Malthe Jakobsen and Crowdstrike Racing looked set to take victory in the LMP2 class at this year’s 12 Hours of Sebring, but a small mistake cost them dearly with just eight laps remaining.
Along with teammates Toby Sowery and George Kurtz, the speedy Dane had looked like the best bet for a winning LMP2 car at Sebring for most of the race. During his first stint in the car, Malthe Jakobsen managed to drive the car from the centre of the field to the class lead. Both teammates followed up with fast and consistent driving that only emphasised the potential of the Crowdstrike racer.
However, with eight laps left in the race, Malthe Jakobsen had a mishap when, while overtaking a car in the GTD class, he hit the slower car and went off the track. There was no major damage to the Crowdstrike Racing car, but the stewards assessed a drive through penalty for the offence – and in a split second all hope of victory was gone.
Malthe Jakobsen and Crowdstrike Racing settled for sixth place in the LMP2 class, and the disappointment after such a lap is palpable:
– “I’m so disappointed, fed up and angry with myself. It was a misjudgement on my part and that’s simply not good enough. The team has again delivered a flawless car and bulletproof strategy, Toby and George have done great and solid stints – so this one hurts. It will take a few days before the disappointment disappears,” says Malthe Jakobsen after the race.
– “This is a professional team and we all agree that mistakes happen – especially after 11 hours and 45 minutes of racing on a track like Sebring. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m really, really tired of it,” he continues.
The next race on Malthe Jakobsen’s calendar is the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at Imola.
