Due to inclement weather Thursday, a provisional grid has been set for the 53rd running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the first American Le Mans Series event of 2005.
The grid was set by combining the best practice times from Wednesday's two practice sessions and Thursday morning's session. The Thursday afternoon qualifying period was changed to an open practice, but no teams took part. A combined practice session is scheduled for 10:25 to 11:25 a.m. Friday for all classes.
Based on the combined practice times, the overall pole was awarded to the No. 1 ADT Champion Audi R8, with JJ Lehto, Marco Werner and Tom Kristensen behind the wheel, trying for its first Sebring victory. Lehto and Werner placed second in 2004, teaming with Emanuele Pirro.
Last year, Lehto posted the fastest qualifying time and quickest race lap but still finished five laps behind the winning No. 28 Canon/Infiniti Audi R8.
"The Audi R8 could have been a bit faster," Lehto said. "We weren't really pushing. We were expecting to have qualifying (Thursday). The track was very bad. It was very dirty and sandy."
In LMP2, the No. 37 Telesis Intersport Racing Lola B05/40 AER will start on the class pole and fifth overall. The privateer team of Jon Field, Duncan Dayton and Gregor Fisken was almost a full three seconds faster than the second-quickest car in class.
"The new Lola seems to be a good car so far," Field said. "We've just scratched the surface, and Sebring is a rough track to see what it can do. This car is built more like a prototype should be. It's real rugged and not as flimsy. We ordered the car late, but Lola did a great job putting it together so precisely."
As expected, Corvette Racing's two new C6-Rs set the pace in GT1. The No. 4 entry of Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen barely edged its sister car, the No. 3 with Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell and Max Papis by about 0.30 seconds.
The No. 4 trio will start eighth on the grid overall.
"This is an important year for the C6," Gavin said. "There is going to be a lot of competition, not only here at Sebring, but all season. The Saleen should do well here, the Aston-Martins are quick, and the Maserati is a bit of an unknown. The competition from our sister car is going to be very tough."
Another privateer entry, the No. 31 Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, was fastest among GT2 cars. Jorg Bergmeister, Patrick Long and Lucas Luhr will start 20th overall.
Thursday's poor weather wasn't anything new to Luhr.
"We were prepared to qualify in the wet," he said. "Jorg and myself are Germans, so we are used to the rain. Some of the American drivers do not like it so much. It is a 12-hour race, so you won't win the race in qualifying on the pole or even the first corner. But it's always nice to start in the front of the class."
The starting grid does not become official until one hour after Saturday morning's warm-up session, scheduled to end at 8:40 a.m.
1. JJ Lehto, Finland; Marco Werner, Germany; Tom Kristensen, Denmark; Audi R8 (P1), 1:49.723, 121.3972. Frank Biela, Germany; Emanuele Pirro, Italy; Allan McNish, Scotland; Audi R8 (P1), 1:50.055, 121.0303. Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY; Guy Smith, England; Lola EX257 AER (P1), 1:50.249, 120.8174. James Weaver, England; Butch Leitzinger, State College, PA; Andy Wallace, England; Lola EX257 AER (P1), 1:51.351, 119.6225. Jon Field, Dublin, OH; Duncan Dayton, North Salem, NY; Gregor Fisken, Scotland; Lola B05/40/AER (P2), 1:51.752, 119.1926. Ian James, England; Chris McMurry, Phoenix, AZ; Jeff Bucknum, Lake Havasu City, AZ; Courage C-65 (P2), 1:54.669, 116.1607. Phillip Bennett, England; Ian Mitchell, UK; Harold Primat, Switzerland; Courage C-65 Judd (P2), 1:55.986, 114.8418. Oliver Gavin, England; Olivier Beretta, Monaco; Jan Magnussen, Denmark; Corvette C6-R (GT1), 1:57.347, 113.5109. Ron Fellows, Canada; Johnny O'Connell, Flowery Branch, GA; Max Papis, Italy; Corvette C6-R (GT1), 1:57.686, 113.18310. Michael Lewis, San Diego, CA; Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, CA; Bryan