12Hours of Sebring Photos
-
- Lexus Racing
-
- Lexus 3GT Racing at Sebring
-
- Lexus at Sebring International Raceway
3GT Racing will start P3, P4 at 12Hours of Sebring race
EBRING, Fla. (March 16, 2018) – 3GT Racing’s Lexus RC F GT3s earned top starting positions for tomorrow’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway, during Friday’s GTD qualifying session. The No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 will start P3, with driver Jack Hawksworth at the wheel.
Hawksworth had a fastest lap of 1:59:251 during the 15-minute session. Only a fraction of a second behind Hawksworth was Dominik Baumann, driving the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3. Baumann, who had a fastest lap of 1:59:476, will start the race P4.
3GT Racing’s Managing Partner, Paul Gentilozzi, said that it isn’t often that a team gets a chance, during an endurance race weekend, to go as hard as the car will go.
“I think it was an opportunity to let our two gold drivers really maximize the cars’ performance,” he said. “They did it well. And the conditions were just near perfect. So, we’re very happy.”
Baumann, who had his first race in the U.S. at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January, said the team did a few improvements after the morning session and he was happy with the outcome.
“During qualifying the car felt really good,” the Austrian driver said. “We did our job and now we are at the front. It’s a really good starting position.”
Baumann will share driving duties in the No. 14 with Kyle Marcelli and Philipp Frommenwiler. David Heinemeier Hansson and Sean Rayhall will drive with Hawksworth in the No. 15.
Hawksworth said the balance of the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 felt great during the qualifying session.
“The car felt really good,” he said. “Obviously, this track position gives us a good shot in the beginning of the race, putting us up front with the leaders. It’s definitely an advantage that we’re happy to have.”
You can watch the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring race, live on FS1, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 17; from 12:30 to 3:40 p.m. on FS2; and for the checkered flag, from 6 to 11 p.m. on FS2. The 12-hour race is 10:40 a.m. to 10:40 p.m.
About 3GT Racing:
3GT Racing was formed to race the Lexus RC F GT3. Owned and operated by five-time Trans-Am Series Champion, Paul Gentilozzi and his longtime partners, Tony and John Gentilozzi. The East Lansing, Michigan-based team principals have been involved in motorsports for more than 48 years and have claimed more than 75 victories and 15 manufacturer and driver championships.
Sean Rayhall joins 3GT Racing for IMSA endurance race at Sebring
EAST LANSING, Mich. (Feb. 16, 2018) – Sean Rayhall will join the 3GT Racing team of drivers in the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida on March 17.
Rayhall said he’s looking forward to partnering with the No. 15 drivers, Jack Hawksworth and David Heinemeier Hansson.
Sean Rayhall
“Me and Jack actually had some really good fights racing LMPC in 2014,” Rayhall said. “I have a lot of respect for Jack. We’ve done a little open wheel, and both ended up in sports car racing. It’s going to be a lot of fun to race with him.”
Rayhall, 22, accumulated numerous career firsts in his early days of racing, including being named the youngest open-wheel National event race winner in 2009 at age of 13. He moved to racing sports cars in 2013 and earned 12 podiums in 14 races. In 2015, he began racing Prototype Challenge and continued racing PC through 2017. He earned two wins after his Indy Lights debut in 2015 and last year, after two wins during the European Le Mans series, claimed the championship.
“I’ve never been a full-time guy,” he said. “I’m the guy who gets thrown in for half a season; and that’s why this works.”
Rayhall said he’s long been an admirer of 3GT Racing’s Managing Partner, Paul Gentilozzi, having competed against Gentilozzi teams since 2013.
“I think I’ve always wanted to be a part of Paul’s program,” Rayhall said. “They’ve been such fierce competitors and I wanted to join with them after seeing Lexus come to life at the end of last year. Then at Daytona you could see the car was really getting in a stride. Now I’m looking forward to competing for podiums at Sebring and Petit Le Mans.”
Gentilozzi said that it has always been on his mind to have Rayhall as part of the team.
“We’ve driven against Sean for a number of years and always respected his ability as a competitor,” Gentilozzi said. “We are glad that we have the opportunity to feature him in the Lexus RC F GT3.”
Dominik Baumann and Kyle Marcelli will pilot the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3.
There are four endurance races in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series. Last month’s Rolex 24, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida at Sebring International Raceway on March 17, Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen International on July 1 and Motul Petit Le Mans in Braselton, Ga. on Oct. 13.
About 3GT Racing
3GT Racing was formed to race the Lexus RC F GT3. Owned and operated by five-time Trans-Am Series Champion, Paul Gentilozzi and his longtime partners, Tony and John Gentilozzi. The East Lansing, Michigan-based team principals have been involved in motorsports for more than 48 years and have claimed more than 75 victories and 15 manufacturer and driver championships.
