Sebring
12 hours, 20th March 2004
Race
Third
place for Johnny and team-mates
Audi
UK Press Release, 21st March 2004: Johnny
Herbert, from Brentwood, claimed a fine third place in the Sebring
12 Hour endurance sportscar motor race on Saturday (20 Mar).
Herbert,
39, partnered by fellow Britons Guy Smith and Jamie Davies at
the wheel of an Audi R8, started the annual American race from
the second row of the grid. Davies swept the British trio’s
Veloqx Audi R8 majestically in to the lead of the race at one-quarter
distance but suffered a massive setback when Herbert slipped
from second to fifth approaching seven hours after a 37-minute
pit-stop to replace a driveshaft seal.
Johnny
commented: “I thought I’d got a puncture at first but it was
obviously lubricant spraying on to the tyre. It’s a shame,
everything was looking good, we were comfortably in second
place less than half a minute behind our team-mates but to
recover on to the rostrum is pleasing.”
Herbert
actually sat in his Audi as repairs were made and was in the
car for a total of just over four hours in which he drove a
storming recovery.
The
second Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx R8 of Frank Biela (D), Pierre
Kaffer (D), and Scotsman Allan McNish started from the front
row and netted a magnificent victory.
Sebring,
a 17-turn, 3.7-mile circuit located between Orlando and Miami
in Florida, was built in 1941 as a military airfield. Stirling
Moss won the same race 50 years ago and was present to enjoy
the round-the-clock race staged mainly in hot, 80 degree, overcast
weather conditions.
The
new British Audi team based in Northamptonshire - which led
all but 101-minutes of the 1,295-mile race - was making its
race début and used Sebring as a “warm-up” for the Le Mans 24
Hours (12-13 June). The Brackley team has a two-day test scheduled
at Paul Ricard, France, next month (6/7 April).
Results:
1
F.Biela/P.Kaffer/A.McNish, 350-laps, 12:01:22.576. (Veloqx Audi
R8)
2 J.Lehto/M.Werner/E.Pirro, 345-laps, -5 Laps. (Champion Audi
R8)
3 J.Davies/J.Herbert/G.Smith, 338-laps, -12 Laps. (Veloqx
Audi R8)
4 R.Fellows/J.O'Connell/M.Papis, 329-laps, -21 Laps (Chevrolet
Corvette C5-R)
5 M.Short/R.Barff/J.Barbosa, 326-laps, -24 Laps (Dallara-Judd)
6 J.Weaver/A.Wallace/B.Leitzinger, 323-laps, -27 Laps (Lola
EX257/AER MG)
Qualifying
Second
row start for Johnny
Audi
UK Press Release, 18th March 2004: Johnny
Herbert starts the Sebring 12 Hour endurance sportscar motor
race on Saturday (20 Mar) from fourth place on the 41-car grid.
The 39-year-old Essex driver, is partnered by fellow Britons
Guy Smith and Jamie Davies at the wheel of an Audi in the annual
American race.
Herbert
qualified their Audi on the second row in Thursday’s 25-minute
time trial around the 17-turn, 3.7-mile circuit located two
hours south of Orlando, Florida.
Herbert
commented: “We’ve been fast since we arrived last week. In
qualifying, I set my fastest time early in the session but
got bumped down to fourth with three minutes to run. But that’s
not an issue in a race lasting 12 Hours and I’m certain we’ll
be strong.”
The
second Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx R8 of Frank Biela (D), Pierre
Kaffer (D) and Allan McNish, starts from second position.
The
new British Audi team, making its race début, is bidding to
earn Audi its fifth consecutive outright Sebring victory. The
Northamptonshire-based team is using Sebring as a “warm-up”
for this summer’s Le Mans 24 Hours.
