2020 12 Hours of Sebring
The 2020 12 Hours of Sebring (formally known as the 68th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts) was an endurance sports car race held at Sebring International Raceway near Sebring, Florida from 11–14 November 2020, after being postponed from its original date on 14–15 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The race was the final round of the 2020 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, as well as the final round of the Michelin Endurance Cup. Action Express Racing entered as the defending overall winners of the 12-hour event.
Background[edit]
The 2020 12 Hours of Sebring event is run in conjunction with the 2020 1000 Miles of Sebring, held on the Friday before the 12 Hours of Sebring.[1][2] The two events are run in conjunction with each other as an agreement between the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), the governing body of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the FIA, to be a joint weekend, known colloquially as “Super Sebring.” The first joint weekend between the two events was run a year prior in 2019, to massive success, providing some of the largest attendance figures ever recorded in the history of the 12 Hours of Sebring.[3] Initially announced on a one-year deal, the success of the 2019 Super Sebring would lead to confirmation that the 1000 Miles of Sebring and 12 Hours of Sebring would run together again for the following year, however due to travel restrictions brought about by COVID-19 the 1000 Miles of Sebring would not return until 2022.[4]
Then International Motor Sports Association's (IMSA) president Scott Atherton confirmed the race was part of the schedule for the 2020 IMSA SportsCar Championship (IMSA SCC) in August 2019.[5] It was the seventh consecutive year it was part of the IMSA SCC, and the 68th 12 Hours of Sebring. The event was originally scheduled to be held at the 17-turn, 3.741-mile (6.021 km) Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida on March 15, 2020, however due to travel restrictions brought about by COVID-19, the race was postponed to November 14, 2020.[6][7] As a result, the 12 Hours of Sebring became the eleventh and final round of the 2020 season and the fourth event of the Michelin Endurance Cup (MEC). Additionally, the event clashed with the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Bahrain and the GT World Challenge Europe round at Circuit Paul Ricard.[8][9]
Before the race, Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor led the DPi Drivers' Championship with 242 points, ahead of Ryan Briscoe and Renger van der Zande with 240 points, and Pipo Derani with 233 points.[10] With 161 points, Patrick Kelly led the LMP2 Drivers' Championship, ahead of Simon Trummer with 126 points.[10] Antonio García and Jordan Taylor led the GTLM Drivers' Championship with 325 points, ahead of Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner with 290 points.[10] In GTD, Mario Farnbacher and Matt McMurry led the Drivers' Championship, 7 points ahead of Ryan Hardwick and Patrick Long in second, and Aaron Telitz in third with 248 points. Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Acura were leading their respective Manufacturers' Championships, while Acura Team Penske, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, Corvette Racing, and Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian each led their own Teams' Championships.[10]
Entries[edit]
A total of 31 cars took part in the event split across four classes. 8 cars were entered in DPi, 4 in LMP2, 6 in GTLM, and 13 in GTD.[11] In DPi, Gabby Chaves subbed for Filipe Albuquerque in the Whelen Engineering Racing entry due to a clash with the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Bahrain.[11][12] Scott Andrews joined Stephen Simpson and Matheus Leist in the #85 JDC-Miller MotorSports entry.[13] In LMP2, Tower Motorsport By Starworks, Performance Tech Motorsports, and Inter Europol Competition returned after skipping the previous event at Laguna Seca.[14][11] Guy Cosmo and Patrick Byrne joined Don Yount in the Performance Tech Motorsports entry.[15] In GTLM, Neel Jani subbed for Mathieu Jaminet in the #912 Porsche GT Team entry due to a clash with the GT World Challenge Europe round at Circuit Paul Ricard.[16] Earl Bamber subbed for Matt Campbell in the #911 Porsche GT Team entry due to a clash with the GT World Challenge Europe round at Circuit Paul Ricard.[16][17] In GTD, Marc Miller subbed for Ben Keating in the Riley Motorsports entry due to a clash with the FIA World Endurance Championship round at Bahrain.[18] Joey Hand subbed for Álvaro Parente in the #57 Heinricher Racing with MSR Curb-Agajanian.[19] Nick Yelloly subbed for Bill Auberlen in the Turner Motorsport entry due to quarantine.[20] GRT Grasser Racing Team made their first appearance since the TireRack.com Grand Prix at Road Atlanta.[11] Pierre Kaffer joined Andrew Davis and Robert Ferriol in the Team Hardpoint entry.[11]
