Fernandez disqualified from second

Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz had mounted a late-race charge that almost brought them onto the tail of winning Penske Porsche crew Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Emmanuel Collard, before taking the runner-up spot on the road.

Team co-owner Tom Anderson explained that a damaged air restrictor had led to the disqualification.

"By the rules, each class of engine has an air restrictor mandated by ALMS and only air that passes through this restrictor may be utilised by the engine," he explained.

"The rules require that if a plug were to be inserted into this restrictor, the engine would shut off if running or not start at all. The Acura engine in the No.15 Lowe's ARX passed the 'plug' test performed by HPD [Honda Performance Development] prior to the start of the race.

"However, when the test was performed by ALMS officials after the race, the engine did not shut off thereby disqualifying the car.

"It has been found that the carbon fibre air intake system which holds the restrictor had broken sometime during the 12-hour rough ride around the Sebring circuit, resulting in a leak which allowed the engine to continue to run when the plug was installed.

"Proper measures will be taken to ensure this problem will not occur again, and we will be back stronger than ever at the next race in St Petersburg."

Fernandez's disqualification moves Dyson Porsche's Butch Leitzinger, Andy Lally and Marino Franchitti up to second, and gives the LMP1-winning Audi of Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Dindo Capello an overall third place.