sebring circuit racing classic cars
in

Sebring Vintage Classic

PHOTOS SEBRING CIRCUIT: UNAI ONA

They called the B17 bomber "The Flying Fortress". Almost 10 tons of steel powered by four Pratt & Whitney engines of up to 1200CV each. Depending on the versions and the flight height, this device easily exceeded 500 km / h. All with an operational range set at more than 3.000 kilometers, still carrying up to eight tons of bombs. And it is that, from its incorporation to the American army in 1938 until its production cessation in 1945, the B17 and its explosive charges were key in many operations, especially during World War II.

Almost 13.000 were built, and one of its base airfields was Sebring. Yet despite this awe-inspiring history rooted in the greatest global conflict of the XNUMXth century, this Florida military base is remembered for car racing. And it is that its tracks are part of the mythical layout of the Sebring International Raceway. At more than five miles, cut in the eighties to just over six, this is the oldest mixed track in the United States. A benchmark for endurance racing, since since 1952 it has been hosting the 12 Hours of Sebring with 1974 as the only year of absence.

In its history we find winners such as the Ferrari 250TR, Ford GT40, Porsche 907 or BMW 3.0 CSL. Mounts for pilots including Stirling Moss, Fangio, Phill Hill, Ken Miles, Mario Andretti, Bruce McLaren ...

A list with two very recent Spanish names, since the 2010 winner was Marc Gené, while the fastest lap to Sebring was marked by Fernando Alonso last 2019 with a Toyota TS050 hybrid. To all this Hispanic flavor is added the objective of unai ona, which was last March during the great meeting of classics Sebring Vintage Classic, a Speed ​​Tour Event.

sebring circuit

SEBRING VINTAGE CLASSIC: FLYING TO THE GROUND

In all outdoor sports, rain makes a huge difference. And it is that, while the most are annoyed and distressed at the danger that it represents, a few grow up in the face of adversity showing a mixture of skill and blind faith in their own luck. In cycling one of the most prominent was Paolo Savoldelli, so reckless that he earned the nickname of El Halcón for his heart attack descents even with the slippery road. In motorsports there is little to say about the transformation that Ayrton Senna underwent under the storms. There he is Monaco GP in 1984 to prove.

As you imagine, the truth is that we would have loved to see the Brazilian competing in a Sebring flooded by rain. Too bad that the track only hosted one F1 grand prix, specifically the 1959 one with Jack Brabham entering fourth position pushing his car in the last few meters due to a sudden fuel drain. Still, that allowed him to add the necessary points to win the championship that same day. Things of a regulation where no one had foreseen that the car could also be moved by the force of the pilot.

Rules aside, the truth is that when the rain makes an appearance in Sebring it is she who dictates the rules. Because a large part of the route sits on an airfield, the asphalt does not have slopes to ensure its drainage. Most of the surface is concrete, and strictly horizontal to give the least possible scares to the planes taking off. Outcome? An absolute flood when the tropical storms that usually hit Florida make their appearance. And if not, you just have to remember the tremendous pool over which the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1965.

A hotel with good views

SUNSET CURVE: FACING THE G-FORCES

Beyond what happens when the clouds appear over Sebring, this circuit is one of the most complex on the endurance calendar for two more reasons. The first is its disastrous firm. Completely bumpy by the wear of the cement, the imperfections do their thing when you cross the track at about 300 km / h. In addition, and in case the scares in stability and direction weren't enough, riders face another problem at Sebring: its layout. Yes, and it is that the alternation of fast straights with curves in which to close but without having to reduce completely is overwhelming.

Something that is seen, especially, when taking curves like 1 or 17, curiously the first and last of the circuit. Remembering the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1970, Mario Andretti claimed to have taken the first without braking. A feat only at the height of aces of the steering wheel, who know well how to regulate the accelerator to use the brake just enough. Of course, coming from a long exit straight with speeds of around 300 km / h, taking a sharp curve in this way but not as much as a chicane causes G-forces that place the car at the point of a constant skid.

Controlling that is one of the biggest challenges at Sebring, something Andretti did in that edition as one of the three drivers who achieved victory for Scuderia Ferrari. A skill that you also need when taking the Sunset curve, where after the Ullman Straight - located on a long take-off runway - you have to slow down just enough to take advantage of the amplitude of the turn without losing speed. In sum, a whole maze for skilled pilots and cars as fast as they are resistant. Not surprisingly, still bumpy and endowed with an underprivileged environment, the Sebring track has been one of the legends of American motorsport for decades.

What do you think?

avatar photo

Written by Miguel Sánchez

Through the news from La Escudería, we will travel the winding roads of Maranello listening to the roar of the Italian V12; We will travel Route66 in search of the power of the great American engines; we will get lost in the narrow English lanes tracking the elegance of their sports cars; We will speed up the braking in the curves of the Monte Carlo Rally and we will even get dusty in a garage while rescuing lost jewels.

Subscribe to the newsletter

Once a month in your mail.

Thanks a lot! Do not forget to confirm your subscription through the email that we have just sent you.

Something has gone wrong. Please try again.

60.2 kHappy fans
2.1 kFollowers
3.4 kFollowers
3.8 kFollowers