Practice[edit]
There were three practice sessions preceding the start of the race on Saturday, all three one on Thursday. The first session on Thursday morning lasted one hour. The second session on Thursday afternoon lasted 75 minutes. The final session on Thursday evening lasted 90 minutes.[21]
Practice 1[edit]
The first practice session took place at 10:05 am ET on Thursday and ended with Hélio Castroneves topping the charts for Acura Team Penske, with a lap time of 1:49.360.[22] Simon Trummer was fastest in LMP2 with a time of 1:52.040.[23] Frédéric Makowiecki set the fastest time in GTLM with a time of 1:58.717.[24] The GTD class was topped by the #14 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 of Jack Hawksworth with a lap time of 2:02.961.[23]
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DPi | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Hélio Castroneves | 1:49.360 | _ |
| 2 | DPi | 5 | JDC-Mustang Sampling Racing | Sébastien Bourdais | 1:49.395 | +0.035 |
| 3 | DPi | 85 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Matheus Leist | 1:49.828 | +0.468 |
| Sources:[25][26] | ||||||
Practice 2[edit]
The second practice session took place at 2:35 pm ET on Thursday and ended with Renger van der Zande topping the charts for Konica Minolta Cadillac, with a lap time of 1:47.478.[27] Mikkel Jensen set the fastest time in LMP2.[28] The GTLM class was topped by the #912 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR-19 of Laurens Vanthoor with a time of 1:57.975. Frédéric Makowiecki was second in the #911 Porsche GT Team car and Jordan Taylor rounded out the top 3.[29] The GTD class was topped by the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo of Steijn Schothorst with a time of 2:02.352.[27]
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DPi | 10 | Konica Minolta Cadillac | Renger van der Zande | 1:47.478 | _ |
| 2 | DPi | 5 | JDC-Mustang Sampling Racing | Sébastien Bourdais | 1:47.645 | +0.167 |
| 3 | DPi | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Pipo Derani | 1:48.241 | +0.763 |
| Sources:[30][31] | ||||||
Practice 3[edit]
The third and final practice session took place at 6:15 pm ET on Thursday and ended with Ricky Taylor topping the charts for Acura Team Penske, with a lap time of 1:48.358.[32] Mikkel Jensen was fastest in LMP2 with a time of 1:50.127.[33] The GTLM class was topped by the #911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR-19 of Nick Tandy with a time of 1:58.170. Laurens Vanthoor was second in the #912 Porsche GT Team car and Connor De Phillippi rounded out the top 3.[34] The GTD class was topped by the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo of Franck Perera with a time of 2:02.510.[32]
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DPi | 7 | Acura Team Penske | Ricky Taylor | 1:48.358 | _ |
| 2 | DPi | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Pipo Derani | 1:48.535 | +0.177 |
| 3 | DPi | 77 | Mazda Motorsports | Oliver Pla | 1:48.617 | +0.259 |
| Sources:[35][36] | ||||||
Qualifying[edit]
Friday's morning qualifying was broken into three sessions, with one session for the DPi and LMP2, GTLM, and GTD classes, which lasted for 15 minutes each, and a ten minute interval between the sessions.[21] The rules dictated that all teams nominated a driver to qualify their cars, with the Pro-Am (LMP2/GTD) classes requiring a Bronze/Silver Rated Driver to qualify the car. The competitors' fastest lap times determined the starting order. IMSA then arranged the grid to put DPis ahead of the LMP2, GTLM, and GTD cars.[37]
The first was for cars in GTD class. Jan Heylen qualified on pole for the class driving the #16 car for Wright Motorsports.[38]
The second session of qualifying was for cars in the GTLM class. Antonio García qualified on pole driving the #3 car for Corvette Racing, beating Connor De Phillippi in the #25 BMW Team RLL entry by over six tenths of a second.[39]
The final session of qualifying was for the DPi class. Ricky Taylor qualified on pole driving the #7 car for Acura Team Penske, beating Renger van der Zande in the #10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R car by over two tenths of a second.[38] Patrick Kelly set the fastest time in LMP2 driving the #52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports car.[40]
Qualifying results[edit]
Pole positions in each class are indicated in bold and by ‡.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DPi | 7 |  Acura Team Penske
