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ebring is part of the ALMS. It is part of the ILMC. But all official series aside, it is part of Le Mans. The bright sun and palm trees can be deceiving. The pickup trucks and country music may seem better suited to a NASCAR race than this French endurance classic, but you only have to look at the track to see a Ferrari, Jaguar or Aston Martin, and it all comes flooding back.
For years the twelve hours has been the dress rehearsal for the 24. It is no coincidence that over 30 of Sebring’s record-tying 59-car grid are headed to France this July. It is the second most important race of the year, a place to test new machinery, new spirits, new enemies. The location may be Sebring, Florida, but the spirit is La Sarthe; the race is Le Mans. Audi will return to chal-
lenge the reigning Sebring winners Peugeot after sitting out the 2010 race, but the French team plans to fight back with a pair of brand-new factory 908s, in addition to a year-old 908 HDi FAP in the hands of their partner team, Oreca Matmut. Stephane Sarrazin and Franck Montagny, both winners of 2010’s Petit Le Mans, will team with Nicolas Minassian in the number eight car, while Anthony Davidson, Alexander