Race Red-Flagged for Accident Past Four-Hour Mark

The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring was briefly red flagged just past the four-hour mark after an accident involving two PC class cars. But at four hours and 22 minutes, though, the race was put back to yellow flag conditions.

David Ostella ran wide in the No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports Oreca FLM09 on the exit of Turn 17 and smacked the outside retaining wall. After the contact, his car careened into to the path of Frankie Montecalvo in the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca FLM09, who had nowhere to go.

Due to the accident and time needed for repairs, IMSA put the field under a red flag at the four hour and 14 minute mark.

Both drivers climbed from the car under their own power and were taken to the infield care center.

Up front, the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP was assessed a stop-and-hold plus 60-second penalty for entering the pit lane after it closed. That dropped Max Angelelli from outside the top three to outside the top 10.

Meanwhile, on a restart just before the clock hit four hours, Sage Karam passed Angelelli on the outside of Turn 1, then later in the lap passed Sebastien Bourdais to the inside on Turn 10. That propelled the No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing Ford EcoBoost Riley back to the lead.

Other leaders at the four-hour mark, where points are awarded for the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup, included the PR1’s No. 52 in PC, the No. 91 SRT Motorsports SRT Viper GTS-R (GTLM) and No. 94 Turner Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3 (GTD).

The BMW returned to the lead in class of GTD courtesy of strategy called by team strategist Don Salama.

Besides Ganassi and Turner BMW, other class leaders at the red flag were the No. 4 Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R (GTLM) and No. 09 RSR Racing Oreca FLM09 (PC).

Two other GTLM cars had issues within the last hour. The No. 56 BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE pitted for extended repairs, to fix the nose, a puncture and the splitter on the car. Meanwhile the repaired No. 3 Corvette C7.R had a flat left rear tire when the caution flew.