Nobody Tells You How Punishing the 12 Hours of Sebring Really Is
Inherently, we all understand that a 12-hour race is going to be a challenge. That's why they call it endurance racing. But beyond the challenge of just staying awake and alert and in top driving condition for hours on end, there are the specific difficulties presented by individual tracks. And as far as difficult tracks go, Sebring International Raceway is near the top of the list.
Built on the site of a WWII air field, Sebring is legendary for its bumpy, choppy old pavement. The track's undulating, well-worn surface plays hell with a car, pummeling suspension and driveline components constantly throughout the 12-hour sports car race.
It beats the hell out of the drivers, too. Patrick Pilet is a Porsche GT Team driver who, along with co-drivers Dirk Werner and Frederic Mackwiecki, placed seventh in the GTLM class at this year's 12 Hours of Sebring driving Porsche's new mid-engine 911 RSR race car.
"Every small mistake, you'll finish in the wall," Pilet says. "It's the most difficult track for the car. So bumpy, so demanding on the suspension," he explains.
These drivers make it look smooth, but trust us: Sebring is anything but.
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