7/7/2023, 10:08:04 PM cet
Fosti con me nel pericolo e nella vittoria

Sebring, March 12, 2001

Following the fiercely fought double victory at the season-opener of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in Dallas/Fort Worth, Team Audi Sport North America now concentrates on defending last year´s win at the ALMS season highlight: the 12 Hours of Sebring. On March 17th, the Audi squad will conduct a rehearsal in Florida for the Le Mans 24 Hour race.

Head of Audi Sport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich and his team will attempt to prepare for the enormous Le Mans challenge as best as possible. For Audi, this means that the chequered flag at Sebring on Saturday evening brings only a preliminary halt to the test. "After the finish, we want to drive another 12 hours with one of the two Infineon Audi R8s on the Sebring circuit on Monday," explains Dr. Ullrich. Engine, gearbox and all other components of the racing sportscars will then go through a 24 hour endurance test, with half the distance under racing conditions.

Following the motto "never change a winning team", Frank Biela will share one car with Tom Kristensen and Emanuele Pirro. This trio won in Sebring and Le Mans last year. Sharing the cockpit of the second Infineon Audi R8 are Laurent Aiello, Michele Alboreto and Rinaldo Capello.

Sebring is the oldest long-distance race in the USA and is run this year for the 49th time. Over 100,000 spectators are expected this year, and the enthusiasm is huge. Many of them set up camp in front of the closed gates weeks before the event in the hope of getting the best possible viewpoint, with their makeshift shelters beside the racetrack sometimes quite adventurous. The first of two qualifying sessions takes place on Wednesday after two test days on Monday and Tuesday. To date, more than 40 cars are entered for the race.

The 3.7-mile circuit, with the pits recently receiving extensive modifications, places extreme demands on man and machine. The track surface of the former military airbase is very uneven and provides drivers and engineers with a difficult challenge in finding the best possible set-up. The hard work in Sebring, however, seems to pay off: In the past two years, the winner of the Sebring event has gone on to win the Le Mans race three months later.


LMP 900

1

Rinaldo Capello Infineon Audi R8

Michele Alboreto

Laurent Aiello / Verrieres

2 

Frank Biela Infineon Audi R8

Emanuele Pirro

Tom Kristensen

16 

James Weaver Riley & Scott MKIII C / Lincoln

Butch Leitzinger

Elliott Forbes-Robinson

18 

Stefan Johansson Gulf Oil Audi R8

Guy Smith

37 

Jon Field Lola B2K/10 / Judd

38 

Ralf Kelleners Champion Racing Audi R8

Dorsey Schroeder

Andy Wallace

50 

Jan Magnussen Panoz LMP07

David Brabham

51 

Klaus Graf Panoz LMP07

Gualter Salles

72 

Sébastien Bourdais Peugeot Courage C60

Jean-Christophe Boullion

Laurent Redon


LMP 675

11 

Mel Hawkins Lola B2K/40 / Nissan

Steven Knight

Claudia Huertgen

77 

Wayne Jackson Lola B2K/40 / Porsche

Gunnar Jeannette

Bill Adam


GTS

3 

Ron Fellows Chevrolet Corvette C5-R

Chris Kneifel

Johnny O'Connell

4 

Andy Pilgrim Chevrolet Corvette C5-R

Kelly Collins

Franck Freon

26 

Franz Konrad Saleen S7R

Charles Slater

44 

Tom Weickardt Dodge Viper GTS-R

45 

Erik Messley Dodge Viper GTS-R

Stu Hayner


GT

6 

Hans Stuck BMW M3

Boris Said

Peter Cunningham

10 

Niclas Jönsson BMW M3

Bill Auberlen

12 

Shane Lewis Callaway C-12R

Vic Rice

Bob Mazzuoccola

15 

Randy Wars Porsche 911 GT3 R

Mark Neuhaus

17 

Owen Trinkler Chevrolet Corvette C5-R

22 

Randy Pobst Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Christian Menzel

Timo Bernhard

23 

Lucas Luhr Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Sascha Maassen

Emmanuel Collard

30 

Michael Petersen Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Bob Wollek

Johnny Mowlem

34 

Leo Hindery Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Peter Baron

Gian Luigi Buitoni

35 

Richard Millman Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Tommy Byrne

Tony Kester

36 

Uli Richter Porsche 911 GT3 R

42 

J.J. Lehto BMW M3

Jörg Müller

43 

Fredrik Ekblom BMW M3

Dirk Müller

47 

John Warner Porsche 911 GT3 R

52 

Tony Burgess Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Philip Collin

Andrew Bagnall

53 

Gabrio Rosa Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Fabio Babini

Alex Caffi

57 

Manfred Jurasz Porsche 911 GT3 RS

58 

Wolfgang Kaufman Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Stephane Ortelli

66 

Kevin Buckler Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Tom McGlynn

Dr. Stephen Earle

69 

Kye Wankum Porsche 911 GT3 R

Jeff Pabst

Joe Foster

98 

Rick Polk Porsche 911 GT3 R

Cort Wagner

Christophe Tinseau

99 

David Murry Porsche 911 GT3 R

Anthony Lazzaro

00 

Christophe Bouchut Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Jean-Luc Chereau

Patrice Goueslard

07 

Norman Simon Porsche 911 GT3 R

Dieter Quester

Peter Phillip

09 

Keith Alexander Porsche 911 GT3 R

Chris Gleason

Gavin Pickering
Speed Vision
Click to Listen !!!  Radio Le Mans Web broadcast schedule - tba
Marker01

Radio Le Mans Web
Saturday, 17 March
15.30 - 17.00 qualifying

Sunday, 18 March
12.30 - 15.30 the race

Televised on


SpeedVision - Airing
Saturday, 17 March
10:30

Fox Net - TBA

Eurosport
Sunday, 25 March
14.45 CET

 Broadcast Schedule
Timetable

Monday, March 12, 2001
Testday
10:10 - 11:10 LMP 900 / LMP 675 / GTS / GT
11:10 - 11:40 LMP 900 / LMP 675
14:30 - 15:30 LMP 900 / LMP 675 / GTS / GT
15:30 - 16:00 LMP 900 / LMP 675

Tuesday, March 13, 2001
14:55 - 15:55 LMP 900 / LMP 675 / GTS / GT
15:55 - 16:25 LMP 900 / LMP 675

Wednesday, March 14, 2001
09:30 - 10:30 Practice - LMP 900, LMP 675, GTS and GT
15:10 - 15:30 Qualifying - Session #1 - LMP 900 and LMP 675

Thursday, March 15, 2001
09:15 - 10:15  Practice -  LMP 900, LMP 675, GTS and GT
15:05 - 15:25 Qualifying - Session #2 - LMP 900 and LMP 675
20:00 - 21:00 Night Practice -  LMP 900, LMP 675, GTS and GT

Friday, March 16, 2001
09:45 - 10:45 Practice - LMP 900, LMP 675, GTS and GT

Saturday, March 17, 2001
07:30 - 07:50 Warm Up - LMP 900, LMP 675, GTS and GT
10:40 START

All times are local

Eurosport
The winning team - Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Tom Kristensen - Photo Barton Workman
E.P. at speed - Photo Barton Workman
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