The players in a crazy 2023 World Endurance Championship, the highlight of which will be the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, faced each other for the first time on the Sebring track on Saturday and Sunday. At the end of these two days of testing, it’s the new evolution of the Toyota GR010 HYBRID who proved to be the fastest, with a time of 1’48”208 signed by the #7 of the Conway-Kobayashi-Lopez trio in the first session, Saturday morning. The sister car, driven by Buemi, Hartley and Hirakawa, ranks just behind, only 8 thousandths. Toyota was also the most diligent team on the track with 587 cumulative laps for its two cars, against 433 for Porsche and 364 for Peugeot.
While Toyota has confirmed its favorite status, Cadillac has emerged as the main threat among newcomers. With a lap of 1’48”429, Earl Bamber (ociated with Lynn and Westbrook) set the best benchmark on Saturday afternoon and the third of the weekend behind the two Toyotas.
The two Porsches followed, then a Ferrari. The second 499P could not take to the track on Sunday due to a mechanical problem. The best of the Peugeots, the #94 of Duval-Menezes-Muller, lapped in 1’49”302. That of the Di Resta-Jensen-Vergne crew set its best benchmark of the weekend in 1’49”568. Vanwall and Glickenhaus bring up the rear of the Hypercar peloton.
All these beautiful people will return to the track on Wednesday for the first tests of the 1000 Miles of Sebring, the first round of the 2023 World Championship. The qualifications will take place on Thursday and the race on Friday.