Pipo Derani said he’s thankful to be racing in 2024 and not in the 1960s after escaping injury in a high-speed accident that ended with his pole-sitting Action Express Racing Cadillac V-Series.R upside down.
The Brazilian, who was seeking his fifth Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring overall victory, crashed out of the lead in the seventh hour after contact with the No. 21 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 of Miguel Molina in Turn 10.
It sent the Dallara-chassied LMDh car hard into the tire barriers before coming to rest upside down.
“I’m alright,” said Derani. “The Dallara Cadillac is a strong car. It’s one of those days that things go upside down, literally.
“It’s just a shame because we had a really strong car and our race was going strong.
“There was nothing I could have done and the wall came pretty quickly. The moment I was headed to the wall I knew the race was over.
“[It was the] first time for me flipping a racer. Not the nicest feeling to be upside down until they can turn the car around.
“Good that I’m racing in 2024 and not in the ‘60s. I felt I was OK, just a little annoying when you try to open the door and you can’t. Luckily, everything was OK and the safety crew was there quite quickly and I was giving them signs I was OK.
“In general, I think the tire barrier got the most of the impact.”
Derani, who scored his second consecutive IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship pole on Friday, held a ten-plus second lead over the No. 7 Penske Porsche 963 of Felipe Nasr at the time of the accident.
“I was 12 seconds ahead, I think, and everything was running smooth,” he said. “We overtake thousands and thousands of cars. It’s one of those moments maybe he didn’t see, let go a little bit and there I was.
“Maybe I was expecting him to hold his line to the right; I was going to go on the left. It’s just one of those situations where it happens where you don’t have any chance at thinking or reacting.
“It’s part of multi-class racing.
“Our championship took a little hit with this one, but we have a strong car. We have more races to go. I wish I could have tried for my fifth win [at Sebring]. I’ll have to try again next year.”
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