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Audi braced for 'emotional' Sebring 12 Hours

Audi believes this year's Sebring 12 Hours will be an emotional occasion as the firm prepares to enter the race for the final time with LMP1 machinery.

Audi believes this year's Sebring 12 Hours will be an emotional occasion as the firm prepares to enter the race for the final time with LMP1 machinery.

The German manufacturer has scored 10 wins in the American event, which it first entered in 1999.

LMP1 cars will not be eligible at Sebring after this season, as the race will form part of the unified sportscar series (when the American Le Mans Series merges with Grand-Am) from 2014.

"Without a shadow of a doubt it'll be an emotional race weekend for us," said head of Audi motorsport Wolfgang Ullrich.

"Sebring and its fantastic fans enjoy a very special status in both our motorsport and LMP history.

"It was always a fixed date in our motorsport calendar since the beginning of our sportscar programme in 1999.

"The race will once again be the perfect dress rehearsal for the forthcoming WEC season and the 24-hour race at Le Mans."

Team Joest technical director Ralf Juttner added: "We travel to Sebring a little downhearted. It's a real shame that LMP1 sportscars will not be allowed to start anymore in this legendary race."

Audi will take two cars to Sebring, including one 2013-specification R18 (pictured above) for Lucas di Grassi, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish.

WEC champions and Le Mans winners Marcel Fassler and Benoit Treluyer will drive a 2012-spec car, with Oliver Jarvis completing the line-up.

McNish, who has four Sebring wins to his name, said he was pleased that Audi decided to keep the race on its 2013 schedule even though it is not part of the world championship.

"It was really great news when I heard that Audi would race at Sebring in 2013," he said. "This race is an important part of our sportscar history.

"That there is also a hint of goodbye hanging over the event gives the whole thing a special touch.

"Just like the entire team, I will do my utmost to bid Sebring farewell with a win. That would make me very proud."

AUDI AT SEBRING IN NUMBERS:

10 victories
3 deficit in laps to winning BMW on debut of R8R in 1999
32 participations
1 retirements
7 one-two finishes
1 times Audi has missed Sebring since 1999 (2010)

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