# 1961 12 Hours of Sebring

The Sebring 12-Hour Florida International Grand Prix of Endurance for the Alitalia Group took place on 25 March 1961, on the Sebring International Raceway, (Florida, United States). It was the opening round of the F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship. This was also the second round of the F.I.A. GT Cup.

## Report
### Entry

A massive total of 74 racing cars were registered for this event, of which 67 arrived for practice. Out of these, 65 qualified for, and started the race.

### Qualifying

As was the norm for Sebring and because there was no qualifying sessions to set the grid, the starting positions were decided according to engine size with the 4.6 litre Chevrolet Corvette C1 of Don Yenko and Ben Moore being given first place.

### Race

Most of the 40,000 spectators expected Phil Hill to win the race in his Ferrari 250 TRI/61, provided the car lasted the distance.
Stirling Moss had a bad start due to his Maserati Tipo 61 having problems starting as the battery was flat. It took the Englishman over six minutes to coax the car into life. However, after driving flat out for two hours, he handed the car over to Graham Hill. During the third hour, the car was withdrawn as it exhaust system fell apart.
After 12 hours of racing, the race was won the Sefac Automobile Ferrari of Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien, two laps clear of their teammates. Giancarlo Baghetti, Willy Mairesse, Richie Ginther and Wolfgang von Trips. The winning cars, completed 210 laps, covering 1,081.6 miles after 12 hours of racing, averaging a speed of 89.861 mph. The podium was complete by another Ferrari of Pedro Rodríguez (racing driver) and his brother Ricardo who were a further lap behind.

