Sebring, Florida (15 March) Team ADT Champion Racing recorded second place in the 51st 12 Hours of Sebring sportscar endurance race today (SAT). Having finished third in 2001 and second last year, it looked for much of this year’s annual race as though the Florida-based team would savor success on “home soil”.

Having swept into the lead on lap five, the Emanuele Pirro/JJ Lehto/Stefan Johansson ADT Champion Audi R8 only briefly lost the lead to the similar Infineon Team Joest R8 of Frank Biela/Marco Werner/Philipp Peter during the ensuing 10 hours.

But the Pompano Beach-based team were dealt two cruel blows. Firstly, with less than three hours to run, Lehto lost a 32-second lead advantage in the ADT Security Systems sponsored 2002-spec Audi R8 due to a full course yellow caution period.

Then, with just 90 minutes remaining on the clock in the annual sportscar race and with a vital 10-seconds advantage over the Joest Audi, the unfortunate Pirro suddenly sustained agonizing leg cramp pains necessitating an earlier-than-scheduled pit-stop.

Johansson resumed and fought hard to the checker but was unable to reduce the deficit around the physically demanding, bumpy 3.7-mile road course. For the third consecutive year, the Champion team stepped on to the podium – but cruelly not the very top step.

Emanuele Pirro: “The seat was not located properly during my second stint and it caused me back pain but JJ helped me adjust it during the next stop and after that it was fine. During my last time behind the wheel, I had to stop a little early as I suddenly got severe cramps in the calves of both legs.”

JJ Lehto: “I had a lead of 34-seconds before the caution period but that lost all of our advantage over the Joest Audi. We continued to battle hard and really deserved the victory but it did not come. That’s motor racing – sometimes you’re lucky, sometimes not – I hope it’s our turn at Le Mans.”

Stefan Johansson: “Champion provided all three drivers with a stunning racecar today and one capable of winning. We led the majority of the race and it would have been a great reward for the guys to win their first ALMS race in Florida but we had horrible luck. I’m terribly disappointed.”

Brad Kettler, Technical Director: “We had planned to ‘triple-stint’ JJ but the full course yellow blew that out. When we brought him in we had to change the tires after running at slow speed – he couldn’t stay on them. Then, of course, we had not reckoned on Emanuele’s problem. But I’m proud of the team – we had a fantastic car and engine – our Michelin tires were superb - we’re going to be strong this year.”

1. (1) Frank Biela;Marco Werner;Phillip Peter; Audi R-8 (P900), 367laps, 12;00:23.360, 113.097 MPH, Margin of Victory 13.493 seconds
2. (2) Emanuele Pirro; JJ Lehto; Stefan Johansson; Audi R-8 (P900), 367
3. (51) Johnny Herbert; David Brabham; Mark Blundell; Bentley Speed 8 (P900), 363
4. (52) Tom Kristensen; Rinaldo Capello; Guy Smith; Bentley Speed 8 (P900), 362
5. (6) Olivier Beretta; Gunnar Jeannette; Max Papis; Panoz LMP01/EPP (P900), 352
6. (4) Mika Salo; Jonny Kane; Perry McCarthy; Audi R-8 (P900), 351
7. (8) Didier Theys; Eric van de Poele; Fredy Lienhard Sr.; Dallara MG (P900), 336
8. (16) Ron Fellows; Johnny O'ConnellA; Franck Freon; Corvette C5-R (GTS), 332
9. (10) Scott Maxwell; Benjamin Leuenberger; John Graham; Panoz LMP01/EPP (P900), 324
10. (27) Sascha Maassen; Lucas Luhr; Porsche 911 GT3 RS (GT), 320

Opening Hour:

+ Biela leads Pirro at start with Salo slotting into third Pirro passes

+ Biela in traffic on lap 5

Hour 1 (1130):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 32 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 32 laps, 0.855 3 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 32 laps, 31.553 4 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 32 laps, 37.979 5 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 32 laps, 55.058 6 Theys/Lienhard/van de Poele (Dallara-MG), 32 laps, 1:53.070

Hour 2 (1230):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 63 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 63 laps, 54.234 3 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 63 laps, 1:27.266 4 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 63 laps, 1:31.606 5 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 63 laps, 1:32.713 6 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 61 laps

+ Biela loses windscreen

Hour 3 (1330):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 94 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 94 laps, 51.349 3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 94 laps, 1:29.717 4 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 93 laps 5 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 91 laps 6 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 91 laps

+ Kane survives brushes with backmarkers which necessitates a new nose section on scheduled pit-stop handover to McCarthy

Hour 4 (1430):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 124 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 124 laps, 1:32.982 3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 123 laps 4 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 122 laps 5 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 121 laps 6 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 120 laps

+ Werner briefly takes lead from Johansson after triple-stinting his tires

Hour 5 (1530):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 156 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 156ps, 1:35.375 3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 155 laps 4 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 154 laps 5 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 153 laps 6 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 151 laps

+ 5:03 McCarthy pits with a loose wastegate sensor dropping to fifth

Hour 6 (1630):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 187 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 186 laps

3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 185 laps

4 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 184 laps

5 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 183 laps

6 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 180 laps

+ Pirro complains of back pain caused by seat not located properly Pirro & Salo both set their own fastest laps Salo sideswipes slower car, damages rear aerofoil endplate, but continues attempting to fend off Kristensen

Hour 7 (1730):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 219 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 218 laps

3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 217 laps

4 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 215 laps

5 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 215 laps,

6 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 211 laps

+ Pirro makes regular pit-stop in which Lehto helps to re-position seat

+ Salo slips to fifth

Hour 8 (1830):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 250 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 249 laps

3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 247 laps

4 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 246 laps

5 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 246 laps,

6 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 240 laps

+ Salo loses fifth place at scheduled pit-stop when car cannot engage first gear exiting the pits with Kane at wheel. Car taken to transporter and rear section changed. 22 mins in total lost, resumes in sixth

Hour 9 (1930):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 281 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 1:32.742

3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 277 laps

4 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 277 laps,

5 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 269 laps

6 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 267 laps

+ Biela triple stinting

+ 1945: Lehto’s 34-sec lead disappears with full course yellow (caused by McGarrity hitting wall). Lehto hands to Pirro, Biela to Werner during caution period. Race goes green after 30 minutes

Hour 10 (2030):

1 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 304 laps

2 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 16.498

3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 301 laps

4 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 300 laps,

5 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 292 laps

6 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 290 laps

+ With 90 minutes to run, Pirro with 10-secs leads has severe cramp, makes earlier than scheduled stop – Johansson resumes in second, 63-seconds behind

Hour 11 (2130):

1 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 335

2 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 18.839

3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 332 laps

4 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 331 laps,

5 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 322 laps

6 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 320 laps

+ Werner begins last hour 18 seconds ahead

+ Werner begins last 30mins 17 seconds ahead

Hour 12 (2230):

1 Biela/Werner/Peter (Infineon Team Joest Audi R8), 367

2 Pirro/Lehto/Johansson (ADT Champion Audi R8), 13.493

3 Herbert/Blundell/Brabham (Bentley Speed 8), 363 laps

4 Kristensen/Capello/Smith (Bentley Speed 8), 362 laps,

5 Beretta/Jeanette/Papis (Panoz), 352 laps

6 Kane/Salo/McCarthy (Audi Sport UK Audi R8), 351 laps