2019 1000 Miles of Sebring


The 2019 1,000 Miles of Sebring was an Endurance sportscar racing event held on 15 March 2019, as the sixth round of the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship. This was the inaugural running of the race, a 268-lap event, and the first FIA WEC race to be held at Sebring International Raceway since the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring.

Background

The provisional calendar for the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship, released on 1 September 2017 saw a raft of changes, with several races dropped, but included a return to Sebring for the first time since 2012.  In the provisional calendar issued, the race was originally planned to be run as a second 12-hour race after the IMSA Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring on the same weekend, and would start at midnight after the conclusion of the IMSA 12 hours. On 21 September 2017, the race became known as the 1500 Miles of Sebring, to avoid confusion between the 2 events, at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris. However, on 4 April 2018, it was announced that the race would become shortened to 1000 Miles or 268 laps, have a time limit of 8 Hours, and would take place on March 15 instead, prior to the start of the 12 Hours of Sebring, rather than after the race. In addition, it was also announced that there would be a new pitlane built to accommodate the WEC teams, located on the Ulman Straight.

Entry list

The entry list released on 8 February 2019 saw a number of changes, with the #4 ByKolles Racing Team ENSO CLM P1/01 removed, after the team announced they would not compete due to an engine supply dispute with NISMO, and an additional Entry from the Corvette Racing team. Nathanael Berthon was added to the #3 Rebellion Racing Rebellion R13, while Mathias Beche moved to the #1, replacing Andre Lotterer, who was unable to attend due to a clashing simulator test for the DS Techeetah Formula E team. Jenson Button and Matevos Isaakyan were replaced in the #11 and #17 SMP Racing BR Engineering BR1s by Brendon Hartley and Sergey Sirotkin respectively.

Qualifying

Qualifying Results

Pole position winners in each class are marked in bold
ClassTeamAverage Time
1LMP1No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing1:40.318-1
2LMP1No. 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing1:40.803+0.4852
3LMP1No. 3 Rebellion Racing1:42.863+2.5453
4LMP1No. 17 SMP Racing1:42.942+2.6244
5LMP1No. 11 SMP Racing1:43.005+2.6875
6LMP1No. 1 Rebellion Racing1:43.015+2.6976
7LMP1No. 10 DragonSpeed1:44.288+3.9707
8LMP2No. 38 Jackie Chan DC Racing1:47.558+7.2408
9LMP2No. 37 Jackie Chan DC Racing1:48.208+7.8909
10LMP2No. 36 Signatech Alpine Matmut1:48.524+8.20610
11LMP2No. 31 DragonSpeed1:49.681+9.36311
12LMP2No. 50 Larbre Compétition1:50.705+10.38712
13LMP2No. 28 TDS Racing1:51.218+10.90013
14LMGTE ProNo. 92 Porsche GT Team1:57.500+17.18214
15LMGTE ProNo. 67 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK1:57.615+17.29715
16LMGTE ProNo. 66 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK1:57.714+17.39616
17LMGTE ProNo. 82 BMW Team MTEK1:57.841+17.52317
18LMGTE ProNo. 63 Corvette Racing1:57.844+17.52618
19LMGTE ProNo. 71 AF Corse1:57.938+17.62019
20LMGTE ProNo. 81 BMW Team MTEK1:58.000+17.68220
21LMGTE ProNo. 91 Porsche GT Team1:58.113+17.79521
22LMGTE ProNo. 51 AF Corse1:58.232+17.91422
23LMGTE ProNo. 95 Aston Martin Racing1:58.366+18.04823
24LMGTE AmNo. 77 Dempsey-Proton Racing1:59.790+19.47224
25LMGTE AmNo. 56 Team Project 11:59.935+19.61725
28LMGTE AmNo. 98 Aston Martin Racing2:00.076+19.75826
27LMGTE AmNo. 88 Dempsey-Proton Racing2:00.417+20.09927
28LMGTE AmNo. 90 TF Sport2:00.543+20.22528
29LMGTE AmNo. 54 Spirit of Race2:00.759+20.44129
30LMGTE AmNo. 70 MR Racing2:01.679+21.36130
31LMGTE ProNo. 97 Aston Martin Racing2:04.748+24.43031
32LMGTE AmNo. 61 Clearwater Racing1:59.396+19.078WD
33LMGTE AmNo. 86 Gulf Racing UK1:59.436+19.11832
34LMP2No. 29 Racing Team NederlandNo Time33

Stephane Sarrazin had his best lap time deleted for ignoring blue flags.

Thomas Flohr and Motoaki Ishakawa both had their fastest lap times deleted for speeding under the red flag.

– Only one driver of the No. 61 Clearwater Racing set a lap time.

– The No. 61 Clearwater Racing withdrew due to Perez-Companc's crash in qualifying.

Michael Wainwright had his fastest lap time deleted for speeding under the red flag, resulting in only one driver of the No. 86 Gulf Racing UK being classified as setting a lap time.

– All of Frits van Eerd's and Nyck de Vries' lap times were deleted for speeding in the pit lane, resulting in the No. 29 Racing Team Nederland having no times.

Race

Race result

The minimum number of laps for classification (70% of the overall winning car's distance was 178 laps. Class winners are in bold.
ClassTeamDriversChassisTyreTime/Retired
ClassTeamDriversEngineTyreTime/Retired
1LMP18

Standings after the race

;2018–2019 LMP World Endurance Drivers' Championship
+/–DriverPoints
1