Champion 1-2 at Sebring

ByEurosport

Published 20/03/2005 at 10:31 GMT

In front of a record crowd of 180,000 spectators, Audi celebrated their sixth consecutive 1-2 victory in the Sebring 12-hour race, maintaining their unbeaten run at the circuit since March 2000. Audi thus equaled the record of six consecutive double victo

In the opening stages, the Audi drivers exchanged the lead with the fastest MG Lola. However, the proverbial reliability of the Audi R8 was the key factor on Florida's material-wrecking track. Technical problems cost the competitors more and more time. The two Audi R8 sports cars eventually took victory by a margin of 20 laps on the third placed MG Lola.

The Audi crews battled fiercely against each other: The lead continued to swap among the two R8 cars. Even two stop-and-go penalties served by the #2 Audi following contacts and a premature driver-change for the #1 Audi did not decide the fight. Various caution periods and the equal speed made both cars stay close together for the entire distance.

In the final stages both Audi crews raced for tenths of a second. Eventually Tom Kristensen, JJ Lehto and Marco Werner were a little bit more lucky giving Team ADT Champion Racing the first victory on "home soil" at Sebring. Frank Biela, Allan McNish and Emanuele Pirro completed the 1-2 victory of the largest Audi dealer of the USA just 6.365 seconds behind.

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For Tom Kristensen this victory was a very special one: After Olivier Gendebien, Phil Hill, Mario Andretti, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Frank Biela the Audi works driver is only the sixth driver who has achieved three Sebring victories.

"It was a great race for both Audi teams which makes the victory even sweeter," Kristensen said. "I am really happy being part of Champion's first Sebring victory. I know how much this means to Dave Maraj.

"At the end of the day the crucial thing was we shortened one fuel stop," he explained. "This allowed me to go ahead of Allan and I could keep him behind me despite cold tyres. I was struggling for one lap, but it was worth struggling."

McNish wasn't too disappointed in finishing second after what was an exciting race between the two R8 cars. "This has been the most exciting race I've been involved in," McNish said.

"Less than seven seconds of difference after twelve hours of racing and the gap never being more than 30 proves how hot the race was," he added. "It was a very good start for Audi and Champion Racing considering that this is presumably the last year for the Audi R8."

TOP TEN RESULTS AT SEBRING

1 Kristensen/Lehto/Werner (Audi R8) 361 laps
2 Biela/McNish/Pirro (Audi R8) + 6.365s
3 Weaver/Wallace/Leitzinger (MG Lola) - 20 laps
4 Brabham/Turner/Ortelli (Aston Martin) - 23 laps
5 Fellows/O'Connell/Papis (Chevrolet) - 24 laps
6 Gavin/Beretta/Magnussen (Chevrolet) - 38 laps
7 Long/Bergmeister/Luhr (Porsche) - 40 laps
8 Kelleners/Borcheller/Mowlem (Saleen) - 43 laps
9 Bertolini/de Simone/Barbini (Maserati) - 45 laps
10 Figge/Dalziel/Empringham (Chevrolet) - 46 laps

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