IMSA Race 2023 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring

fergus_r · 8 Mar 2023, 19:58 (Ref:4146361)

Thought I'd throw a thread up as race week gets ever closer...

IMSA, FIA WEC, Porsche Carrera Cup North America and Michelin Pilot Challenge take to the bumps of Sebring next week for the 71st edition of the 12 Hour classic.

How to watch live: https://www.imsa.com/internationalcoverage/

It's an event ushering in a new era and also saying goodbye to one - the GTP class makes its race debut at Sebring whilst the WEC has its last of (only) three appearances since the 'SuperSebring' format was introduced in 2019, with WEC racing on Friday and IMSA in its traditional Saturday slot.

The full timetable can be seen here:
https://www.sebringraceway.com/2023-...ring-schedule/

IMSA 12 Hour entry - 54 cars
https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo..._EntryList.pdf

54 cars will take the green flag next Saturday, an increase of just one on the car count compared to last year's 53. After the season-opener at Daytona in January, which featured 61 starters, we've lost one Porsche GT3 due to BoP-related dramas as MDK Motorsports, headed by Carrera Cup NA driver Mark Kvamme, pulled the plug on their #53 car.

The BoP for Sebring hasn't been published yet but Porsche and, to a lesser extent, Ferrari, will be hoping for closer competition in central Florida. Despite threats of withdrawal from multiple teams, Kvamme's operation is the only confirmed Porsche non-starter so far; it'll be interesting to see if that changes after the BoP announcement.

Elsewhere, there's one less GTD Pro competitor, as scheduled - the #19 Iron Lynx Lamborghini was a Daytona-only entry. The omissions in GTD are the #42 NTE Lamborghini, #64 TGM Aston and #75 SunEnergy Merc.

In LMP3, the #87 FastMD Duqueine makes way for two additions - Ligiers for Ave Motorsports (#4) and Jr III Racing (#30) to make a total of 10 cars in the class.

The ORECA category, LMP2, was joined by the #55 Proton and #88 AF Corse machines for Daytona only, so they don't appear on the Sebring list.

Finally, in the top category, the #02 Cadillac Racing entry was another Rolex exclusive owing to the car being in Friday's WEC race, so GTP will have 8 cars.

Speaking of WEC, there are numerous drivers doing double duty over the weekend, contesting both the 8 Hour on Friday and Saturday's 12 Hour.

Porsche Carrera Cup NA entry - 41 cars
https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo..._EntryList.pdf

The biggest entry to date for Carrera Cup North America as 41 identical 992s will start their season with two races - both on the Thursday. A driver to watch out for includes young Australian Tom Sargent, racing for the new McElrea Racing squad from Carrera Cup Australia. He was fastest in testing this week, ahead of experienced American Jason Hart and last year's Porsche Sprint Challenge USA champion in the GT3 Cup 911 class, Dominican driver Jimmy Llibre.

Others to keep an eye on include two Brits with contrasting backgrounds - there's Will Martin, fresh from being the youngest ever winner in Carrera Cup GB last year, and Dan Clarke, who last competed fulltime in 2010 in Indy Lights.

Michelin Pilot Challenge entry - 42 cars
https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo..._EntryList.pdf

Another great entry for MPC, which will also appear on Thursday only for its two-hour encounter. 42 cars will take the start - 27 in GT4 and 15 TCR's.

TCR increases by one since Daytona with the addition of the #91 van der Steur Racing Hyundai Elantra, but GT4 is down by five cars. However, 42 is more than enough for Sebring, especially considering the occasional shenanigans in MPC which lead to lenghty yellows.

**Adam43** · 9 Mar 2023, 00:29 (Ref:4146391)

Thanks for the intro. Looking forward to this one.

disappointed I won’t be there this year.

GT3_Fan · 9 Mar 2023, 03:31 (Ref:4146405)

1. Acura GTPs will get punished via BoP in a big way for the Daytona violations. I don't expect an Acura win at Sebring nor any race soon in fact.

2. Hope someone will post a massive, combined field qualifying list after both series sessions are done. I am curious to see how GTD pace matches with GTE Am as well. I think it could be very close.

3. I think THIS time a GTD Pro actually will win GTD overall.

4. I know its WEC, but you gotta to think the Keating Corvette is the favorite to win GTE Am in pretty much every race this year.

fieldodreams79 · 9 Mar 2023, 17:33 (Ref:4146496)

Looking forward to seeing as much as I can, but with my next weekend schedule, I may not even be able to view much on the tele, let alone be there...

On the BoP side, who's checking tire pressures in Sebring?

chernaudi · 9 Mar 2023, 06:47 (Ref:4146409)

Can't punish something that, one, WTR apparently didn't do per IMSA, and two, MSR got rightfully thrown under the bus by HPD themselves for messing with what Michelin said to do with the tire pressures and messing with the data to conceal it.

Of course if MSR wins, they'll have the stigma of "is it really legit" until IMSA gives the all clear. They probably won't live this down for a while.

seanyb505 · 9 Mar 2023, 12:17 (Ref:4146437)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT3_Fan

...
2. Hope someone will post a massive, combined field qualifying list after both series sessions are done. I am curious to see how GTD pace matches with GTE Am as well. I think it could be very close.
...

Should be easy enough, session results are available in pdf and csv, usually. However. We had these same kinds of questions for the first super Sebring about dpi and privateer p1. Ultimately, p1 was p1, and back then in early dpi days they were racing against p2 cars, and on different tires. Bench racing is fun when you change the parameters, but in that analysis p1 was ahead based on average green flag lap times.

