Track guide for the Le Mans Virtual Series Sebring 500 race

The Sebring 500 is expected to be held over a duration of four hours as the world’s best online racers compete on the famous Florida circuit, renown for its bumps and tricky changes in track surface, which is a mix of asphalt and concrete.

Ahead of the next round of the online competition, a Sebring track guide comes to you in association with LEGO® Technic™ - the Official Engineering Partner to the Le Mans Virtual Series, featuring the stunning Porsche 911 RSR. Top speeds for the Porsche in the LM GTE class are expected to exceed 160mph (257km/h) on the 3.-74-mile circuit with an overall average lap speed of 105.4mph (169.6km/h).

Sebring has a number of challenging corners to look out for. As well as the high-speed and bumpy left-hander at Turn 1, drivers must ensure they get a good exit out of Turn 13 ‘Tower’ to carry their speed through the following straight and into the flat-out sweep at Turn 14.

The two best overtaking opportunities on the lap are after the short run out of ‘Big Bend’ Turn 6 and into the tight, right-handed ‘Hairpin' at Turn 7. While the most notorious place for a pass, which can often lead to contact between competitors, is at the end of the Ullman Straight and into the long-radius final corner Sunset Bend.

With a late apex and a bumpy track surface, drivers need to be conscious of a rival diving to the inside at this tricky 17th and final corner on the lap, particularly when there are other classes of car and the pitlane entry to negotiate at the same time.

The Sebring International Raceway is one of the oldest circuits in the US and as well as hosting its traditional 12-hour race every Spring, the Florida venue has in recent years hosted a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The first three rounds of the Le Mans Virtual Series have produced some thrilling races with events at Monza, Spa and the Nürburging. The previous round at the Nordschleife featured the biggest entry list yet with 114 racers competing across the 38 prototype and GTE entries. Last time out Team Redline drivers Felix Rosenqvist, Bono Huis and Collin Spork took top honours while Alex Smolyar, Timotej Andonovski and Martin Hemmingsen from TESLA R8G Esports took first place in the LM GTE category.

The Le Mans Virtual Series is a joint venture between Motorsport Games and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship and features LEGO® Technic™ as the Official Engineering Partner of the series.

The virtual competition is held over five rounds online using the rFactor 2 simulation platform, which offers an authentic sim-racing experience and features a field of LMP2 and GTE machines with a combination of FIA international-licence and sim drivers.

The final round of the series, the Le Mans 24 Hours Virtual, takes place on 15 January 2022 with a total prize fund of $250,000 up for grabs. You can watch the Sebring four hour race live on lemansvirtual.com or on Twitch, Facebook and YouTube, courtesy of Traxion.gg.