The 2001 Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Sebring was the 49th running of this event. It was both the second round of the 2001 American Le Mans Series season and the opening round of the new European Le Mans Series. It took place at Sebring International Raceway, Florida, on March 17, 2001.
French Porsche driver and ambassador Bob Wollek was killed nearby the circuit following a practice session. Wollek had been riding a bicycle along a nearby highway when he was struck by a van. A minute of silence was held prior to the start of the race. Wollek's team, Petersen Motorsports, withdrew from the event out of respect.
This would not only be the final victory of Michele Alboreto's lifetime but also his final race ever as he died one month later.
Official results Class winners in bold.
Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Tyre Laps Engine 1 LMP900 1 Audi Sport North America Rinaldo Capello Michele Alboreto Laurent Aïello Audi R8 370 Audi 3.6L Turbo V8 2 LMP900 2 Audi Sport North America Frank Biela Emanuele Pirro Tom Kristensen Audi R8 370 Audi 3.6L Turbo V8 3 LMP900 38 Champion Racing Dorsey Schroeder Andy Wallace Ralf Kelleners Audi R8 366 Audi 3.6L Turbo V8 4 LMP900 18 Johansson Motorsport Arena Motorsport Stefan Johansson Guy Smith Audi R8 362 Audi 3.6L Turbo V8 5 LMP900 37 Intersport Racing Jon Field Duncan Dayton Rick Sutherland Lola B2K/10 332 Judd GV4 4.0L V10 6 GTS 26 Konrad Team Saleen Terry Borcheller Oliver Gavin Franz Konrad Saleen S7-R 332 Ford 7.0L V8 7 GTS 4 Corvette Racing Andy Pilgrim Kelly Collins Franck Fréon Chevrolet Corvette C5-R 331 Chevrolet 7.0L V8 8 GT 23 Alex Job Racing Lucas Luhr Sascha Maassen Emmanuel Collard Porsche 911 GT3-RS 326 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 9 GT 22 Alex Job Racing Randy Pobst Christian Menzel Timo Bernhard Porsche 911 GT3-RS 326 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 10 GT 42 BMW Motorsport Schnitzer Motorsport Jörg Müller JJ Lehto BMW M3 GTR 324 BMW 4.0L V8 11 GTS 3 Corvette Racing Ron Fellows Johnny O'Connell Chris Kneifel Chevrolet Corvette C5-R 322 Chevrolet 7.0L V8 12 GT 6 Prototype Technology Group Boris Said Hans-Joachim Stuck Peter Cunningham BMW M3 318 BMW 3.2L I6 13 GT 00 Larbre Compétition Christophe Bouchut Patrice Goueslard Sébastien Dumez Porsche 911 GT3-RS 317 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 14 GT 53 Seikel Motorsport Alex Caffi Fabio Babini Gabrio Rosa Porsche 911 GT3-RS 312 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 15 GT 69 Kyser Racing Jeffrey Pabst Kye Wankum Joe Foster Porsche 911 GT3-R 306 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 16 GT 36 Jürgen Alzen Motorsport Jürgen Alzen Ulli Richter Porsche 911 GT3-RS 306 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 17 GT 58 Freisinger Motorsport Wolfgang Kaufmann Stéphane Ortelli Porsche 911 GT3-RS 300 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 18 GTS 45 American Viperacing Erik Messley Jeff Altenburg Stu Hayner Dodge Viper GTS-R 298 Dodge 8.0L V10 19 GT 09 Cirtek Motorsport Keith Alexander Chris Gleason Gavin Pickering Porsche 911 GT3-RS 293 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 20DNF GT 59 Freisinger Motorsport Klaus Horn Nigel Smith Porsche 911 GT3-RS 276 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 21DNF GT 66 The Racer's Group Kevin Buckler Tom McGlynn Stephen Earle Porsche 911 GT3-RS 271 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 22 GTS 44 American Viperacing Tom Weickardt Joe Ellis Andy Pardoe Dodge Viper GTS-R 235 Dodge 8.0L V10 23DNF LMP900 16 Dyson Racing Team Butch Leitzinger Elliott Forbes-Robinson James Weaver Riley & Scott Mk III C 205 Lincoln (Élan) 6.0L V8 24DNF GT 43 BMW Motorsport Schnitzer Motorsport Dirk Müller Fredrik Ekblom BMW M3 168 BMW 3.2L I6 25DNF LMP900 72 Pescarolo Sport Jean-Christophe Boullion Sébastien Bourdais Laurent Redon Courage C60 167 Peugeot A32 3.2L Turbo V6 26DNF GT 07 RWS Motorsport Norman Simon Dieter Quester Philipp Peter Porsche 911 GT3-R 127 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 27DNF GT 15 Dick Barbour Racing Mark Neuhaus Grady Willingham Randy Wars Porsche 911 GT3-R 121 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 28DNF LMP900 50 Panoz Motor Sports Jan Magnussen David Brabham Panoz LMP07 109 Élan (Zytek) 4.0L V8 29DNF GT 17 Trinkler Racing Owen Trinkler Andy Lally B.J. Zacharias Chevrolet Corvette C5 LM-GT 108 Chevrolet 5.7L V8 30DNF LMP675 11 Roock-KnightHawk Racing Steven Knight Mel Hawkins Claudia Hürtgen Lola B2K/40 105 Nissan (AER) VQL 3.4L V6 31DNF GT 98 Kelly-Moss Motorsports Cort Wagner Rick Polk Darren Law Porsche 911 GT3-R 68 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 32DNF GT 52 Seikel Motorsport Brian Burgess Philip Collin Andrew Bagnall Porsche 911 GT3-RS 60 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 33DNF GT 10 Prototype Technology Group Bill Auberlen Joey Hand Niclas Jönsson BMW M3 57 BMW 3.2L I6 34DNF GT 12 Aspen Knolls MCR Shane Lewis Vic Rice Bob Mazzuoccola Callaway C12-R 50 Chevrolet 7.0L V8 35DNF GT 99 Kelly-Moss Motorsports Anthony Lazzaro David Murry Porsche 911 GT3-RS 47 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 36DNF LMP900 51 Panoz Motor Sports Klaus Graf Gualter Salles Panoz LMP07 28 Élan (Zytek) 4.0L V8 DSQ† GT 34 Orbit Leo Hindery Peter Baron Gian Luigi Buitoni Porsche 911 GT3-RS 84 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 DSQ† GT 47 Broadfoot Racing John Warner Allan Ziegelman Paco Orti Porsche 911 GT3-R 64 Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 WD†† GT 30 Petersen Motorsports Johnny Mowlem Bob Wollek Michael Peterseon Porsche 911 GT3-R - Porsche 3.6L Flat-6 DNS GT 35 Orbit Tony Kester Richard Millman Tommy Byrne Porsche 911 GT3-RS - Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
† - #47 Broadfoot Racing was disqualified during the race for making an illegal repair to their car. #34 Orbit was disqualified during the race for receiving outside assistance while still on the track.
†† - #30 Peterson Motorsports withdrew their entry from the race following Bob Wollek's fatal bicycle accident after a practice session.
Statistics Pole Position - #2 Audi Sport North America - 1:49.477 Fastest Lap - #2 Audi Sport North America - 1:49.666 Distance - 2203.192 km Average Speed - 183.438 km/h
References
External links
World Sports Racing Prototypes - Race Results