## Official Classification

Class Winners are in Bold text.
| Pos | No | Class | Driver | Driver | Entrant | Chassis | Laps | Reason Out |
| 1st | 14 | S3.0 | Phil Hill | Olivier Gendebien | Sefac Automobile Ferrari | Ferrari 250 TRI/61 | 12hr 02:11.00, 210 | |
| 2nd | 415 | S3.0 | Giancarlo Baghetti Richie Ginther | Willy Mairesse Wolfgang von Trips | Sefac Automobile Ferrari | Ferrari 250 TRI/60 | 208 | |
| 3rd | 17 | S3.0 | Pedro Rodríguez | Ricardo Rodríguez | NART | Ferrari 250 TR 59/60 | 207 | |
| 4th | 10 | S3.0 | Hap Sharp | Ronnie Hissom | Hap Sharp | Ferrari 250 TR 59 | 203 | |
| 5th | 51 | S1.6 | Bob Holbert | Roger Penske | Brumos Porsche Company | Porsche 718 RS 61 | 199 | |
| 6th | 22 | S2.5 | Jim Hall | George Constantine | NART | Dino 246 S | 199 | |
| 7th | 47 | S1.6 | Don Sesslar Ernie Erickson | Bob Donner | Bob Donner | Porsche 718 RS 61 | 199 | |
| 8th | 16 | S3.0 | George Reed | Bill Sturgis | McCook Window Company | Ferrari 250 TR 59/60 | 196 | |
| 9th | 39 | S1.6 | Peter Ryan Ludwig Heimrath | Francis Bradley | Eglinton Caledonia Motors | Porsche 718 RS 61 | 189 | |
| 10th | 12 | GT3.0 | Denise McCluggage | Allen Eager | Denise McCluggage | Ferrari 250 GT SWB | 183 | |
| 11th | 4 | GT+3.0 | Delmo Johnson | Dave Morgan | Johnson Chevrolet | Chevrolet Corvette C1 | 181 | |
| 12th | 18 | GT3.0 | Gaston Andrey Robert Publicker | Allen Newman | Scuderia Serenissima | Ferrari 250 GT California | 180 | |
| 13th | 64 | S1.15 | Charles Kurtz | Millard Ripley | Lola America | Lola-Climax Mk.1 | 179 | |
| 14th | 44 | GT1.6 | Jack Flaherty | Jim Parkinson | British Motors Corp. (USA) | MG A | 175 | |
| 15th | 66 | S1.15 | Joe Buzzetta | Glenn Carlson | Donald Healey | Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite | 174 | |
| 16th | 43 | GT1.6 | Peter RIley | John Whitmore | British Motors Corp. (USA) | MG A | 173 | |
| 17th | 42 | GT1.6 | Peter Procter Bob Olthoff | Peter Harper | Jack Brabhams Motors | Sunbeam Alpine | 173 | |
| 18th | 37 | S2.0 | William Helburn John Fulp | Skip Hudson | NART | Dino 196 S | 173 | |
| 19th | 31 | S2.0 | Briggs Cunningham Walt Hansgen | William Kimberly | Momo Corporation | Maserati Tipo 60 | 171 | |
| 20th | 71 | S850 | George Peck Bob Richardson | John Hoffman | Clearwater Motors | Osca S750 | 171 | |
| 20th | 32 | GT2.0 | Max Goldman | Ralph Durbin | S. H. Arnolt | Arnolt Deluxe | 166 | |
| 22nd | 83 | GT+3.0 | Bud Gates | Harry Heuer | Chevrolet Corvette C | Bud Gates, Inc. | 166 | |
| 23rd | 87 | GT2.0 | Bud Seaverns | Robert Hil | S. H. Arnolt | Arnolt Deluxe | 164 | |
| 24th | 33 | GT2.0 | Tom Payne | Ray Cuomo | S. H. Arnolt | Arnolt Deluxe | 163 | |
| 25th | 65 | S1.15 | Ed Leavens | John Colgate | Donald Healey | Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite | 161 | |
| 26th | 30 | GT2.0 | Al Rogers | James Bailey | Salter Auto Imports | Morgan 4/4 | 156 | |
| 27th | 58 | GT1.3 | Ross Durant | Art Swanson | Arthur Swanson | Alfa Romeo Giuletta Veloce | 155 | |
| 28th | 60 | GT1.3 | Fred van Beuren | Carlos Sales | Autosport S. A. | Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale | 155 | |
| 29th | 26 | GT2.0 | Ike Williamson | George Waltman | George Waltman | Triumph TR3 | 154 | |
| 30th | 29 | GT2.0 | James Rushin | Don Parsons | Suburban Foreign Cars | Triumph TR3 | 153 | |
| 31st | 55 | GT1.6 | Filippo Theodoli | Freddie Barrette | Filippo Theodoli | Sunbeam Alpine | 153 | |
| 32nd | 1 | GT+3.0 | Don Yenko | Ben Moore | Yenko Chevrolet | Chevrolet Corvette C1 | 151 | |
| 33rd | 59 | GT1.3 | Allan Jacobson Jim O'Brien | Tom O'Brien | Thomas O'Brien | Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale | 151 | |
| 34th | 40 | GT1.6 | Paddy Hopkirk | Peter Jopp | Rootes Motors, Inc. | Sunbeam Alpine | 149 | |
| 35th | 46 | GT1.6 | Ed Gelder Bill Fuller | Peggy McClure | Carl Haas Automotive | Elva Courier | 149 | |
| 36th | 45 | GT1.6 | Don Horn | Ed Tucker | Carl Haas Automotive | Elva Courier | 144 | |
| 37th | 67 | S1.15 | Cyril Simson | Paul Hawkins | John Sprinzel | Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite | 144 | |
| NC | 3 | S1.6 | George Robertson Bill Warren | Ben Burroughs | Red Vogt | Chevrolet Corvette C1 | 133 | |
| DNF | 50 | S2.0 | Hans Herrmann | Edgar Barth | Porsche Auto | Porsche 718 RS 61 | | Engine |
| DNF | 60 | S2.0 | Jo Bonnier | Dan Gurney | Porsche Auto | Porsche 718 RS 61 | | Clutch |
| DNF | 57 | GT1.3 | Ralph Troiano | Harry Theodoracopulos | Lou Comito | Alfa Romeo Giulietta Zagato | 103 | |
| NC | 80 | S1.15 | Lars Giertz | Bob Liess | Abarth DFL Co. | Fiat-Abarth Record Monza | 110 | Water & oil leak |
| DISQ | 56 | GT1.3 | Charlie Rainville | Jake Kaplan | Jake Kaplan | Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale | | Illegal refuel |
| DNF | 25 | S3.0 | Dave Causey | Luke Stear | Rallye Motors | Maserati Tipo 61 | | |
| DNF | 68 | S1.15 | L. Fritz Taylor | James Calhoun | Abarth DFL Co. | Fiat-Abrath 1000 S | | Broken head stud |
| DNF | 63 | S1.15 | Chuck Hall | Alan Ross | Lola America | Lola-Climax Mk.1 | | Ignition failure |
| DNF | 26 | S2.5 | Ed Hugus | Alan Connell | NART | Dino 246 S | | Transmission |
| DNF | 69 | S850 | David Cunningham Tom Fleming | Kent Price | NART | Osca S1000 | | Transmission |
| DNF | 20 | S3.0 | Walt Hansgen | Bruce McLaren | Momo Corporation | Maserati Tipo 63 | | Rear axle |
| DNF | 8 | GT+3.0 | Sherman Decker | Bob Bucher | David Ash | Aston Martin DB4 GT | | Broken hub |
| DNF | 48 | S1.6 | Chuck Cassel | David Lane | Association Automovilisti Santaneca | Porsche 718 RS 61 | | Blown engine |
| DNF | 36 | GT2.0 | Frank Laughton | Robert Bowers | A.C. Cars Ltd. | AC Ace | | |
| DNF | 70 | S850 | Gene Beach John Bentley | Henry Grady | Begra Cars | Begra-Saab Mk II | | Engine |
| DNF | 11 | GT3.0 | Fernand Tavano | George Arents | Scuderia Serenissima | Ferrari 250 GT SWB | | Differential |
| DNF | 7 | GT+3.0 | Bob Grossman | Duncan Black | David Ash | Aston Martin DB4 GT | | Broken hub |
| DNF | 2 | GT+3.0 | Roy Reardon | John Kilbourn | Yenko Chervrolet | Chevrolet Corvette C1 | | Blown engine |
| DNF | 24 | S3.0 | Masten Gregory Stirling Moss | Lloyd Casner | Camoradi USA | Maserati Tipo 63 | | Suspension |
| DNF | 27 | S2.5 | Richie Ginther | Wolfgang von Trips | Sefac Automobile Ferrari | Ferrari 246 SP | | Steering arm |
| DNF | 41 | GT1.6 | Ed Wilson | Vince Tamburo | Rootes Motors, Inc. | Sunbeam Alpine | | Oil leak |
| DNF | 21 | S3.0 | John Fitch | Dick Thompson | Mono Corporation | Maserati Tipo 61 | | Transmission |
| DNF | 23 | S3.0 | Stirling Moss | Graham Hill | Camoradi USA | Maserati Tipo 61 | | Exhaust manifold |
| DNF | 38 | S1.6 | Bill Wuesthoff | Augie Pabst | Porsche Car Import | Porsche 718 RS 60 | | Main seal |
| DNF | 35 | GT2.0 | Leo May | James Johnston | A.C. Cars Ltd. | AC Ace | | Accident |
| DNF | 72 | S850 | Howard Hanna | Frank Manley | YBH Sales | D.B. Le Mans | | Valve failure |
| DNF | 9 | S3.0 | Pete Lovely | Jack Nethercutt | Jack Nethercutt | Ferrari 250 TR 59 | | Oil pump |
| DNS | 5 | GT+3.0 | Jack Moore | Bob Johnson | Glenn Campbell Chevrolet | Chevrolet Corvette C1 | | Reserve |
| DNS | 53 | S2.5 | Robert Publicker | Charlie Kolb | Robert Publicker | Lotus-Climax 19 | | Engine |
| DNS | 86 | S1.6 | Herb Swan | Ed Johnson | Lester Castings | Porsche 718 RSK | | Reserve |
| DNS | 1P | GT3.0 | | | Yenko Chevrolet | Chevrolet Corvette C1 | | T-car |
* Fastest Lap: Stirling Moss, 3:13.2secs (96.894 mph)

