Circuit guide to Sebring
Discover the thrills of the Sebring racetrack in all its glory. Experience dramatic twists, turns and more in the 1000 miles of Sebring.
Learn the unique features of the track for when the World Endurance Championship (WEC) rolls into town. Get up to speed with what makes this circuit so special in this Hertz guide.
Where is Sebring?
Sebring represents the beginning of spring for many fans – with the smell of orange blossoms in the air and the sound of legendary sports cars on the track. Called “The City on the Circle”, you can find Sebring off Highway 98, two miles east of Highway 27.
Sebring is just a two hour drive from Orlando, Tampa Bay and most of Central and Southern Florida. So it’s easy to plan a road trip around your motorsports adventure.
Once you’ve got your thrills you can take a wider visit of the Sebring area. Explore the historic district, enjoy retail therapy at the boutique and gallery shopping spots and enjoy a whole host of parks and lakes.
Sebring – what you need to know
Sebring became famous as the home of the 12-hour Sebring race after it first took place in 1952. It has since become a hub for motorsports fans. In 2023, the 1000-mile WEC race was held on Friday 17th March and the 12-hour Sebring race on Saturday 18th March.
Key features and challenges
The Sebring racetrack is built on the runways and connecting roads of a former US Army Air Base and is now one of the oldest continuously operating circuits in the USA.
The Sebring WEC race has 17 turns and is 3.7 miles in length. It’s known for having notorious bumps that can cause the cars to bounce as they speed around the track, so this is a circuit not to be taken lightly. Car reliability can suffer in these rough conditions so it’s a real challenge for the drivers.
Track sector 1
The start-finish straight allows drivers to reach high speeds before applying a dab of the brakes and a confident turn into the first left hand corner, using all the downforce available. Turns 2 through 5 is a much slower left-right-left sequence that tests tire grip. Turn 6 sweeps gradually to the right and offers a chance to accelerate hard.
Track sector 2
The tight right-hand hairpin of Turn 7 demands hard braking to avoid overshooting the corner, but this then opens into the flowing Turns 8 and 9 – some of the fastest bends of the circuit where speeds can exceed 130 mph.
Turn 10 poses a 90-degree right, so braking points and finding the apex are key to maintaining as much speed as possible into the moderate speed left and right of Turns 11 and 12. The final challenge of this section is another 90-degree corner in Turn 13.
Track sector 3
The long drag down to Turn 14 allows drivers to pick up serious speed and take the two slight left-hand kinks at over 150 mph. Intelligent braking and a good racing line into the moderately fast rights of Turns 15 and 16 is key to keeping lap times down.
Carrying momentum here means race cars can maximise the high-speed potential of the final straight, where the bravest of drivers will hit 180 mph. The fast, long right-hand corner of Turn 17 tests both man and machine to the limit, before they emerge once again onto the start-finish straight to complete another lap.
The WEC race ends when the winner has competed 1000 miles, which equates to roughly 268 laps, or once eight hours has passed.
Main spectator stands
Sebring’s 348-acre facility is like no other. As you enter the circuit you’ll be led to the Midway, which is the “Main Street” and is a thriving hub of activity from food vendors all the way to manufacturer displays.
For those after a bit of a fun, the Green Park section is famous for partying. You’ll find lots of themed campsites with plenty of food and drink. But not to worry if you have kids, Sebring also has a lovely family atmosphere – children under 12 can enter for free.
Bear in mind that there is not much shade as a spectator, so you should make sure to take suncream and hats.
Viewing spots
There are a few grandstands and viewing mounds, but many fans prefer to walk around the track and watch the action from the turns. The grandstands are situated at Turn 3, Turn 7 and Turn 17 – all great spots to catch the action.
Sebring facts and stats
Sebring circuit is a haven for motorsport enthusiasts. Home to two of the most exciting races, on the same weekend, it’s no wonder that thousands make the journey each year. Here are some of the main Sebring facts to get you up to speed:
- The first time that Sebring was in the WEC was 2012. It also featured again in 2019, 2022 and 2023 – the races in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to COVID-19. It drops off the WEC schedule for 2024, as it’s getting replaced by The Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
- The length of the race is 1000 miles, or as many as can be completed in eight hours.
- The racetrack has 17 turns.
1000 miles of Sebring 2023 results
- 1st place – Toyoto Gazoo Racing with Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Joes Maria Lopez.
- 2nd place – Toyoto Gazoo Racing with Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa.
- 3rd place – Ferrari AF Corse with Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen.
Hertz Team Jota finished in 7th place with David Beckmann, Yifei Ye and William Stevens.
Top speed race records
- Class LM P1 in 2018 – Stéphane Sarrazin
- Class LM P2 in 2018 – Stéphane Richelmi
- Class LM GTE Pro in 2018 – Augusto Farfus
- Class LM GTE Am in 2018 – Mathias Lauda
- Class Hypecar in 2022 – Kamui Kobayashi
Best lap race records
- In class LM P1 – 1’41’’800 by Kamui Kobayashi
- In class LM P2 – 1’48’’990 by Nyck De Vries
- In class LM GTE Pro – 1’57’’734 by Nick Tandy ARRAZIN
Why should you go to Sebring?
Sebring is a favorite of many motorrace enthusiastic thanks to its unique track characteristics. Not only is it set on a former US air force base, but it boasts 17 bends of varying difficulty and an infamously bumpy surface. If you’re lucky enough to catch a race at Sebring, you know you’re in for a spectacle.
Plan your trip with Hertz and find out more about Hertz Team Jota here.
