Works Audi restores Sebring status quo

Monday's test had seen the privateer Audi of Stefan Johansson pipping the duo of works R8s for fastest. But Pirro restored order with a 1m48.708s (122.530mph) lap of the central Florida airfield circuit, set in the closing minutes of the session.

The official lap record of 1m48.825s (122.390mph) is held by Pirro's team mate Frank Biela. Last year, Biela, Pirro and Tom Kristensen shared the winning Audi R8 in the enduro classic and are re-united for this Saturday's race.

Official practice and qualifying begin on Wednesday, with a second round of qualifying set for Thursday. Forty cars are expected to start the race at 10:40 local time (15:40 GMT), and 34 were on the track on Tuesday.

The privateer Audi R8 of Dorsey Schroeder, Andy Wallace and Ralf Kelleners was second-fastest on Tuesday at 120.441mph, while the second factory Audi driven by Rinaldo Capello, Laurent Aiello and Michele Alboreto was third at 120.296mph. Monday's fastest car, the Audi driven by Stefan Johansson and Guy Smith, was fourth-fastest at 119.941mph.

A new Saleen S7R driven by Terry Borcheller, Franz Konrad and Oliver Gavin was the fastest car in the GTS class on Tuesday with a lap of 109.901mph (2m01.200s).

The Chevrolet Corvette C5-R of Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins and Franck Freon was second at 109.004mph (2m02.411s), followed by another Corvette driven by Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell and Chris Kneifel at 108.814mph (2m02.411s).

Leading the GT class was the Porsche 911 GT3 RS driven by Sascha Maassen, Lucas Luhr and Emmanuel Collard at 104.935mph (2m06.936s), which was also an unofficial class record speed.

The Porsche 911 GT3 RS driven by Randy Pobst, Christian Menzel and Timo Bernhard was second at 104.080mph (2m07.978s), followed by the BMW M3 of Niclas Jonsson, Bill Auberlen and Brian Cunningham at 103.828mph (2m08.289s).