Defending American Le Mans Series GT champs BMW kicked off their 2011 campaign with a one-two finish that sends a clear message to their ALMS rivals. That said, the fact that three different carmakers topped the order at one moment or another during the 12-hour marathon points to another thrilling season.

The pole-winning N°51 AF Corse Ferrari F430 failed to profit from its advantage when Oliver Gavin put the N°04 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 in front early on. That car then lost ground during the early part of the race, however, when it suffered damage after being hit from behind by the N°045 Porsche.

As usual, the gaps between the front-runners in this class were rarely more than a handful of seconds, but it did look as though the new N°062 Ferrari F458 Italia might have gained the upper-hand as the sun began to set. But the Risi Competizione car suffered what the team suggested was an alternator problem as the cars started to run with their lights on at night-time, and the American squad’s bid came a cruel, untimely stop.

That incident left the two BMWs and the two Chevrolets to shoot it out during the final hour or so, but it soon appeared that the cards were stacked up in favour of the Germans as the number of remaining fuel stops became clear.

Victory finally went to the N°56 BMW M3 GT of Priaulx/Mueller/Hand which crossed the line 37 seconds before its sister car. The first race of Chevrolet’s centenary year was rewarded with a podium finish for the 03 Corvette ZR1 (Beretta/Milner/Garcia), while the similar machine of early pace-setters Gavin/Magnussen/Westbrook (N°04) had to settle for fourth spot.

The best-place Ferrari (N°51, Fisichella/Bruni/Kaffer) was fifth (+1 lap) and the fastest Porsche (N°045, Bergmeister/Long/Lieb) took sixth place (+2 laps).

BMW, Corvette, GT, Sebring