The Audi R15 TDi failed to wrap up its career with a win after securing a success first time out here at Sebring in 2009. Both German machines were delayed early on: the N°1 car by two punctures caused by debris and bodywork damage, and the N°2 R15 following a tangle with the N°7 Peugeot (Wurz/Gené/Davidson). Audi nonetheless managed to fight its way back to fourth and fifth places to collect valuable championship points.

After qualifying on pole position in the hands of Stéphane Sarrazin, the N°8 Peugeot 908 was running at the front of the field until Pedro Lamy’s spin during the ninth hour. That incident played into the hands of two outsiders: the N°10 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP and the HPD-ARX 01e, which were both consistently quick throughout the race.

The last two hours were a nail-biting affair, with victory hinging on the teams’ respective refuelling strategies. A judicious “splash&dash” stop with 40 minutes remaining allowed Oreca-Matmut/MICHELIN and its three French drivers (Loïc Duval, Olivier Panis and Nicolas Lapierre) to take the spoils in front of 170,000 spectators. Highcroft Racing’s brand new HPD-ARX 01e (Brabham/Franchitti/Pagenaud) took the silver medal, despite only turning a wheel for the first time earlier in the week!

The top-three (which featured a 2011-specification ‘old’ prototype, a new-generation petrol prototype and a latest-generation diesel prototype) was rounded off by the factory Peugeot 908 of Montagny/Sarrazin/Lamy which spent much of its race debut in front.

The ranks of the LMPC and LMP2 runners were decimated by the gruelling track. The N°036 FLM of Petersen/Cameron/Guash and the N°055 Lola-Honda of Tucker/Hunter Reay/Diaz eventually won their respective classes with MICHELIN, but the N°26 Oreca-Nissan dominated the LMP2 order before suffering a gearbox problem.

MICHELIN runners monopolised the top-five places overall to hand the French tyre firm its 13th consecutive success at Sebring.

The Oreca emotion at the finish:

Michelin, Oreca, Sebring