Pole position for Audi at Sebring
For a fourth time in succession, an Audi R8 will start the 12 Hour race at Sebring (Florida) from pole position. During Thursday’s qualifying, Frank Biela initially recorded the third fastest time with the Infineon Team Joest Audi R8 behind two Bentleys. However, the qualifying times of both ‘works’ Bentleys were later disallowed. On both British Sport Prototypes the rear diffusor did not conform to the height rules.
This gave Frank Biela his third Sebring pole position in four years and a record ninth in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). No other driver has recorded more poles in the prototype class of the ALMS.
With the two R8 sportscars of Infineon Team Joest and Team ADT Champion Racing, two Audi prototypes will start Saturday’s race from the front row. Audi Sport UK’s R8 holds the fourth spot on the grid.
Revised starting grid at Sebring
1 Biela/Peter/Werner (Audi R8) 1m 48.826s
2 Johansson/Lehto/Pirro (Audi R8) 1m 49.355s
3 Weaver/Leitzinger/Wallace (MG Lola) 1m 49.361s
4 Kane/McCarthy/Salo (Audi R8) 1m 49.581s
5 Nielsen/Shimoda (DBA-Zytek) 1m 50.836s
6 Beretta/Jeannette/Papis (Panoz) 1m 51.807s
7 Matthews/Goossens/Magnussen (R&S-Yates) 1m 51.810s
8 Theys/Lienhard/van de Poele (Dallara-MG) 1m 53.054s
9 Andrews/Keen/Oberto (Lola-Judd) 1m 53.461s
10 Leuenberger/Graham/Maxwell (Panoz) 1m 54.386s