Meet the new Sebring qualifying GT track record holder … same as the old one.
Jack Hawksworth eclipsed his own previous mark set two years ago under ideal conditions Friday afternoon at Sebring International Raceway to capture the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) Motul Pole Award in his No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3.
Hawksworth’s best lap – set not long after Lexus was named the Official Vehicle of both Sebring International Raceway and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring – was 1 minute, 58.480 seconds (113.639 mph) around Sebring’s bumpy but iconic 3.74 miles and 17 corners. His prior benchmark was 1:58.714 set in 2024.
Behind Hawksworth, Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Neil Verhagen was second fastest at 1:58.886 (113.251 mph) in the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO, the last entry in the 12-car GTD PRO field to lap under 1:59. His co-drivers are Connor De Phillippi and Max Hesse.
Six manufacturers were represented among the top seven GTD PRO qualifiers, with Lexus, BMW, Porsche, McLaren, Chevrolet and Ferrari all in a row.
The 2024 pole for Hawksworth eventually translated into a victory with co-drivers Ben Barnicoat and Kyle Kirkwood in GTD PRO. The same trio seeks an encore performance in their first attempt to repeat in 2026, after Barnicoat was injured in 2025 and Hawksworth was racing the team’s GTD Lexus.
Hawksworth is celebrating his milestone 100th start with the Lexus IMSA program this weekend, and it couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. This is Hawksworth’s 14th pole position with Lexus; he has also achieved 32 podiums and 11 race wins, including GTD PRO class victories at the 2024 Sebring 12 Hours and a 2020 sprint race.
“It was a clean lap; there were no errors or mistakes, and I was pretty happy with it,” Hawksworth said. “It’s not as if it was lairy or flashy or anything like that. I was just able to get every corner 99 percent right. The car was phenomenal, and there’s no better place to start than at the front.
“Track records are always nice, and it’s super cool to be starting my 100th race with Lexus from the pole,” he continued. “But I still put race wins above poles, so let’s see what we can do tomorrow.”
Like all GTD and GTD PRO competitors, Vasser Sullivan and Lexus are learning the nuances of the new-for-2026 Michelin GT tire, designed to combine longer, more consistent wear and a more environmentally sustainable construction.
“We’re still learning and still kind of chipping away at it,” said Hawksworth. “This track is so peaky with the tire, so you have to do the lap when it’s at its best. There’s been some big changes with the team in the offseason, and I think we’ve come back a lot stronger this year. There’s a really good vibe in the team, and we’re just trying to get better every day.
“We had a decent longer run with some decent teams and competitive cars (in Practice 3),” he added. “We feel we’re right in the mix with them but know it’s going to be real tough. We’ll look forward to the challenge and do what we can.”
GTD: Barrichello 2.0 Is Best
The Heart of Racing Team and its No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo may be fond of the number two so far in GTD qualifying in 2026. Two races, two different drivers, two different Motul Pole Award winners.
Today’s newest IMSA polesitter is a second-generation driver in Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello. His co-driver Zacharie Robichon won the pole at the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
In an exciting 15-minute qualifying session, four drivers traded the top spot back and forth. Ultimately, Barrichello – the 24-year-old son of 11-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner and four-time Rolex 24 starter Rubens Barrichello – claimed the top spot in the car he shares with Robichon and Tom Gamble.
The younger Barrichello, who is a rising star in worldwide sports car racing, was the first driver in the 19-car GTD field to circulate the Sebring course in under two minutes.
But shortly thereafter, Antonio Fuoco threw down a 1:59.014 lap in his No. 21 Af Corse USA Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO. Robby Foley and the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO briefly entered the mix before two-time defending Sebring winner Philip Ellis dropped in a 1:58.881 in his No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Barrichello then stopped the clocks at 1:58.856 (113.279 mph) to secure his first career pole position in IMSA competition. In fact, it was Barrichello’s first-ever IMSA qualifying session.
It was the first 12-hour race pole at Sebring for an Aston Martin since Pedro Lamy was the top qualifier in the GT1 class in 2006; Aston Martin has claimed poles since at Sebring in other sports car championships.
“It was a great session for us,” Barrichello stated. “I was a bit nervous because it was my first qualifying in IMSA – new team, new championship – so there were a lot of firsts. But it was good fun. I think the car was good; we had a good balance and really hit the ground running from Free Practice 1. Happy I did a decent job. We showed our qualifying pace is good and hopefully our race pace is as well.
“This track makes it so much fun,” he added. “We had the car dialed in, though it’s a very different setup for qualifying and the race, where you have to do long stints. I’m just so thankful to be here. It’s a super great opportunity and such a privilege to be at Sebring. I just have to enjoy it.”
Ellis and the No. 57 Winward Mercedes-AMG he shares with Russell Ward and Indy Dontje held on for second, while Foley held on for third in the Turner BMW. His co-drivers are Patrick Gallagher and Francis Selldorff.
As in GTD PRO, there was considerable parity in GTD, with six marques qualifying in the top eight.
A total of 55 cars among four classes will take the green flag for the 74th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at 10:10 ET on Saturday, March 21. Full coverage will be streamed on Peacock, IMSA.TV, and the official IMSA YouTube channel, with NBCSN television joining in progress at 5 p.m. ET.
