Garcia quickest in GTE Pro during two-driver qualifying session
SEBRING, Fla. (March 14, 2019) – Corvette Racing will roll off from the fifth position in the GTE Pro category for Friday’s FIA World Endurance Championship’s 1,000 Miles of Sebring – the team’s first of two races during the Super Sebring weekend.
Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen averaged a lap of 1:57.844 around the 3.74-mile, 17-turn Sebring International Raceway in the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R. Unlike single-driver qualifying in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, each FIA WEC entry averages the best lap time from two of its drivers.
Garcia set the best time of all GTE Pro drivers at 1:57.257 while a slight mechanical problem stymied Magnussen’s run. Despite that, there was reason for optimism in the Corvette Racing garage. Garcia also set the fastest time in the IMSA night practice session immediately before WEC qualifying.
It was the first time for Garcia and Magnussen, who are driving with Mike Rockenfeller in both the FIA WEC’s Sebring round and Saturday’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, to qualify in the two-driver system.
This is Corvette Racing’s third event in the FIA WEC’s “Super Season”, which began at June’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Corvette Racing also competed in the Six Hours of Shanghai in November. The pace of the No. 63 Corvette progressed through each of Wednesday’s two practices and Thursday afternoon’s final session.
The 1,000 Miles of Sebring will begin at 4 p.m. ET on Friday. MotorTrend Network will have live television coverage starting at 3:30 p.m.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It’s a little bit of a shame because the potential is right there. We had a small issue on Jan’s run and then with the red flag, we couldn’t put him back in for a better lap. But the potential is there in our Corvette, which is the main thing. We had a little bit of a chance to try a qualifying run in the IMSA night practice, and it felt really good then. It was the same here, so hopefully we’ll have a good Corvette for tomorrow.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It is an interesting way of doing it (WEC qualifying). I liked it. I think it’s fun that both guys get to go out there and have a go at it. Unfortunately my run wasn’t great due to a brake issue, which compromised my run a lot. But we got it fixed and Antonio got in and put down a couple of really, really good laps that brought our average up to be good enough for fifth. That’s really decent considering what we are up against. We are building on things. This Corvette doesn’t run that much. We have had some issues that we have been working through during the week and fixing them as they come. The next time we are in the car will be the race, so hopefully we will be problem-free.”
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