The first round of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship took place in the USA last weekend, with ELMS drivers both past and present filling many of the podium places at the end of the 1000 miles of Sebring.
In the Hypercar category, the no7 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 hybrid triumphed at the end of a gruelling 8 hours of racing, with 2021 World Champion Jose Maria Lopez, who will race for Cool Racing this season in the ELMS, standing on the top step of the podium. Former ELMS winner Brendon Hartley finished second for Toyota, with former ELMS LMGTE Champions Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen finishing third for Ferrari on their Hypercar debut.
2021 ELMS LMP2 Champion Yifei Ye stood on the top step of the LMP2 podium in Sebring alongside his teammate and ELMS race winner Will Stevens in the no48 Hertz Team JOTA Oreca. United Autosports finished second with 2020 ELMS champions Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque and reigning ELMS Team Champions Prema Racing finishing third in LMP2, with ELMS race winner Doriane Pin taking a podium on her debut for the Italian team.
Reigning LMGTE Champion Christian Ried finished second in the LMGTE AM category, alongside his 2022 ELMS teammate Julien Andlauer.
For the full report from the 1000 Miles of Sebring visit www.fiawec.com.
IMAGE: LMP2 Podium after the 1000 Miles of Sebring
