favorite of the event. The Lion is present in Florida in order to prepare as best as possible for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and in order to pin down the only endurance classic of the ACO Label which is missing from the 908's track record. The two cars will be entrusted to the trios Minassian-Bourdais-Lamy and Gené-Wurz-Davidson. The latter will also take the opportunity to take his first start at the wheel of the winner of the 2009 Sarthe double clock tour.

The tricolor team will cross its path with a Lola-Aston Martin driven by Harold Primat, Stefan Mücke and Adrian Fernandez, new to the team after being forced to close the doors of his team at the end of last year for economic reasons. Best time in winter testing here at the end of February, the beautiful Englishwoman will try to follow the pace set by the two Diesel cars, and hopes that the change in regulations in favor of gasoline engines will help her. The other candidates in LMP1 are Autocon Motorsports, whose Lola B06/10 seems well outdated, and Drayson Racing. With a Lola Judd in a sublime green livery and the contribution of five-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Emanuele Pirro, the task also promises to be very complicated for the British Llord Drayson and Jonny Cocker

In Florida the LMP2s will not be able to win the overall. Only three cars appear on the entry list. Great favorite, the Highroft Racing HPD ARX-01c will be entrusted to David Brabham, Marino Franchitti and simon pagenaud. It is also amusing to note that the Frenchman will cross paths with his future Le Mans teammates Sébastien Bourdais and Pedro Lamy. Facing this car formerly called Acura, we will find the Lola Mazda of Dyson Racing with a Dyson-Smith-Meyrick crew and the Porsche RS Spyder Cytosport from Graff-Picket-Maassen.

Unlike the LMP categories, it is very unwise to bet on this or that competitor as the fight promises to be close. On the Porsche side we can cite the Flying Lizard, reigning GT2 champion in ALMS and which notably counts in its ranks the factory drivers Bergmeister, Long, Lietz and Lieb, and the Falken team which has enlisted a luxury freelancer in the person of Patrick Pilet. At the house of Ferrari, the Risi Competizione puts its title back on the line. But Melo, Bruni and Kaffer will this time be supported by three other F430s. Jaguar will start with no other pretension than reaching the finish, unlike the BMWs of Müller-Hand-Priaulx and Werner-Auberlen-Milner who will try to confirm their victory obtained last year at Road America. Finally winner of seven of the last eight editions in GT1, Corvette will try to do just as well in GT2. The Americans will be able to rely in their quest on Emmanuel Collard, for whom this will be his first race in the seat of the C6.R. The Frenchman will support the “Olies” Berretta and Gavin, the sister car being entrusted to Magnussen, Garcia and O?Connell.

Next Saturday at 15 p.m., the 35 cars making up the starting grid for the Florida classic will set off for a lap of the clock. Peugeot and Aston will be there to prepare for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the others will also play a crucial round for the championship, as they benefit from a higher coefficient than short-term events. And very often the points lost at Sebring weigh heavily in the balance at the end of the season, when determining the champion.