Qualifying
times:
1
J.Lehto/M.Werner/E.Pirro 1:48.710, 122.528 (Champion Audi R8)
2 F.Biela/P.Kaffer/A.McNish 1:48.821, 122.403 (Veloqx Audi R8)
3 J.Weaver/A.Wallace/B.Leitzinger 1:49.887, 121.215 (Lola MG)
4 J.Davies/J.Herbert/G.Smith 1:49.944, 121.153 (Veloqx Audi
R8)
Testing
Test
sessions look promising for Audi UK
Audi
UK Press Release, 17th March 2004: Audi
Sport UK Team Veloqx topped the timesheet in today’s (WED) second
and final practice session for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
Britain’s Jamie Davies stopped the clock at 1min 50.352secs,
an average speed of 120.705mph, around the 17-turn, 3.7-mile
Florida track with just two minutes to run in the 60-minute
session.
In
the morning trial, following heavy rain the previous day, Allan
McNish and Pierre Kaffer (#28 Audi R8) plus Johnny Herbert and
Guy Smith (#88 Audi R8) each reported a “lack of grip” with
their Audi R8s - both cars completing a total of 40-laps with
Kaffer and Herbert setting the British team’s quickest laps
during the morning.
The
sun relentlessly blazed down for the afternoon’s session in
which Kaffer (#28) – who again set the car’s fastest time -
and Smith (#88) drove the majority with McNish and Davies taking
over in the closing minutes. During the afternoon, the Veloqx
Audis clocked up 34-laps in total.
Davies
added: “I’m pleased to be fastest but quite honestly it doesn’t
mean a lot. I was on a quicker lap on the next tour but was
then delayed in traffic, a problem affecting everyone, so
it’s a bit of a lottery as to who ultimately claims the fastest
time.
“Both
Guy and I plus Pierre and Allan in our ‘sister’ Audi are not
totally happy yet – we still need to fine-tune the Audis during
tomorrow’s practice before qualifying but both of the Veloqx
Audis should be near the front when it matters.”
Wednesday
(am):
1
J.Lehto/M.Werner/E.Pirro 1:50.722secs (Champion Audi R8)
2 F.Biela/P.Kaffer/A.McNish 1:50.798 (Veloqx Audi R8)
3 J.Weaver/A.Wallace/B.Leitzinger 1:51.684 (MG Lola)
4 J.Davies/J.Herbert/G.Smith 1:52.000 (Veloqx Audi R8)
Wednesday
(pm):
1
J.Davies/J.Herbert/G.Smith 1:50.352 (Veloqx Audi R8)
2 J.Weaver/A.Wallace/B.Leitzinger 1:50.843 (MG Lola)
3 J.Lehto/M.Werner/E.Pirro 1:50.857 (Champion Audi R8)
4 F.Biela/P.Kaffer/A.McNish 1:52.200 (Veloqx Audi)
Audi
UK Press Release, 16th March 2004: Jamie
Davies had the honour of clocking the fastest time for the Audi
Sport UK Team Veloqx squad after four days of testing (FRI/SAT/MON/TUES)
prior to the "official" start of the 52nd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours
of Sebring tomorrow (WED).
Davies
stopped the clock at 1min 47.18secs on new tyres during Saturday
afternoon - 1.64secs under Frank Biela's pole time from last
year - which compares well to Tom Kristensen's lap record around
the 3.7-mile track of 1:48.418secs from 2002. Allan McNish,
sharing his car with Pierre Kaffer, set a fastest 1min 47.35secs
in the second Audi R8 - but on "old" rubber.
Davies
and Guy Smith shared the driving duties of #88 on Friday and
Saturday - until the arrival of Johnny Herbert yesterday (MON)
afternoon.
Friday,
Saturday and Monday trials were conducted in beautiful sunny,
hot and dry weather conditions although today's (TUES) final
session started off with a very wet track - after heavy and
prolonged rain. Although the track had mostly dried out by the
finish of the unofficial 90-minute test, the British "customer"
Audi team sat out the final 30-minutes.
