24h Le Mans
CELEBRITIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FOND OF THE 12 HOURS OF SEBRING, BUT FEW HAVE HAD THE HONOUR OF GIVING THEIR NAME TO A PORTION OF THE CIRCUIT. HERE ARE TEN NAMES TO HELP MEMORISE THE LAYOUT OF THE OLDEST ROAD COURSE IN THE USA, WHERE THE FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP WILL BE LAUNCHED ON 17TH MARCH.
Gurney Bend (turn 6) named in honour of Dan Gurney, who won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1959 as a driver and in 1992 and 1993 as a team owner. Star of the 60s, the American is still the only driver in history to win in Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar and endurance racing.
Fangio Chicane (between turns 8 and 9): Juan Manuel Fangio dominated the 12 Hours of Sebring twice in 1956 and 1957, the only races that the Argentinan driver won on American soil.
Cunningham Corner (turn 10): Briggs Cunningham, who won the America's Cup sailing, then turned to motorsport and took three consecutive wins at Sebring between 1953, 54 and 55 as team owner. His was the first American team to enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans after World War II.
Collier Curve (turn 11): Named in honour of Sam Collier, an American Navy pilot during WW2, who was killed in an accident while leading the Watkins Glen Grand Prix only a few months before the first race at Sebring in 1950. He was jointly responsible for the layout of the circuit, but died before he could race there.
Flying Fortress straight (between turns 13 and 14): The circuit began its career as 'Hendricks Field', a USAF training base for B-17 Flying Fortresses during World War II.
Bishop Curve (turn 14): John Bishop, founder of the International MotorSports Association (IMSA), worked to keep the 12 Hours of Sebring alive in 1973 when the race was dropped from the FIA World Championship.
Gendebien Curve (turn 15): Belgian Olivier Gendebien, three times winner of Le Mans 24 Hours and the only driver to win the 12 Hours of Sebring three times in a row between 1959 and 1961.
Le Mans Curve (turn 16): in honour of the 24 Hours of Le Mans that was the inspiration for the 12 hours of Sebring.
Ulmann Straight (between turns 16 and 17): the long straight back to the stands is named Alec Ulmann, founder of the circuit and organizer of the first 12 Hours of Sebring.
Sunset Bend (turn 17): Drivers approach this corner facing the setting sun in the later part of the race.
17 turns on a 3.7 mile (5.95 km) circuit where cars lap between 300 and 400 times in the 12 Hours of Sebring. The drivers know the track by heart, but traffic makes each lap different and everyone knows that at Sebring, "Anything Can Happen".
Cecile Bonardel