Willman, Kirkland, WA; Riley & Scott MRK IIIC (P1), 1:57.841, 113.03411. Terry Borcheller, Gainesville, GA; Johnny Mowlem, England; Ralf Kelleners, Germany; Saleen S7R (GT1), 1:57.881, 112.99512. Joao Barbosa, Portugal; Didier Theys, Belgium; Michael Krumm, Germany; Dallara Nissan (P1), 1:58.001, 112.88013. Peter Kox, The Netherlands; Pedro Lamy, Lisbon Portugal; Stephane Sarrazin, France; Aston Martin DB9 (GT1), 1:58.370, 112.52914. David Brabham, Australia; Darren Turner, England; Stephane Ortelli, Monaco; Aston Martin DB9 (GT1), 1:58.519, 112.38715. Alex Figgie, Hollywood, CA; David Empringham, Toronto, Ontario; Ryan Dalziel, Scotland; Corvette C5-R (GT1), 1:59.409, 111.54916. Tom Weickardt, Whitefish Bay, WI; Jean-Philippe Belloc, France; Michele Rugulo, Italy; Dodge Viper (GT1), 2:00.079, 110.92717. Sebastien Bourdais, France; Christophe Bouchut, France; Fabricio Gollin, France; Ferrari 550 Maranello (GT1), 2:00.099, 110.90918. William Binnie, Portsmouth, NH; Adam Sharpe, England; Robert Julien, Canada; Lola B05/42 McLaren (P2), 2:00.219, 110.79819. Andrea Bertolini, Italy; Fabio Babini, Italy; Fabrizio De Simone, Italy; Maserati MC12 (GT1), 2:00.381, 110.64920. Lucas Luhr, Germany; Patrick Long, Oak Park, CA; Jorg Bergmeister, Germany; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:04.960, 106.59421. Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, CA; Robin Liddell, Scotland; Emanuele Naspetti, Italy; Panoz Esperante eGTLM (GT2), 2:05.047, 106.52022. Timo Bernhard, Germany; Romain Dumas, France; Sascha Maassen, Germany; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:05.078, 106.49423. Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA; Jon Fogarty, Palo Alto, CA; Darren Law, Phoenix, AZ; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:06.140, 105.59724. Gunnar Jeannette, Palm Beach Gardens, FL; Scott Maxwell, Canada; Bryan Sellers, Centerville, OH; Panoz Esperante eGTLM (GT2), 2:06.479, 105.31425. Randy Pobst, Gainesville, GA; Ian Baas, Noblesville, IN; Brian Cunningham, Danville, KY; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:06.687, 105.14126. Lonnie Pechnik, Pacific Grove, CA; Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA; David Murry, Cumming, GA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:07.304, 104.63127. Pierre Ehret, Santa Rosa, CA; Kevin Buckler, Sonoma, CA; Andrew Davis, Lilburn, GA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:07.625, 104.36828. Tony Burgess, Canada; Mike Rockenfeller, Germany; Martin Jensen, Denmark; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:07.916, 104.13129. Justin Jackson, Buford, GA; Tim Sugden, England; Nic Jonsson, Sweden; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:08.291, 103.82630. Rick Sutherland, Los Gatos, CA; Nigel Smith, Landau, Germany; Saleen S7R (GT1), 2:08.346, 103.78231. Marc Hynes, England; Richard Dean, England; Patrick Pearce, England; TVR 400R (GT2), 2:08.347, 103.78132. Warren Hughes, England; Jonny Kane, Ireland; Lawrence Tomilson, Ireland; TVR 400R (GT2), 2:08.729, 103.47333. Juan Barazi, Switzerland; Michael Vergers, England; Andrew Thompson, Scotland; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:09.022, 103.23834. Tracy Krohn, Houston, TX; Marc Sluszny, Belgium; Michael Cawley, Atlanta, GA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), 2:09.110, 103.16835. Clint Field, Dublin, OH; Gareth Ridpath, UK; Liz Halliday, Rancho Santa Fe, CA; Lola B2K/40/Judd (P2), 2:10.031, 102.43736. Tom Coronel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Marc Goosens, Belgium; Donny Crevels, The Netherlands; Spyker C-8 Spyder GT2 R (GT2), 2:10.840, 101.03237. Steve Ivankovich, Kingstown, St Vincent; Spencer Pumpelly, Mason Neck, VA; Andy Lally, New York, NY; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT2), 2:13.176, 100.01838. Peter van Merkensteyn, The Netherlands; Frans Munsterhuis, The Netherlands; Marino Franchitti, Scotland; Spyker C-8 Spyder GT2 R (GT2), 2:16.733, 97.41639. TBA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT2), No Time.