I suspect gte cars will be faster. They're two different classes that used to race together with clear class stratification. Corvette has had to dumb down the car a bit to race in gtd. The fastest gtd driver might overlap the slower gte ams, but I'm thinking over the course of their respective races, gte will have a clearer pace advantage.

It'll still be an interesting analysis though. Shame we won't have the same opportunity for le mans in a single race weekend and will only be able to compare times from two different years.

Mike E · 9 Mar 2023, 12:53 (Ref:4146442)

Some Boppity BoP gubbins here. Weight and power increases across the board.

'After each running to a minimum weight of 1030 kg at Daytona, the Acura will now weigh in at 1054 kg, compared to the Porsche at 1048 kg, Cadillac at 1038 kg and BMW at 1040 kg.'

'While RPM limits have remained unchanged, the maximum power limit has been increased from the initial 500 kW at Daytona, also to different levels between the manufacturers.

Both the BMW and Cadillac will now have a maximum output of 513 kW, with the Porsche at 517 kW and Acura at 520 kW.'

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/g...s-for-sebring/

**Adam43** · 9 Mar 2023, 13:12 (Ref:4146444)

Interesting there is some correlation with the power and weight.

**joeb** · 9 Mar 2023, 16:36 (Ref:4146482)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT3_Fan

4. I know its WEC, but you gotta to think the Keating Corvette is the favorite to win GTE Am in pretty much every race this year.

Keating is one of my favorite drivers, but this will be a new car for him. The good part for the team is they have last year's WEC data to draw on. Going to be a tough class regardless, and i hope Keating does get the podium often.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam43

Interesting there is some correlation with the power and weight.

Still not sure why they are messing with everything. Maybe this will be the new non-oval BOP? I guess there was a test here so IMSA do have some data to go by.

Coach Ep · 9 Mar 2023, 13:55 (Ref:4146453)

As several times mentioned, there are already over 100 RV's in line to get into the premises for next week! It's gonna be bonkers!

JT240Z · 10 Mar 2023, 13:32 (Ref:4146601)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

As several times mentioned, there are already over 100 RV's in line to get into the premises for next week! It's gonna be bonkers!

That reminds me, I need to pay for my reserved RV tickets for the Petit Le Mans.

Coach Ep · 10 Mar 2023, 14:55 (Ref:4146609)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JT240Z

That reminds me, I need to pay for my reserved RV tickets for the Petit Le Mans.

And get in line early!

JT240Z · 10 Mar 2023, 15:05 (Ref:4146612)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

And get in line early!

No need to get in line with reserved RV at Road Atlanta. Reserved RV gets to enter a day early (Tuesday starting from 8:00am) and usually no line to wait in. Had our reserved RV space for going on 20+ years now. Best bang for the buck.

Only 218 days 1 hour, 2 minutes and 40 seconds to go!

**Adam43** · 9 Mar 2023, 17:26 (Ref:4146494)

I think you might be right. I could imagine Daytona and Sebring need different BoP and seem to recall there is always a big change between the two events.

veeten · 9 Mar 2023, 18:56 (Ref:4146504)

The real comparison is between the BOPs of the IMSA and the WEC protos , as the heaviest is Toyota and the lightest is Cadillac. The cross comparison should be very interesting across the scale.
This should bring up a lot of conversation, and possibly some controversy, over the handling of BOP as the "convergence" is concerned.
Also, keep an eye on the Acura, if they can maintain a good speed and time, it could make it harder for Honda not to consider entering the WEC.

**joeb** · 9 Mar 2023, 19:41 (Ref:4146510)

Phew, they didn't forget about the GT's:

https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/p...e-for-sebring/

BOP for Sebring: https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uplo...P-03092023.pdf

broadrun96 · 10 Mar 2023, 14:57 (Ref:4146611)

Already got all mine, and headed to Road Atlanta in 2 weeks for loud gas burners, and some old stuff

Sadly may miss most of Sebring myself with weekend occupied but may make them all listen to race while in line and they can deal

JT240Z · 10 Mar 2023, 15:26 (Ref:4146616)

Reserved spot now bought and paid for. Next month I'll buy the 4-day tickets and then pay for the golf cart rental the month after that. I like to spread it out over several months. The Petit can set me back around $1000.00.

broadrun96 · 14 Mar 2023, 00:26 (Ref:4146981)

Remember time in US went forward this week to Daylight time, adjust your mental calendars accordingly

**Adam43** · 14 Mar 2023, 02:08 (Ref:4146984)

That’s good for those over in Europe. The time difference is one hour less than normal.

So only 4 hours different for Britain. Don’t have to stay up quite so late!

GT3_Fan · 14 Mar 2023, 23:01 (Ref:4147094)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam43

That’s good for those over in Europe. The time difference is one hour less than normal.

So only 4 hours different for Britain. Don’t have to stay up quite so late!

i never understood why there is not this large imsa and wec group photo together.

**Adam43** · 18 Mar 2023, 16:00 (Ref:4147796)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT3_Fan

i never understood why there is not this large imsa and wec group photo together.

The Corvette is impressive this weekend. Now 3rd in Pro, 6th in GTD overall.

It’s fastest lap (2.141) isn’t quite up with the WetherTech Merc (1.982), but get out of traffic and it might be able to stretch its legs.

broadrun96 · 14 Mar 2023, 23:29 (Ref:4147102)

Cause WEC wants to pretend IMSA isn't there it seems. And IMSA ain't willing to push it

**joeb** · 15 Mar 2023, 17:36 (Ref:4147189)

We joke about the bad design on imsa website, but jeezus, look at this

veeten · 15 Mar 2023, 23:38 (Ref:4147236)

Sure that wasn't done by ChatGPT...

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