Peugeot opens strong in Sebring testing

Peugeot

Peugeot seems eager to continue its run of endurance success with the fastest time unofficially Tuesday in testing for the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida. The No. 08 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP of Pedro Lamy, Sebastien Bourdais and Nic Minassian posted a fastest lap of 1:46.232 (125.386 mph) around the 3.7-mile, 17-turn Sebring International Raceway.

The two factory Team Peugeot Total coupes are the favorites in the opening round for the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patr¢n. Aston Martin Racing may have something to say about that in the end, though. The slick Aston Martin V12-powered Lola B09/60 coupe was second quickest on the day at 1:46.557 (125.004 mph). Adrian Fernandez, Harold Primat and Stefan Mücke will drive the works entry.

Drayson Racing made it a sweep for coupes in the top-three with a best lap of 1:47.223 (124.227 mph) in the Lola B09/60-Judd with Paul Drayson, Jonny Cocker and Emanuele Pirro driving.

Patr¢n Highcroft Racing, last year’s LMP1 champion, was the fastest LMP2 with a lap of 1:48.318, set in the morning session. David Brabham, Simon Pagenaud and Marino Franchitti are driving the Honda Performance Development ARX-01c. Dyson Racing’s isobutanol-powered Lola B09/86-Mazda sat second in class at 1:48.667, also set in the morning session.

In LMPC for ORECA’s FLM09 prototype, Green Earth Team Gunnar set the pace with a la of 1:56.882 (113.961 mph). Gunnar Jeannette, Christian Zugel and Elton Julian are teaming together. The GETG racer was just shy of two seconds clear of Primetime-Braille Battery Race Group’s Joel Feinberg and Kyle Marcelli.

Things stayed tight in GT2, a mouth-watering prospect for Saturday’s race. Risi Competizione’s Ferrari F430 GT was quickest in class with a 2:01.429 during the morning session for the car of Jaime Melo, Gimmi Bruni and Pierre Kaffer. Risi has won at Sebring twice in the last three years and hasn’t lost an endurance race since Sebring in 2008.

One of Extreme Speed Motorsports’ Ferraris sat second on the day. The Ferrari of Scott Sharp, Johannes van Overbeek and Dominik Farnbacher turned in a best lap of 2:01.748. Corvette Racing’s Corvette C6.R of eight-time Sebring winner Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia was third at 2:02.327.

Alex Job Racing’s Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car of Juan Gonzalez, Butch Leitzinger and Leh Keen was first among GT Challenge entries with a lap of 2:07.281. It was more than a second quicker than Velox Motorsports’ tandem of Shane Lewis and Jerry Vento.

The first official test session is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET Wednesday.