Bourdais Leads Second Hour as Negri Accident Occurs at Sebring

Sebastien Bourdais, in the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP, leads the 63rd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at the two-hour mark, with the race now under its second full-course caution.

Ozz Negri, who had qualified fourth, was trying to make his way back through the field after an earlier pit stop to adjust the suspension in the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Ligier JS P2 Honda.

But when trying to pass Bryan Sellers in the No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR going through Turn 14, Negri clipped the curb on entry and spun into the tire barriers, with the car incurring significant left side damage.

Negri got out of the car and was checked and released from the infield care center, but the car itself was taken back to the paddock on the flatbed. Negri is co-driving with John Pew and Justin Wilson.

While the Negri accident put the race under caution, it wasn’t the only incident under the yellow.

The No. 8 Starworks Motorsport Oreca FLM09, down to a three-driver lineup with Mike Hedlund unavailable last-minute due to unexpected business commitments, was hit for the second time in the race during the yellow.

The Starworks team reported the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT America collected it under yellow, which sent the car back to the pits. Contact had occurred between the No. 8 car and the No. 07 SpeedSource Mazda on the warmup lap, and sent Starworks driver Alex Popow in for an unscheduled pit stop before the green.

Meanwhile, the No. 57 Krohn Racing Ligier JS P2 Judd and No. 16 BAR1 Motorsports Oreca FLM09 collided on pit lane. The No. 16 car was issued a drive-through penalty for a pit traffic violation, per IMSA.

Under the yellow and with the second round of pit stops complete, the order has changed up front.

Class leaders include Bourdais in Prototype, Mike Guasch (No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports) in PC, Nick Tandy (No. 911 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR) in GTLM and Boris Said (No. 97 Turner Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3) in GTD.

Bourdais assumed the lead from the prior leader, Ryan Dalziel, in the No. 1 Tequila Patron ESM HPD ARX-03b. Dalziel has handed off his car to David Heinemeier Hansson.

Porsche and Corvette have battled for the lead in GTLM, and GTD has seen the Turner BMW quietly move to the front on strategy after the Porsche 911 GT Americas have been dominant early on pace.

The No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Audi R8 LMS is the race’s first official retirement with mechanical issues.