### Class Winners

| Class | Winners | | |
| Sports 3000 – Class S-12 | 14 | Ferrari 250 TRI/61 | Hill / Gendebien |
| Sports 2500 – Class S-11 | 22 | Dino 246 S | Hall / Constantine |
| Sports 2000 – Class S-10 | 37 | Dino 196 S | Helburn / Hudson / Fulp |
| Sports 1600 – Class S-9 | 51 | Porsche 718 RS 61 | Holbert / Penske |
| Sports 1150 – Class S-7 | 64 | Lola-Climax Mk.1 | Kurtz / Ripley |
| Sports 850 – Class S-5 | 71 | Osca S750 | Peck / Hoffman / Richardson |
| Grand Touring +3000 – Class GT-13/15 | 4 | Chevrolet Corvette C1 | Johnson / Morgan |
| Grand Touring 3000 – Class GT-11/12 | 12 | Ferrari 250 GT SWB | McCluggage / Eager |
| Grand Touring 2000 – Class GT-10 | 32 | Arnolt Deluxe | Goldman / Durbin |
| Grand Touring 1600 – Class GT-9 | 44 | MGA | Flaherty / Parkinson |
| Grand Touring 1300 – Class GT-8 | 58 | Alfa Romeo Giuletta Spider Veloce | Durant / Swanson |

## Standings after the race

| Pos | Championship | Points |
| 1 | Ferrari | 8 |
| 2 | Porsche | 2 |
* Note: Only the top five positions are included in this set of standings.
Championship points were awarded for the first six places in each race in the order of 8-6-4-3-2-1. Manufacturers were only awarded points for their highest finishing car with no points awarded for positions filled by additional cars. Only the best 3 results out of the 5 races could be retained by each manufacturer. Points earned but not counted towards the championship totals are listed within brackets in the above table.