Corvette's Fehan: There's nothing like Sebring

[gaijin]

CORVETTE'S FEHAN: THERE'S NOTHING LIKE SEBRING

As has been its yearly tradition, at least lately, Corvette Racing took a trip south last week to Sebring International Raceway for a three-day private test leading up to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the 2007 American Le Mans Series season opener. As is always the case, the purpose was two-fold.

"Mostly the focus was Le Mans," said Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing program manager. "We have Sebring pretty much down. But you have to classify Le Mans as something entirely different."

There's no track in the world quite like Le Mans, Fehan said. But there's also not a more grueling circuit anywhere close to Sebring. A team and car that can survive 12 hours there can run 24 hours anywhere, a common opinion held throughout the American Le Mans Series paddock.

"People talk about Monza and Paul Ricard," Fehan said. "But things that go wrong at Sebring won't go wrong anywhere else in the world. That's why we use it. We look at anything that moves up and down on the car and see how they react at Sebring. Various portions of the track are applicable to Le Mans so we can look at braking and things like that.

"The first day was cold, it got better on the second day, and by the third day it was absolutely perfect," Fehan said of the test, which saw all six Corvette Racing drivers participate. "It actually worked out very well. We took on several different tire compounds and components. We had no problems. After three full days, the cars were within one lap of each other. That's almost unheard of during our tests."

[Z Factor]

Originally Posted by gaijin

There's no track in the world quite like Le Mans, Fehan said. But there's also not a more grueling circuit anywhere close to Sebring. A team and car that can survive 12 hours there can run 24 hours anywhere, a common opinion held throughout the American Le Mans Series paddock.

I find that view interesting, but wonder why they specifically feel that way

[gaijin]

Sebring race circuit is indeed one of the toughest road circuit to race an enduro at. It is common knowledge among the professional race teams that if their cars and drivers can survive Sebring's 3.7 mile, 17-turn road course over a 12 hour professional race....they can pretty much stay in the hunt at any race or road course including Le Mans.

Remember that Sebring was a WW II Army Air Corp bomber planes training base. Approximately 1.6 miles of the total 3.7 mile road course is still the original tarmac from the early 1940's.

The same surface is tough on drivetrains, suspensions and race drivers. Not to mention that it's central florida where you can experience varying changes in temperature during the 12 hour race, from fog early in the morning to heat and humidity during the course of the day, and the occassional downpours too.

Hope this answers some of your questions.

[Z Factor]

Yes it does, thanks. However I wonder why they leave it in that condition rather than try to improve the course. Or do you think it is left that way just to prepare for other events by vetting out their cars and teams?