|
Ricky Taylor
|
1:46.874 | _ | 1‡ |
| 2 | DPi | 10 | Konica Minolta Cadillac
|
 Renger van der Zande
|
1:47.125 | +0.251 | 2 |
| 3 | DPi | 6 | Acura Team Penske
|
Dane Cameron
|
1:47.140 | +0.266 | 3 |
| 4 | DPi | 5 | JDC-Mustang Sampling Racing
|
 Sébastien Bourdais
|
1:47.209 | +0.335 | 4 |
| 5 | DPi | 55 |  Mazda Motorsports
|
 Harry Tincknell
|
1:47.245 | +0.371 | 5 |
| 6 | DPi | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing
|
 Pipo Derani
|
1:47.327 | +0.453 | 6 |
| 7 | DPi | 77 | Mazda Motorsports
|
Oliver Jarvis
|
1:47.474 | +0.600 | 7 |
| 8 | DPi | 85 | JDC-Miller MotorSports
|
Matheus Leist
|
1:47.696 | +0.822 | 8 |
| 9 | LMP2 | 52 | PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports
|
Patrick Kelly
|
1:51.373 | +4.499 | 9‡ |
| 10 | LMP2 | 51 |  Inter Europol Competition
|
Naveen Rao
|
1:53.147 | +6.273 | 10 |
| 11 | LMP2 | 38 | Performance Tech Motorsports
|
Don Yount
|
1:54.045 | +7.171 | 11 |
| 12 | LMP2 | 8 | Tower Motorsports by Starworks
|
John Farano
|
1:54.194 | +7.320 | 121 |
| 13 | GTLM | 3 | Corvette Racing
|
 Antonio García
|
1:55.456 | +8.582 | 13‡ |
| 14 | GTLM | 25 | BMW Team RLL
|
Connor De Phillippi
|
1:56.116 | +9.242 | 14 |
| 15 | GTLM | 24 | BMW Team RLL
|
 Jesse Krohn
|
1:56.316 | +9.442 | 15 |
| 16 | GTLM | 4 | Corvette Racing
|
Tommy Milner
|
1:56.446 | +9.572 | 16 |
| 17 | GTLM | 911 | Porsche GT Team
|
Nick Tandy
|
1:56.840 | +9.966 | 172 |
| 18 | GTLM | 912 | Porsche GT Team
|
 Neel Jani
|
1:57.774 | +10.900 | 183 |
| 19 | GTD | 16 | Wright Motorsports
|
 Jan Heylen
|
2:00.844 | +13.970 | 19‡ |
| 20 | GTD | 30 | Team Hardpoint
|
Andrew Davis
|
2:01.546 | +14.672 | 20 |
| 21 | GTD | 14 | AIM Vasser Sullivan
|
Aaron Telitz
|
2:01.605 | +14.731 | 21 |
| 22 | GTD | 11 |  GRT Grasser Racing Team
|
Richard Heistand
|
2:01.652 | +14.778 | 22 |
| 23 | GTD | 63 | Scuderia Corsa
|
Cooper MacNeil
|
2:01.802 | +14.928 | 23 |
| 24 | GTD | 12 | AIM Vasser Sullivan
|
Frankie Montecalvo
|
2:01.839 | +14.965 | 24 |
| 25 | GTD | 96 | Turner Motorsport
|
Robby Foley
|
2:02.210 | +15.336 | 25 |
| 26 | GTD | 86 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian
|
 Shinya Michimi
|
2:02.286 | +15.412 | 26 |
| 27 | GTD | 48 | Paul Miller Racing
|
Madison Snow
|
2:02.435 | +15.561 | 27 |
| 28 | GTD | 74 | Riley Motorsports
|
Gar Robinson
|
2:02.689 | +15.815 | 28 |
| 29 | GTD | 23 | Heart of Racing Team
|
Ian James
|
2:02.705 | +15.831 | 29 |
| 30 | GTD | 57 | Heinricher Racing with MSR Curb-Agajanian
|
Misha Goikhberg
|
2:03.153 | +16.279 | 30 |
| 31 | GTD | 44 | GRT Magnus
|
John Potter
|
2:04.363 | +17.489 | 31 |
| Source:[41][42] | |||||||
- 1 The No. 8 Tower Motorsport by Starworks entry was moved to the back of the LMP2 field as per Article 40.1.4 of the Sporting regulations (Change of starting tires).[37]
- 2 The No. 911 Porsche GT Team entry was moved to the back of the GTLM field as per Article 40.1.4 of the Sporting regulations (Change of starting tires).[37]
- 3 The No. 912 Porsche GT Team entry was moved to the back of the GTLM field as per Article 40.1.4 of the Sporting regulations (Change of starting tires).[37]
Race[edit]
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Start and early hours[edit]
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2024) |
Afternoon[edit]
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2024) |
Sunset to finish[edit]
| This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2024) |
Post-race[edit]
Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor took the DPi Drivers' Championship with 265 points. They were 1 point ahead of Briscoe and van der Zande in second position. Bomarito and Tincknell followed in third place with 260 points, ahead of Derani in fourth with 258 points. Bourdais was fifth with 249 points.[43] With 196 points, Kelly won the LMP2 Drivers' Championship, 34 points ahead of Trummer in second.[43] Antonio García and Jordan Taylor took the GTLM Drivers' Championship with 351 points. They were 32 points ahead of Edwards and Krohn in second with 319 points. Gavin and Milner followed in third with 315 points, ahead of De Phillippi and Spengler with 313 points.[43] With 286 points, Farnbacher and McMurry won the GTD Drivers' Championship, 2 points ahead of Hardwick and Long in second. Telitz was in third position with 267 points and Hawksworth was fourth with 265 points.[43] Chevrolet took the GTLM Manufactures' Championship while Acura won the DPi and GTD Manufactures' Championships.[44][43] Acura Team Penske, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, Corvette Racing, and Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian on their respective Teams' Championships.[43]
Results[edit]
Class winners are denoted in bold and ‡.
