Porsche Dominates at 74th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring
Porsche Penske Motorsport achieved a historic milestone with its 20th overall victory at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, following up their success at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The #7 Porsche 963, piloted by Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer, and Laurin Heinrich, outpaced their competitors, securing a dominant victory in the GTP class and affirming their status in the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Nasr executed a critical overtake on teammate Kévin Estre with just over an hour remaining, ultimately crossing the finish line 1.515 seconds ahead. Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing’s #10 V-Series.R, driven by Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque, and Will Stevens, claimed the runner-up position, after Taylor’s late race maneuver against Jack Aitken to secure third place. The two Penske Porsches controlled the race, leading most laps and navigating through three full-course cautions without losing their advantage.
In the LMP2 category, United Autosports USA captured a 1-2 finish with their #2 ORECA 07-Gibson edging out the sister #22 car by only 0.510 seconds. Although the #99 AO Racing ORECA was a late-race contender, it faltered due to a caution prompted by a separate incident involving another team.
In GTD Pro, the #911 Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R team of Thomas Preining, Ricardo Feller, and Klaus Bachler clinched victory, marking Manthey’s first win in IMSA competition. They battled closely with the #77 AO Racing Porsche but maintained their lead during the closing stages.
Furthermore, a notable last-lap pass by Antonio Fuoco in the #21 AF Corse USA Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo allowed his team to secure victory in GTD, overcoming a previous drive-through penalty. The #27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 finished a narrow second, only 0.746 seconds behind.
These results highlight the competitive nature of this year’s event, with tight racing across all classes and significant achievements for both Porsche and customer teams.
Relevant Quotes:
Roger Penske stated, “It’s a proud moment for Porsche and our team as we continue to set new records in endurance racing.”
Upcoming Events:
Expect further developments as teams regroup and prepare for the continuation of the IMSA season.