McNish
commented: "We've been at Sebring since Friday and testing
has gone very well. Both cars have a good set-up and although
the Champion Audi posted Monday's fastest time, our team has
spent the last two days just working on a good, comfortable
race set-up rather than posting particularly fast times.
"It
was good to get some running in the rain this afternoon, as
although it's highly unlikely looking at the weather forecast
for Saturday's race, you just never know. The 'driveability'
of the FSI [petrol direct injection] Audi engine was amazing
in those slippery conditions and both Pierre and myself were
very happy with the car's handling".
Meanwhile,
Biela, who completes the #28 driver line-up, arrives at Sebring
tomorrow (WED) due to his DTM commitments for Audi.
Monday
times:
1
JJ Lehto (Champion Audi R8), 1:48.374
2 Johnny Herbert (Veloqx Audi R8), 1:48.547
3 Pierre Kaffer (Veloqx Audi R8), 1:48.96
4 Jon Field (Intersport MG-Lola), 1:50.590
5 James Weaver (Dyson MG Lola) 1:50.747
Tuesday
times:
1
Allan McNish (Veloqx Audi), 2:06.038
2 Justin Wilson (Taurus Lola), 2:10.026
3 Jamie Davies (Veloqx Audi), 2:10.147
4 Bouchut/Balnchamin/Berville (Panoz), 2:11.976
5 JJ Lehto (Champion Audi), 2:18.704
6 Leibdunas/Lohr (Porsche), 2:21.410
* Please note above times are unofficial
Preview
Herbert
bids for debut win with Audi UK
Audi UK Press Release, 10th March 2004: Johnny
Herbert, from Brentwood, contests the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of
Sebring in Florida on Saturday (20 March). The 39-year-old Essex
ace will be bidding to earn his new Audi team a début race victory
and lay the foundations for a successful Le Mans 24 Hours campaign.
Herbert features in a two-car Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx entry
aiming to score the German manufacturer’s fifth consecutive
victory in the 52nd running of the historic American sportscar
endurance event.
“Our
ultimate 2004 goal is victory at Le Mans but Sebring will
enable the team and drivers to gel,” commented Herbert. “Of
course it would be a great start if we enjoyed success at
Sebring but it will be very tough.”
Johnny
shares the driving duties in his Audi R8 with Jamie Davies,
from Yeovil, and Guy Smith, from Beverley with Allan McNish
plus German duo Frank Biela and Pierre Kaffer driving the team’s
other Audi. The Brackley, Northamptonshire based Audi Sport
UK Team Veloqx outfit is using the annual Sebring sportscar
endurance race that will feature scheduled pit-stops for tyre,
fuel and driver changes, as a “dress rehearsal” for this year’s
Le Mans race in June.
Johnny
added: “It’s a very demanding track and the race features
a big entry although I love having to overtake cars almost
constantly. Without question, the Champion Audi will be our
team’s biggest threat.
“Le
Mans is mine and the team’s No.1 goal this year but Sebring
will give us all the one and only opportunity to race in an
event anywhere near as long as the French race and against
a number of our rivals.”
Herbert
will be making his third Sebring appearance. Johnny’s best finish
was a victory for the “factory” Audi team in 2002 on his Sebring
début.
Sebring
Timetable
Fri 12 March: Test Day (2pm-10pm).
Mon 15 March: Test Day (2pm-10pm).
Tues 16 March: Test Day (2pm-10pm).
Wed 17 March: Practice (2.20-3.20pm & 7.40pm-8.40pm).
Thursday 18 March: Practice (2.30pm-3.30pm. Qualifying (7.30-7.55pm).
Friday 19 March: Practice (1-2am & 4.15pm-5.15pm).
Saturday 20 March: Warm-up (12.30-12.50pm). Race (3.30pm -3.30am,
Sunday)
* The above times are GMT. Sebring is 5 hours behind UK.
Every
effort is made to ensure factual accuracy but no
responsibility is accepted for the information on these pages.
News and photos
from Audi Sport © and from
AmericanLeMans
used by kind permission.
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