12 Hours of Sebring Race Results

[usmcfred]

The good news was much better reliability as both #66 and #67 finished. The bad news was a 5th and 8th place finish in the GTLM Class.

Complete race results are in the link below. Most importantly, progress continues to be made each time out and of course, testing will continue.

usmcfred

http://scoring.imsa.com/

 

[RickH]

It's a steep learning curve for a brand new car. As noted on TV coverage, looked like windshield visibility due to poor wiper coverage during rain could be improved on. Easy fix, I'm sure.

 

[dbk]

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php/32040-Mobil-1-Twelve-Hours-of-Sebring-underway

 

[Saint Ho]

Yes but if I am right :

When looking at the watches of the best laps completed in the race, only 6 / 10ths of a second separated the Ford GT No.67 of the fastest GTLM (BMW M6 No. 25) and 2 / 10ths of a second behind the Corvette victorious of the category and it is still good news !!!

I think that wee are on the very good way.

 

[autoguy]

You need to look at the complete story -- the Ford GTs finished behind all other OEMs in their class...behind Chevrolet, Ferrari, Porsche, and BMW....not good at all. The finish is incrementally dismal when you consider that it was the very first race for the Ferrari 488....and only the second race for the BMW M6. Granted the class was small in overall size.....but we got beat by everyone. My racer instinct is telling me that the Ford GT Team bit off too much at one time when they announced their racing efforts with this car - rather than trying to repeat history, they would have been far better off if they were more modest and said that this was a testing ground for new product innovations. The Ford GT Team is going against very well established Teams that are not newcomers to the sport.

No doubt it will be an uphill struggle..lets be hopeful...modest...and keep our fingers crossed!

 

[RALPHIE]

You need to look at the complete story -- the Ford GTs finished behind all other OEMs in their class...behind Chevrolet, Ferrari, Porsche, and BMW....not good at all. The finish is incrementally dismal when you consider that it was the very first race for the Ferrari 488....and only the second race for the BMW M6. Granted the class was small in overall size.....but we got beat by everyone. My racer instinct is telling me that the Ford GT Team bit off too much at one time when they announced their racing efforts with this car - rather than trying to repeat history, they would have been far better off if they were more modest and said that this was a testing ground for new product innovations. The Ford GT Team is going against very well established Teams that are not newcomers to the sport.

No doubt it will be an uphill struggle..lets be hopeful...modest...and keep our fingers crossed!

And, if the leading Corvette(#3) and Porsche(#911) hadn't taken each other out while fighting for the lead, likely would have been 7th & 10th (DFL in class)! The reliability of the cars has improved since Daytona - now it's time to improve the performance!

 

[RickH]

:agree:

 

[ByeEnzo]

The 67 car finished on the lead lap 32 secs down on the winning Vette (as best as I can tell from IMSA scoring). These endurance races are now "balls to the wall, all out" from the start. No saving the car till the end. The cars run faster at night in the cooler air, than in the day. The BOP has them all running within 0.5 secs of each other. Basically boils down to pit and tire strategy at the end of the race. Pace and reliability will come as they get more racing under their belts.

 

[Specracer]

Anyone consider that they still don't want to show the hand yet, and the cars are intentionally a click off from full tilt? Remember the goal..... LeMans. Maybe the events leading up to LeMans are being considered big long test days.... And as mentioned above, 32 second off the leader after 12 hours? I would consider that to be right there. Yes endurance races are no longer based on endurance, and the "save the car" mentality. They are now 12 and 24 hour sprint races.

 

[Ed Sims]

I believe Specracer is correct. What I heard at Daytona & on racing forums/blogs is that you don't want to win all the US races before LeMans if to win at LeMans is your goal.

Ed

 

[twobjshelbys]

The BOP has them all running within 0.5 secs of each other. Basically boils down to pit and tire strategy at the end of the race. Pace and reliability will come as they get more racing under their belts.

That may make the race interesting but it removes any chance for Ford to really show off the capabilities of the car. Unlike in the 60's at Le Mans, there will be no 3 lap lead and time to break for tea and still win.

 

[Fubar]

I don't think the loss was intentional but technically if they were trying to 'repeat history,' this is pretty much how it went back in the 60s. I think the first Ford GT was raced in '64. They didn't have a winning season until '66. They might get it figured out by June but it would make them automotive Gods... issuing down mechanical miracles at will. And I wouldn't put that past 'em either.

 

[Brombear]

Most of the times it takes until the 3rd season if there is a new team or new car, regardless which racing class. Ford has ambitious goals and I hope they manage to achieve them. If it does not work during the 1st try, continue next year (additional opportunities for meeting each other, yikes !). I am happy that there is noticeable progress and I am looking forward to Le Mans this year (and next year and the year after (continue at least until I get my NGT).

 

[JOEA2]

Maybe they could team up with Haas?

Joe

 

[Matt]

The finish is incrementally dismal when you consider that it was the very first race for the Ferrari 488....and only the second race for the BMW M6.

Not true. First race was Rolex 24 same as Ford GT, same as M6. Ford's goal is to win LeMans, as they've stated time and time again. Everything else is testing. BOP all but guarantees that the cars are virtually the same speed/power, the dynamic parameters are tire/fuel consumption and pit crew/analysts/spotters/strategy.

Sure CGR has been at it a long time, but this is a whole new ballgame with new rules and fresh goals...LeMans.

 

[RALPHIE]

I believe Specracer is correct. What I heard at Daytona & on racing forums/blogs is that you don't want to win all the US races before LeMans if to win at LeMans is your goal.

Ed

Have you ever raced to NOT win?

 

[SteveA]

I tend to agree with Specracer as well.

 

[dbk]

If you want instruction as to how the course of an IMSA season works, look back twelve months.

The Corvette won Rolex and Sebring, the first 2 rounds. How many wins did they have the rest of the year? Zero. The PCNA car became totally untouchable the back half of the season and it wasn't because Porsche finally discovered how to make a 911 work...

The 67 car finished on the lead lap 32 secs down on the winning Vette (as best as I can tell from IMSA scoring). These endurance races are now "balls to the wall, all out" from the start. No saving the car till the end. The cars run faster at night in the cooler air, than in the day. The BOP has them all running within 0.5 secs of each other. Basically boils down to pit and tire strategy at the end of the race. Pace and reliability will come as they get more racing under their belts.

Yup. Westbrook could see the back end of the second place car after 11 hours and fifty minutes, and was within 2 seconds of 3rd with good pace. He doesn't go off and we'd probably be talking about the GT finishing on the podium after only two races. That's racing. I do think they got off on pit strategy.

 

[roketman]

Listen ,They all want to win,all the time.But they understand the bigger picture.This is big time! Not club racing

 

[Ed Sims]

Read up on it. If you want to win at LeMans, you don't want to win all the races leading up to it.

Ed

PS Here is one of the many posts on the many forums. Start studying about the new world of endurance racing!