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Race report: Sebring Heartbreak: O'Connell Takes Shocker Win as Horta Retires on Lap Two

Johnny O'Connell took overall victory at Sebring International Raceway after completing 81 laps in two hours and twenty-seven minutes aboard the #03 Corvette C6-R.

In a devastating twist of fate that shattered prototype dominance, GT1 machinery outperformed the entire field over 81 torturous laps. Gil de Ferran fought valiantly in his #66 Acura ARX-02 to claim the LMP1 class win, but crossed the line a crushing 1:09.108 behind the triumphant Corvette. Adrian Fernandez secured the LMP2 victory in third overall, finishing a lap down despite setting a 1:46.468 pace through the grueling Florida heat.

Agony struck early for Fernando Horta. Having posted a promising 1:45.482 in qualifying aboard his #01 Audi R10, the Brazilian driver's campaign unraveled almost immediately. By lap two, his prototype suffered total mechanical heartbreak, forcing an immediate and tragic retirement into the pit lane before his race had truly begun.

President Luca di Guevara (Scuderia Libra): "Caspita! Mamma mia, disaster! Gara is WINNING, not parking after two laps for dios mio! Bravissimo to the Corvette, but my heart bleeds tears of agony!"

Further down the running order, Don Fergonson brought the heavy #75 Dodge Charger SRT-8R home to second in GT1, while Olivier Panis survived 80 laps of punishing track surface to take fourth overall in his #07 Oreca AIM.

Disclaimer: This is a fictional, satirical report of a offline race against AI-driven opponents. All characters are fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental

Classification

Position	Class		Driver	Team	Car	Laps	Gap	Best Lap
1	GT1		JOHNNY OCONNELL	2007 CORVETTE RACING	CORVETTE C6-R	81	2:27:21.494	1:45.822
1	LMP1		GIL DE FERRAN	2009 DE FERRAN RACING	ACURA ARX-02	81	+ 01:09.108	1:46.321
1	LMP2		ADRIAN FERNANDEZ	2007 FERNANDEZ RACING	LOLA B06/43	80	+ 1 LAP	1:46.468
2	LMP1		OLIVIER PANIS	2009 MATMUT PLUS	ORECA 01 AIM	80	+ 1 LAP	1:47.120
2	LMP2		PATRICK LONG	2008 PENSKE RACING	PORSCHE RS SPYDER EVO	80	+ 1 LAP	1:47.337
3	LMP1		NICOLAS MINASSIAN	2009 PEUGEOT TOTAL	PEUGEOT 908	80	+ 1 LAP	1:47.016
4	LMP1		MAX ANGELELLI	2001 CADILLAC RACING	CADILLAC NORTHSTAR	80	+ 1 LAP	1:47.071
3	LMP2		BEN DEVLIN	2007 BK MOTORSPORTS	LOLA B07/40	80	+ 1 LAP	1:46.712
2	GT1		DON FERGONSON	2007 JVC RACING	CHARGER SRT-8R	80	+ 1 LAP	1:46.632
4	LMP2		TIM GREAVES	2008 TEAM BRUICHLADDICH	RADICAL SR9	79	+ 2 LAPS	1:47.564
5	LMP2		KLAUS GRAF	2009 TEAM CYTOSPORT	PORSCHE RS SPYDER EVO	79	+ 2 LAPS	1:47.266
6	LMP2		GUNNAR VAN DER STEUR	2007 VAN DER STEUR	RADICAL SR9	78	+ 3 LAPS	1:49.234
3	GT1		RON HAROLDSON	2004 TEAM CONCEPT	MUSTANG GTR	76	+ 5 LAPS	1:52.602
5	LMP1		FERNANDO HORTA	2007 AUDI SPORT N.AMERICA	AUDI R10	2	DNF	1:48.549

Qualifying

Qualifying times as the race log recorded them; 1 driver without one at the bottom.

Lap Chart

Position at the end of every lap, FERNANDO HORTA highlighted. Hover a line or a name to follow a driver, click or tap to keep it highlighted; dashed lines are cars that retired.

Leaders

JOHNNY OCONNELL led every lap.

Lap by Lap

Each lap's notable moments, quiet stretches grouped; tap a row for the full order with lap times and gaps. The logs don't record pit stops: they're worked out from lap times, so a spin that costs as much time can read as one.

Related Images

2001 Cadillac Racing, Cadillac Northstar #1008, Driven By Max Angelelli

2004 Team Concept, Mustang Gtr #4002, Driven By Ron Haroldson

2007 Audi Sport N.america, Audi R10 #7001, Driven By Fernando Horta

2007 Corvette Racing, Corvette C6-r #7003, Driven By Johnny Oconnell

2007 Van Der Steur, Radical Sr9 #7019, Driven By Gunnar Van Der Steur

2007 Jvc Racing, Charger Srt-8r #7075, Driven By Don Fergonson

2007 Bk Motorsports, Lola B07/40 #7108, Driven By Ben Devlin

2007 Fernandez Racing, Lola B06/43 #7115, Driven By Adrian Fernandez

2008 Penske Racing, Porsche Rs Spyder Evo #8006, Driven By Patrick Long

2008 Team Bruichladdich, Radical Sr9 #8207, Driven By Tim Greaves

2009 Team Cytosport, Porsche Rs Spyder Evo #9006, Driven By Klaus Graf

2009 Matmut Plus, Oreca 01 Aim #9007, Driven By Olivier Panis

2009 Peugeot Total, Peugeot 908 #9007, Driven By Nicolas Minassian

2009 De Ferran Racing, Acura Arx-02 #9066, Driven By Gil De Ferran

Sebring International Raceway