Brabham thrilled with rebuilt car

The American Le Mans Series LMP1 points leading team had to completely rebuild its car after the crash, which saw Sharp roll into the fence at high speed having made contact with the Farnbacher Loles GT2 Porsche.

The team started from the back after missing qualifying, but Brabham came through the field to fifth in the first stint, and the car remains sixth in Sharp's hands.

"It's fine. The car is working completely fine," Brabham told AUTOSPORT. "I did the job I was supposed to do and I'm very happy with that. I think I got up to fifth or sixth at one point in the pitstops.

"The only problem we had was with the TC [traction control] which began to drop off through the stint and I had to go further down the dial and then you get a bit nervous in these conditions.

"We put the slicks on and the car is actually handling pretty well actually, which is incredible."

Highcroft could leave Road Atlanta on the verge of clinching the championship as the title rival De Ferran Acura is back in 10th in class following two accidents - the first coming when Intersport Lola driver Jon Field slid into Gil de Ferran while being lapped, and then when Scott Dixon veered into the tyre wall at Turn 5.

Brabham said Highcroft was now aiming for a safe finish to bolster its current 17-point lead.

"The aim is stay of trouble, stay consistent and stay in the groove," he said. "All of a sudden we got up to P5 and sort of came to us, which is what we wanted to achieve.

"The idea is to finish, the car is in good shape and we can push relatively hard without any drama."