Standings after the race[edit]
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- Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.
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- Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.
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- Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.
References[edit]
- ^ Dagys, John (21 September 2017). "1500 Miles of Sebring Confirmed". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
- ^ Watkins, David (4 April 2018). "Sebring WEC race moved to Friday, reduced to 1000 miles". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
- ^ "Super Sebring' Delivers All-Time Track Attendance Record". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
- ^ "2020 Super Sebring dates confirmed". FIA World Endurance Championship. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (August 2, 2019). "2020 WeatherTech Championship Schedule Released". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (March 11, 2020). "Trump Announces Europe-to-U.S. Travel Ban". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Malsher-Lopez, David (March 12, 2020). "IMSA postpones Sebring 12 Hours to November". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (August 25, 2002). "Bahrain Finale Brought Forward, Creating 12H Sebring Date Clash". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Kilshaw, Jake (April 14, 2020). "Paul Ricard 1000km Postponed to November". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "00_Championship Points - Official.pdf" (PDF). results.imsa.com. November 4, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Dagys, John (November 4, 2020). "31 Entries for 12H Sebring". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "Entry List Released for Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring". sebringraceway.com. November 5, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (November 12, 2020). "Sebring Thursday Notebook". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Myrehn, Ryan (October 19, 2020). "Inter Europol Commits to 12H Sebring". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (October 28, 2020). "Cosmo in Performance Tech Lineup for 12H Sebring". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ a b Dagys, John (November 9, 2020). "Jani Drafted into Porsche Lineup for 12H Sebring". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (November 11, 2020). "Sebring Wednesday Notebook". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (September 14, 2020). "Miller to Replace Keating in Riley Mercedes for 12H Sebring". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (November 3, 2020). "Hand to Sub for Parente in No. 57 MSR Acura for 12H Sebring". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Pruett, Marshall (November 11, 2020). "UPDATED: Auberlen to miss Sebring IMSA finale due to COVID self-quarantine". racer.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ a b "2020 IMSA Official Schedule and SR Sebring 12H 110420 V1" (PDF). results.imsa.com/noticeBoard.php. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Malsher-Lopez, David (November 12, 2020). "Sebring 12 Hours: Castroneves leads opening practice". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ a b Dagys, John (November 12, 2020). "Castroneves Tops Opening Practice at Sebring". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ O'Malley, J.J. (November 12, 2020). "Quick start for Acura at Sebring". racer.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "03_Results_Practice 1.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. November 12, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "06_Fastest Lap By Driver_Practice 1.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. November 12, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ a b Malsher-Lopez, David (November 12, 2020). "Sebring 12 Hours: Van der Zande's WTR Cadillac fastest in FP2". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (November 12, 2020). "Van der Zande Goes to the Top in Practice 2 at Sebring". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ O'Malley, J.J. (November 12, 2020). "Van der Zande leads second Sebring practice". racer.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "03_Results_Practice 2.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. November 12, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "06_Fastest Lap By Driver_Practice 2.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. November 12, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ a b Malsher-Lopez, David (November 12, 2020). "Sebring 12 Hours: Taylor's Acura on top in night practice". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Pruett, Marshall (November 12, 2020). "Castroneves/Taylor/Rossi Acura paces Sebring night practice". racer.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Myrehn, Ryan (November 12, 2020). "Taylor Fastest in Sebring Night Practice". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "03_Results_Practice 3.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. November 12, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "06_Fastest Lap By Driver_Practice 3.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. November 12, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "2020 IMSA SPORTING REGULATIONS and SERIES SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
- ^ a b Malsher-Lopez, David (November 13, 2020). "Sebring 12 Hours: Prime title contenders lock out front row". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (November 13, 2020). "Taylor Storms to Sebring Pole in Close Qualifying Contest". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ O'Malley, J.J. (November 13, 2020). "Championship rivals 1-2 in Sebring 12 Hours qualifying". racer.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "03_Results_Qualifying.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
- ^ "00_Grid_Race_Official.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "00_Championship Points - Official REVISED.pdf" (PDF). results.imsa.com. November 17, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Dagys, John (November 16, 2020). "Sebring Post-Race Notebook". sportscar365.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "03_Results_Race_Official.PDF" (PDF). results.imsa.com. November 17, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "2020 MOBIL 1 TWELVE HOURS OF SEBRING". racing-reference.info. Retrieved July 28, 2023.